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Current Status of the Graf Variation? (Read 33493 times)

ghenghisclown God Member Offline Pedicare Vestri Latin Posts: 1022 Location: HollyWeird Joined: 07/19/06 Gender:	Re: Current Status of the Graf Variation? Reply #4 - 07/19/06 at 14:53:19	Post Tools	Print Post
	I don't understand the 12. d5 comments, the line given on this site as a refutation--I spent the money on the book for nothing?--involves Anand v. Bruzon. But didn't Anand play d5 on the 14th (not 12th)move? Is this really a refutation? Actually, Davies mentions the plan adopted by Anand, saying that black's 22....Nd7 is correct, planning on Be5 and Nd7 to f6. G.M. Renet doesn't give any analysis on this (on the index page), but states that Nxh7 kills black. I was browsing this site, wondering if I should subscribe, but I'm skeptical...On the other hand, 22. ...h6 loses on the spot and all the games I could find with Bh4 from black is losing for him. None of them saw Nd7 from black on the 22nd move, though. I couldn't find anything after Kxh7 that looks convincing...O.K. so don't spill the beans on Renet's analysis, but is it convincing after Nxh7? I'd like to know...It looks like after Kxh7 by black, 24.f6 Nxf6 25.Rxf6 black plays Be5 (Qxf6 loses to the discovered I guess). I just don't see it. Davies analysis isn't refuted because he didn't give any in his book, he only gave 22. ...Nd7 with Be5 and Nf6 coming up, no further info apparently needed. He also said there needed to be further tests. You know, the traditional fallback...

	"Experience is a dim lamp, which only lights the one who bears it."
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JEH God Member Offline "Football is like Chess, only without the dice." Posts: 1456 Location: Reading Joined: 09/22/05 Gender:	Re: Current Status of the Graf Variation? Reply #3 - 05/22/06 at 18:41:06	Post Tools	Print Post
	The Graf variation looks fine for Black, and I the recommendation in Khalifmann's Anand series doesn't look dangerous for Black. However avoiding it with 12. d5 has logic to it, since it fits in with a key theme of the Chigorin in general, to keep the Na5 out of play. But if the reasoning behind the rejection of 12. d5 (ie it allows a quick f5) can be refuted , then the ball does look in Black's court on this one, and the Leko games, despite being Blindfold/Rapid are superb quality and interestingly hang on the thematic Na5 problem.

	Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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Paddy God Member Offline The truth will out! Posts: 966 Location: Manchester Joined: 01/10/03 Gender:	Re: Current Status of the Graf Variation? Reply #2 - 05/21/06 at 20:29:40	Post Tools	Print Post
	Quote: Hi, I am thinking of switching from the Sicilian Taimanov to 1...e5 and I wish to know what the current status of the graf variation in the keres ruy lopez is. The extremely unbalancing (traditionalists would say antipositional) Graf Variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.Nbd2 exd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 has not actually been seen much in 2006. I found just 13 games with White scoring 58%. There is better news though in that Black has been doing OK with the original Keres method of 12...cxd4 13 cxd4 Nc6, played by Romanishin and Mamedyarov. Of course, fans of either line will have to be well prepared against 12 d5 which has been causing some problems (analysed here on Chess Publishing by Olivier Renet; he claims an edge against some analysis by Nigel Davies in his repertoire book). I can't help thinking that a better long-term investment is the timeless 11...Qc7; after 12 Nbd2 there are variations to suit all tastes.


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JEH God Member Offline "Football is like Chess, only without the dice." Posts: 1456 Location: Reading Joined: 09/22/05 Gender:	Re: Current Status of the Graf Variation? Reply #1 - 05/20/06 at 09:54:03	Post Tools	Print Post
	Quote: Hi, I am thinking of switching from the Sicilian Taimanov to 1...e5 and I wish to know what the current status of the graf variation in the keres ruy lopez is. It's sound. Sound as the Taimanov at least I'd say. Actually it seems to be scoring quite well in my database of GM games since 2004. But why switch from all that Sicilian theory to the masses of 1 e4 e5 stuff?
	« Last Edit: 05/20/06 at 10:58:05 by JEH »
	Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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evilsamurai(Guest) Guest	Current Status of the Graf Variation? 05/19/06 at 17:50:31	Post Tools	Print Post
	Hi, I am thinking of switching from the Sicilian Taimanov to 1...e5 and I wish to know what the current status of the graf variation in the keres ruy lopez is.


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