Chapter 1: For Those Cowards Who Didn't Buy the Corn Stalk Book

1.e4 h5



This is the starting position of the Wheat Stalk Defence. White has fatally weakened the d4 and f4 squares with 1.e4, while exposing the white king along the e-file. Practice has shown that 1...h5! is clearly Black's best reply to 1.e4, as Black controls the key h5- and g4-squares which are the main squares that White uses to generate a kingside attack based on the old games of Kasparov. The h8-rook immediately enters the game, and Black's kingside space advantage is a key factor. Further kingside development is prepared as White cannot target the usually weak f7-square anymore. True, the g5-square is slightly weakened, but this is not an issue at all as Black can always play ...f6, protecting the key kingside squares and preparing to strengthen Black's initiative with ...g5.

It's important to remember that White is actually in zugzwang in the initial position. Any move he makes will weaken squares and, unless White plays 1.h4 or 1.a4, he will worsen the placement of his pieces in general. By playing 1.e4, the moves h4 or a4 are ineffective because these now fatally weaken the dark squares. Control of the dark squares is a key theme for Black in this variation, like in a souped-up King's Indian.

Now that we have given a brief introduction to this variation, let us examine an illustrative game.

Carlsen-TN, ICC bullet 2010

1. e4 h5! 2. d4 White's most popular move, but 2.Be2!? is an interesting alternative. e5!? This reaches an improved version of the Englund Gambit since White's pawns are more vulnerable than usual and he cannot easily castle kingside anymore, as the game shows. However, I think there are better tries than this. 3. dxe5 Nc6 Playing as in the old Englund Gambit, but 3...g5! is more to the point, preventing White from developing his g1-knight actively. If 4.Nc3, then 4...c6! 5.Nf3 g4 6.Ng5 Bh6 is much better for Black as White's g5-knight is out of the game and this combined with White's horrible pawn structure gives Black a significant positional advantage. 4. Nf3 Be7 A more subtle way of preparing a kingside pawn storm. In these positions, the computer's evaluation is usually incorrect. In my games with 1...h5 against computers, you would be surprised by how often the computer gives +1 or higher only to be losing within another dozen moves. 5. Nc3 White develops a piece, but it is clear that the knight is completely misplaced on c3. White should prefer 5.Bb5, although 5...Nh6 6.Bc6 dc6!! 7.Qd8 Kd8 is an improved Berlin Wall for Black where White's kingside pawn majority is actually a liability and Black can play for a win with ...a5-a4. a6?! Unfortunately I began to see ghosts at this point. 5...g5! is instead slightly better for Black as White cannot keep his extra pawn and his knights are very unfortunately placed. 6. Bc4 Nh6 Black prepares to develop his forces. 7. O-O d6? After this horrible move, White is better. Black should prefer 7...b5 8.Bb3 Bb7 with dynamic equilibrium. 8. exd6
Bxd6 9. Bd5! A very powerful move, placing the bishop on the outpost square. Instead the knight would be misplaced on d5 as it blocks the scope of the b3-bishop and protects the d6-pawn. The computer likes 9.e5, but then 9...Be7 10.Qe2 Bg4 secures the usual compensation for Black. Black's control over the dark-squares is again a sight to behold. Bg4 10. Bxc6+ Why are you giving up a bishop? Bishops are worth more than knights. I've never heard of this Carlsen dude but he seems to appear in all these random magazines.  bxc6 I don't get these chess players. Why was my husband TN so happy after this game? 11. h3? Putting the question to the bishop, but after this callous error Black converts his initiative into an advantage. Qe7!! Now Black has a very strong attack. White should leave the bishop on g4, but, being greedy, he cannot resist the temptation. 12. hxg4? hxg4 With the h-file open, White will not be able to resist the offensive. 13. Bg5 f6 Also strong is 13...gf3 14.Be7 fg2 and all I need is for my bughouse partner to take a knight and I've got mate. 14. e5 I had missed this move, but fortunately it's not dangerous. (Instead 14.Re1 gf3 15.e5 was the best chance to save the game.)  Qf7
15. exd6 O-O-O?? This is just horrible. I missed a chance to crash through with 15...Qh5! 16.Bf6 Nf5!! 17.Qe2 Kd7 18.Bh4 (forced) 18...gf3 19.Qc4 cd6!! (this quiet move seals the deal) 20.g3 Nh4 21.g4 Qh6 and Black wins. 16. Ne5! This is the reason why. Now Black is lost, but Carlsen had only 10 seconds to my 35, so I went for the big trick. fxe5 17. Bxd8 Qh5 Black is dead lost, but Carlsen couldn't find the only winning move and instead blundered in severe time pressure. 18. f3?? It's not easy when your opponent throws their entire army at you. 18.Qd3! would have been completely winning as 18...Nf7 19.f4! safeguards the king and leaves Black down too much material. g3 19. Re1 Ng4 Now White can resign as he only had 7 seconds to my 30. 20. Kf1 Qh1+ 21.
Ke2 Qxg2+ Collecting the harvest. 22. Kd3 Nf2+ 23. Kc4 Nxd1 24. Raxd1 Rxd8 0-1 and White lost on time in this completely hopeless position.

In this game, Black gained a slight edge out of the opening. Try getting the edge with Black against Carlsen using the Petroff instead!

In the next game, I beat Nakamura with the Wheat Stalk Defence after White's creative approach backfires badly.

