[Event "Alekhine op"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Yakovich, Yuri"]
[Black "Malaniuk, Vladimir P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2520"]
[BlackElo "2540"]
[Annotator "TN"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "1992.10.??"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1993.04.01"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7 {This move looks bizarre,
but Black's plan is fairly simple. Black plans to develop his kingside with ...
Nf6 and ...0-0 followed by playing either ...d6 with a solid position or ...d5
to counter attack in the centre. After 5...Bc5 6.Be3, Black must spend another
tempo on 6...Bb6 due to the threat of Nc6, and therefore Malaniuk prefers to
immediately place the bishop on e7. The reason this setup works for Black is
because the b1-knight is deprived of the optimal c3 square, meaning that the
extra move c3 actually hurts White. If White develops the knight to d2, then
Black can achieve good play in the centre with ...d5!, which would be
ineffective with a knight on c3.} 6. g3 {This setup is too quiet to give White
an opening advantage.} Nf6 7. Nxc6 (7. Bg2 O-O 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. e5 Nd5 10. Bxd5
cxd5 11. Qxd5 Ba6 $44) 7... bxc6 8. e5 Nd5 9. Bg2 Ba6 10. Qg4 Kf8 (10... g6 {
is also fine, although Black may have been worried about} 11. Bh6 Bf8 12. Bg5
Qc8 13. Nd2 {.}) 11. Nd2 h5 12. Qa4 Qc8 13. h4 Rh6 14. c4 Nb4 15. O-O Re6 {
Black is doing fine here as the e5-pawn is not easy to defend (f4 weakens the
light squares) and Black has good counterplay with his active e6-rook and
b4-knight.} 16. Qb3 c5 $2 (16... Rb8) 17. Qf3 Rb8 18. Qxh5 Kg8 19. b3 (19. f4
Nc2 20. Rb1 Ne3 21. Rf2 Nxg2 22. Kxg2 $16) 19... g6 20. Qg4 Rxe5 21. Bb2 Rh5
22. Rae1 Qd8 23. Re2 d5 24. a3 Nd3 25. Ba1 dxc4 26. bxc4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Petrov Memorial"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "1996.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Kiik, Kalle"]
[Black "Malaniuk, Vladimir P"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2385"]
[BlackElo "2585"]
[Annotator "TN"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "1996.02.??"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1996.06.01"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nd2 {White
has developed his queenside harmoniously, but now Black can achieve good play
with ...d5. However, the game shows that Black can also play without the move .
..d6 or ...d5.} O-O 8. Be2 Re8 (8... d5 $1 9. Nxc6 (9. exd5 $6 Nxd5 10. Nxc6
bxc6 11. Bd4 Nf4) 9... bxc6 10. e5 Nd7 11. f4 Bc5 {looks equal to me.}) 9. O-O
Bf8 (9... d5) 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 Ne5 $5 {An interesting way of playing the
position. I don't trust White's pawn sacrifice, but it has the desired effect
of forcing Black into time pressure.} 12. f4 $6 (12. Bg3 Ng6 13. Bd3 {is
uninspiring but probably best.}) 12... Ng6 13. Bg3 (13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. e5 Qb6)
13... Nxe4 14. Nxe4 Rxe4 15. Bd3 Re8 16. Qh5 c5 17. f5 Ne5 18. Bxe5 Rxe5 19.
Nf3 Re3 $15 20. f6 Qxf6 21. Rae1 g6 22. Qd5 Qe6 23. Be4 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 d6 25.
Qd3 Qf6 26. Bd5 Bf5 27. Qc4 Rb8 28. a4 Bd7 29. Re4 g5 30. a5 b5 31. axb6 axb6
32. h4 Re8 33. hxg5 hxg5 34. Nxg5 Rxe4 35. Nxe4 Qf4 36. g3 {Since only Black
has winning chances here, I assume he lost on time.} 1-0

[Event "Bozen op"]
[Site "Bozen"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Zelcic, Robert"]
[Black "Malaniuk, Vladimir P"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2380"]
[BlackElo "2550"]
[Annotator "TN"]
[PlyCount "128"]
[EventDate "1992.??.??"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ITA"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1994.03.01"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Nf5 {This
move isn't especially challenging since after castling White will have to
eventually move the knight anyway.} O-O 8. O-O (8. Nxe7+ Qxe7 9. f3 d5 $1 {is
great for Black.}) 8... Bc5 {Now White has to watch out for ...d5 to exploit
the vulnerable position of the f5-knight; hence White's next.} (8... Nxe4 $2 9.
