I posted this in a different thread, and I even e-mailed Semkov about it to pass it along to Khalifman so that it (hopefully) isn't missed in the revised edition of Volume 3A. I would be sorely, sorely disappointed if white's recommendation gets repeated without either significant improvements, or changing the preference (ie: 5. Nc3, 3. Nc3, or 3. g3)

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. g3

More of a side-note, but Davies recommends this sequence as well in "The Dynamic Reti". It's too bad the upcoming sequence appears to be a complete equalizer with strong practical chances for black:

5...e5 6. Nb5 (6. Nc2 d5 =) Bb4+.

This is mentioned by Khalifman, but his primary recommendation leads to a position that may well be =+, because he doesn't give black's best follow-up.

7. Bd2 a6! (best, unmentioned) 8. Bxb4 (forced) axb5 9. Bd6 (forced) Qa5+ 10. Nd2 (10. Nc3 Ne4, 10. Qd2 Ne4 11. Qxa5 Nxa5 =+) Ne4 11. c5 Nxd6 12. cxd6 Qb4 with complete equality, possibly even =+.

So that leaves the secondary recommendation, but things are no rosier for white here either:

7. N1c3 d6! (unmentioned, but obvious) 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. Nxc3 (9. bxc3 0-0 =) Be6 10. Bg2 (10. e4?! 0-0 with initiative, white has way too many weaknesses to cover) Bxc4 11. Qa4 Be6 12. Bg5 (12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Qxc6 Kf8 14. Bg5 Rc8 15. Bxf6 gxf6 =) 0-0 =

The door is slammed shut on 5. g3 barring improvements.

huibui wrote on 07/21/10 at 12:30:10:


It will be 3. Nc3. I had a hunch it would, and Semkov/Soloviov ended up confirming my hunch.

And no, 3...e5 is not the theoretical problem with 3. Nc3 at the moment. Even with black's most accurate move order to avoid the early b4 gambits, ie: Kramnik-Alekseev, Tal Memorial Blitz 2008, white emerged from the opening slightly better even though he ultimately lost. The line where white has traditionally needed theoretical improvements is 3. Nc3 Nd4. After a lot of looking I finally found it, but who knows whether Khalifman finds something different, or ultimately ends up with what I found.

White has nothing in a few lines of 5. Nc3 e6 6. a3 (6...Be7 most notably), and the pawn sacrifice line of 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nc3 e6 6. d4 (6. 0-0 Nge7 7. d4 as well) is only sufficient for equality if black declines the pawn.