After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 d6 8.0-0 Bd7 9.Re1 Be7 10.Nb3 b5 11.a3 Nf6 12.f4 both moves Rc8 and Rd8 are playable. The difference between them is in the way Black meets g4.
1. In the case of 12...Rd8 13.Be3 0-0 14.g4 Black can play 14...Bc8 freeing d7 for the knight.
2. After 12...Rc8 13.Be3 0-0 is dubious because after 14.g4 the knight has no good retreat square. So in the second case Black should try to build a blockade on the dark squares starting with 13...h6 14.g4 Nh7 (14...h5 15.h3 hxg4 16.hxg4 g5 17.e5+=) Then White could persist with his plan with 15.Bf2 aiming for h4 and g5.
Perhaps the word "renews" the threat g4 is not precise. My idea was to say that White is threatening g4. Since the same idea was discussed on the previous move (but it was not good with the bishop still on c1), I used "renews". Sorry if I was unclear.

Interestingly, a certain IM (about 2400 fide) played 13.Be2!? against me in a rapid game on ICC a few weeks ago. He played it immediately, as if he prepared the move. I replied with what I believe is the best continuation (as was suggested by Semkov above). the game went:

[Event "ICC 10 30"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2006.5.7"]
[Round ""]
[White "International Master"]
[Black "Ptero"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Eco "B44"]
[Annotator ""]
[Source ""]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3
a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4 Be6 10.Nd5 Nxe4 11.Bb6 Qg5 12.Nc7+ Kd7 13.Be2
Rc8 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.O-O Nd4 16.Bxd4 exd4 17.Qxd4 d5 18.Nc3 Rxc3
19.bxc3 Bc5 20.Qa4+ Ke7 21.Bf3 Nd2 22.Qg4 Qxg4 23.Bxg4 Nxf1 24.Kxf1
Rf8 25.f3 Kd6 26.g3 h5 27.Bxh5 Rh8 28.g4 g6 29.Bxg6 Rxh2 30.Rd1
Rf2+ 31.Ke1 Rxf3 32.c4 Rg3 33.cxd5 Rg1+ 34.Ke2 Rxd1 35.Kxd1 {Game drawn by mutual agreement}
1/2-1/2

17.Bf3 is probably better than the move played, while 20...Kd6!? may have given black some edge. In any case I am rather convinced that black should be doing well against 13.Be2

Ptero

YEAH! I finally got the book! The format was revolutionary and congrats to Mr. Semkov and Mr. Delchev.
Right now I am studying the English Attack section and I've got a question...

The 11. Bd4 line contines with 11...Be7
12 Qf2 d6

While in 11.Kh1, the authors warn not to play 11...Be7 due to
12 Qf2 d6
13 Bb6!

My question is, if Bb6 is such a strong move, why isn't it discussed in the former line? Obviously the loss of tempo is the reason...but why? Black will still have to reply with 13...Qb8 doesn't he?

To Mr. Semkov and BladezII, thanks for your thoughtful responses.

To Mr. Semkov:
First, let me congratulate you and Mr. Delchev for this book, which I think is excellent both in concept and in content. Great work!
Second, about the specific variation I was discussing:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4 Be6 10.Nd5 Nxe4 11.Bb6 Qg5 12.Nc7+ Kd7 13.Be2
And now, after:
13…Rc8 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.O-O Be7 Black’s position indeed looks great at first sight, but White plays 16.c3! intending Qb3 eyeing both b7 and e6. Black’s game seems rather unpleasant, for example: 16…Rcf8 (clearing c8 for the K) 17.Be3 Qf6 (17…Qg6 or 17…Qf5 fails to 18.Bd3, while after 17…Qh4 just 18.Qb3 +/-) 18.Bd3 Ng5
19.Qb3 Kc8 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Qxe6+ Kb8 22.Na3 and White seems to have a lasting edge with good attacking chances on the Q-side.
But I do like the second suggestion (15…Nd4!), not the first move that jumped to my mind, but indeed this seems fine for Black after 16.Bxd4 cxd4 17.Bf3 Qf4 18.Qxd4 d5. Thanks!

To BladezII:
Your suggestion is very interesting but strikes me as slightly optimistic, as you suggest to sacrifice active pieces and remain a piece down for a few pawns after:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3
a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4 Be6 10.Nd5 Nxe4 11.Bb6 Qg5 12.Nc7+ Kd7 13.Be2
Nd4 14.O-O Bh3 15.Bf3 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Qxg2+ 17.Qxg2 Bxg2 18.Kxg2
Rc8 19.Nd5 Nf6 20.Nbc3! (not 20.Ne3?! d5!) Nxd5 21.Nxd5 Rxc2 22.Rfd1! Rxb2 23.a4  I’m afraid that Black has to grovel for a lucky draw here as white is alarmingly active.
But the try is certainly interesting and I’ll give it another look. Thanks!

Niv 

     

Bladez,

I read both the quick repertoire and the annotations to the game, and agreed with what was said.  I don't know what any of that has to do with White missing the win at the end.  This was a curiosity, really - and nothing whatsoever to do with the opening play or any comments given in the book - it's just that White could have played 55.Qe7+ and won, something that is not relevant to the repertoire or opening, but strange nonetheless. I thought it was a typo until I checked the result elsewhere.  It seems time was likely to blame, but there was certainly no interpretation of mine of any sort that associated the result with anything the authors were trying to say.

slates wrote on 03/29/06 at 09:43:20:


Slates,

I think you did not read or did not stop to ponder what was written in the book in the Quick repertoire and to the annotations in the complete games section.  Look at what the book says --

"It is supposed that Black has a universal set-up against this version of the Hedgehog.  In many games the second players half-automatically line up their forces by the following scheme, regardless of the opponent's action:.... "

Later he says:

"...Forget about this plan !"  And he gives and references the game by Daly vs Tregubov to support his point and to warn Black of what could happen.

Read pages 16 and 17 and you will see what I mean.  I hope this clarifies the misconception or the wrong interpretation you had about the contents of the book for that specific game.

In the line 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3
a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4 Be6 10.Nd5 Delchev and Semkov give Nxe4 11.Bb6 Qg5 12.Nc7+ Kd7 13.Bxe6+ fxe6 14.Nxa8 Qxg2 with very good play for Black, but Fritz 9 suggests 13.Be2!? so after 13…Rc8 (13…Qxg2? 14.Bf3) 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.0-0 Black is a pawn up, but his king is misplaced and he has trouble getting his pieces into play. Any thoughts on how black should proceed in that case?

Niv