Qg4) (8... d6 9. Nxe7+ Qxe7 10. f3 $14 {[%csl Yc1,Yc4]}) 9. Bg5 d6 10. Bb3 h6
11. Bh4 Ne5 {We already saw this idea in the previous game.} 12. Nd2 Ng6 13.
Bg3 Re8 14. Qf3 (14. Bc2 $5 d5 15. exd5 Nxd5 $11) 14... a5 15. a4 Be6 16. Rfe1
Nd7 17. h4 Bb6 18. Bd5 Nge5 19. Bxe5 (19. Qe2 {is more logical, not forfeiting
the bishop pair.}) 19... Nxe5 20. Qg3 Qf6 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Ne3 Rf8 23. Rf1
Bxe3 24. fxe3 Qg6 $15 {Black's superior pawn structure gives him some winning
chances.} 25. Qxg6 Rxf1+ 26. Kxf1 Nxg6 27. Nf3 Kf7 28. Ke2 Ke7 29. Rf1 Nf8 30.
Ne1 Nd7 31. Nd3 e5 32. g4 Nb6 33. b3 Nd7 34. Rg1 g6 35. h5 g5 36. Rf1 Nf6 37.
Nf2 Ke6 38. Rd1 Ra6 39. Kd3 Nd7 40. Kc2 Nc5 41. Rf1 Ra8 42. b4 axb4 43. cxb4
Nd7 44. a5 c5 45. bxc5 Nxc5 46. Ra1 Rf8 47. Nd3 Nxe4 48. Ra4 Rc8+ 49. Kb2 Nc5
50. Nxc5+ Rxc5 51. Rb4 Rxa5 52. Rxb7 Ra4 53. Rh7 Rxg4 54. Kc3 d5 55. Kd3 Rg3
56. Ke2 Kf5 57. Kf2 Rh3 58. Rxh6 Ke4 59. Kg2 g4 60. Kf2 Rxe3 61. Rg6 Rf3+ 62.
Kg2 Kf5 63. Rd6 d4 64. h6 Rh3 0-1

[Event "Katowice Fibak op"]
[Site "Katowice"]
[Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Kholmov, Ratmir D"]
[Black "Malaniuk, Vladimir P"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2460"]
[BlackElo "2600"]
[Annotator "TN"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1993.01.??"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "POL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1997.11.17"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Nxc6 bxc6
8. e5 {This ambitious move, gaining space in the centre as in the 4...Nf6 5.
Nc6 Scotch, has to be critical. This game shows that Black obtains full
compensation if White accepts the pawn sacrifice.} Nd5 $1 (8... Ng8) 9. Bxd5
cxd5 10. Qxd5 Ba6 11. c4 (11. Bf4 Rb8 12. b3 Bb7) (11. Nd2 $5 {is plausible
but shouldn't change the evaluation:} Rb8 12. Nc4 Bb7 13. Qd3 f6 $44) 11... c6
12. Qe4 O-O 13. O-O f6 14. Rd1 (14. exf6 {is critical, although} Bxf6 15. Rd1
Qb6 {gives Black full compensation for the pawn.}) 14... fxe5 15. Be3 (15. Qxe5
Bxc4 $15) 15... Qc7 16. c5 Be2 17. Rd2 Bh5 18. Nc3 Rab8 19. f3 Bg6 20. Qc4+ Bf7
21. Qa6 Be6 {Objectively the position seems about equal, but I prefer Black
slightly due to his bishop pair.} 22. b3 h6 23. Re1 Rf5 24. Ne4 Bd5 25. Red1
Be6 26. h3 Rff8 27. Bf2 Rb5 28. Qa3 Rf5 29. Qb2 a5 30. Qc3 Qa7 31. Kh2 Bf8 32.