Nakamura-TN, Dos Hermanas Final 2010 (this was a classical game)

1. d4 h5 2. h3!? Not a bad reply. White wants to prevent Black from playing ...Nf6-g4, but this does give Black the opportunity to secure a superior pawn structure with ...h4. a5 3. a3 Following suit, but 3.Na3!? offers better chances of equality.  d6 4. c4? In the position after 1.d4 d6, 2.c4 is White's best move. So why is it a mistake now? I'll show you why. a4!! A brilliant novelty - instead Karjakin played 4...e5 against Le in Vung Tau 2010 and lost badly. Now Black has a decisive advantage in pawn structure on the queenside and a space advantage on the kingside. The rest requires no comment. 5. Nc3 Qd7 6. e4 Nc6 7. Nxa4 Nxd4 8. Nb6! cxb6 9. Qxd4 Qa4 10. Qxb6 Nf6 11. f3 h4 12. Ne2 Nd7 13. Qb5 Qxb5 14. cxb5 Nc5
15. Nc3 Be6 16. Bg5 g6 17. Be2 Bg7 18. Rc1 Nb3 19. Rc2 Nd4 20. Rc1 Nb3 21. Rd1? Recklessly playing for a win. Instead White should have taken the draw with 21.Rc2.
Bxc3+ 22. bxc3 Rxa3 23. O-O Ra2 24. Rfe1 f6 25. Be3 g5! Black's positional bind is complete. White is completely lost. 26. c4 Kf7 27. Rb1 Ra3
28. Red1 Rc8 29. c5 dxc5 30. Rb2 c4 31. Bf1 c3 32. Rc2 Na1 33. Rcc1 c2 34. Re1
Nb3 35. Kf2 Nxc1 36. Rxc1 Rb3 37. Be2 Rb1 38. e5 Rxc1 39. Bxc1 Rd8 40. Ke1 Bb3
41. Bd2 fxe5 42. Bxg5 Rd1+ 43. Kf2 c1=Q 44. Bxc1 Rxc1 and White gave up. 0-1

Conclusion: If you didn't buy my book on the Corn Stalk Defence but made it this far, you are forgiven. If you were sensible and bought my book even when your Grandmaster chess coach was begging you not to, then even better. The reason your coach wanted you to avoid my book is because he didn't want you to learn how to ignominiously outplay him with 1...h5. As my games show, even the World's very best players lack a proper antidote to this deadly variation. 

Some sample lines to whet people's appetites for the line.

1.e4 h5 and now:

A) 2.Nc3 Rh6 3.d4 Re6 4.Nd5? Rxe4+ winning a pawn,

B) 2.d4 h4 3.Nf3 h3 4.g3 d5 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.Ne5?? Qg2#

mangler wrote on 10/08/10 at 12:08:51:


I covered this line in 'Shucking the Corn Stalk Defense' using my win against Carlsen as the main game. However, I can see that one chapter just wasn't enough.

Everyone is tired of equal positions, so...

Everyone wants to play the Wheat Stalk Defense.

I think a new book is needed!

I have 24 hours to write the entire book for Quantity Chess. I'll do my best.

Are you going to do a book on the Wheat Stalk Defence 1.e4 h5? That is vastly superior to the Corn Stalk defense!

1) Wheat is healthier than corn
2) It prepares kingside castling
3) In the Wheat Stalk, defence is spelled with a C, not a S.

Be sure to include the following sources in your bibliography:

1) I was tortured in a Pasadena Jailhouse by Bobby Fischer
2) Najdorf for the Tournament Player by John Nunn
3) The Complete Pirc by John Nunn
4) Nunn's Chess Endings vol 1 and 2 by somebody (I forget the author).
5) Standard Chess Openings by Schiller (768 pages!!)

Also be sure to create an index featuring key words, like pressurize, so i can find them quickly. To make it perfect, please publish the whole book (or books?) in UPPER CASE, in honor of you know who...

TicklyTim wrote on 10/08/10 at 11:15:44:


No, yes, no.

The book is not a repertoire book as it covers all of Black's main possibilities after 1...a5.

The book will cover 1.d4 a5, 1.c4 a5 and 1.Nf3 a5. I might add something on the other sidelines, but I'd have to add a new chapter in the 2nd edition. Quantity Chess might not like that.

You can play 1...a5 against any first move by White.

SWJediknight wrote on 10/08/10 at 11:38:44:


If you want to know my analysis on 2...Ra6, buy the book. You can't have your cake and eat it, unless of course you are eating Corn Stalk Cake.

After 1.b4 a5 2.ba5, 2...Ra5 is imprecise because it commits the rook to a poor square. I recommend instead 2...Nc6!, when 3.Bb2 e5 (also possible is 3...Na5 4.e4 d5 with a slight advantage) 4.c4 Bc5 5.Nc3 d6 and Black was better in Conticello-TN, Washington 2007. Interestingly, my 2...Nc6! idea is not covered in 'Play 1.b4!', possibly because Black won the aforementioned game in 23 moves.

TN wrote on 10/08/10 at 09:13:05:


Will it be a repertoire book covering 1.d4, 1.c4 & 1Nf3 also?
Can you be move ordered by the move 1.d4 or can you still play 1..a5?

TN wrote on 10/07/10 at 23:48:04:

Quantity Chess?