Rc1 Be7 33. g4 Rf7 34. Rcd1 Bf8 35. Kg2 Qb8 36. Bg3 Qa7 37. h4 Bxc5 38. Nxc5
Qxc5 39. Qxc5 Rxc5 40. Re1 Rc3 41. Rxe5 a4 0-1

[Event "Caciulata"]
[Site "Calimanesti"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bouaziz, Slim"]
[Black "Malaniuk, Vladimir P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2385"]
[BlackElo "2550"]
[Annotator "TN"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "1992.??.??"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "ROM"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1997.11.17"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Nxc6 bxc6
8. e5 Nd5 9. Qg4 {White immediately makes use of the dark squared bishop's
placement on e7 to force a slight weakening in Black's position.} g6 (9... Kf8
{also looks playable, intending to follow up with ...d6 to liquidate White's
central space advantage and play ...Be6 and ...Kg8 with a satisfactory
position.}) 10. Bh6 {The consistent follow up, making it more difficult for
Black to castle.} Nb6 {With the threat of ...d5 as well as ...Nc4.} (10... d6
11. Qd4 {is problematic.}) 11. Bd3 d5 (11... d6 $5) 12. Qf4 (12. Qe2 $5) 12...
Nd7 13. Nd2 (13. Bg7 Rg8 14. Bh6 Nc5 15. Bc2 Ba6) 13... Nc5 14. Bc2 Ne6 15. Qa4
Bd7 16. Nf3 c5 17. Qa6 Qb8 18. O-O-O c6 {The position is complicated. Black
has a nice pawn duo on c5 and d5, but Black's king could become unsafe if the
centre opens up. White seems to be slightly better here.} 19. c4 (19. h4 $6 Qb6
20. Qe2 Rb8 21. b3 Qa5 $15) 19... Qb6 20. Qa3 (20. Qxb6 axb6 21. cxd5 cxd5 22.
Rxd5 Bc6 23. Rd3 Rxa2 $11) 20... d4 21. h4 a5 22. Rd3 (22. Kb1 $5 $14 {with
the intention of reorganising White's forces with Bc1 and Qd3 looks preferable.
Then with h5 in the air, I prefer White since Black's queenside actions lead
nowhere.}) 22... Qa6 23. Qa4 Kd8 24. Bd2 Kc8 25. Ra3 Bd8 26. Ng5 Nxg5 27. hxg5
Be6 28. Bd3 Kd7 29. f4 Be7 30. Qc2 a4 31. f5 gxf5 32. Bxf5 Kc7 33. Bxe6 fxe6
34. Rf3 Raf8 35. Kb1 Kd7 36. Bc1 Qa5 37. Rxf8 Rxf8 38. Qxh7 a3 39. Qd3 axb2 40.
Bd2 Qa4 41. a3 Rb8 42. Ka2 b1=Q+ 43. Rxb1 Rxb1 44. Kxb1 Qd1+ 45. Kb2 Bf8 46.
Qc2 Qg4 47. Qb3 Qxg2 48. Qb7+ Kd8 1/2-1/2

[Event "Katowice Fibak op"]
[Site "Katowice"]
[Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Yandemirov, Valeri"]
[Black "Malaniuk, Vladimir P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "2465"]
[BlackElo "2600"]
[Annotator "TN"]
[PlyCount "29"]
[EventDate "1993.01.??"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "POL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1997.11.17"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Nxc6 bxc6
8. e5 Nd5 9. O-O Nb6 10. Bb3 d5 11. exd6 cxd6 $11 {Black has no problems.
Compared to the Four Knights Scotch (4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4) White doesn't even
have his b1-knight on the strong c3 square.} 12. Nd2 O-O 13. Nc4 d5 (13... Nxc4
14. Bxc4 d5 15. Bd3 Be6 $11) 14. Nxb6 axb6 15. Qf3 {and a draw was agreed,
although I marginally prefer Black due to his greater central space.} 1/2-1/2

