Hi Ostap,

Although the joint analysis of MNB and Spielmann seems convincing enough, for the sake of completeness here is what Khalifman gives after 11)...Bb4 12) Bd3 b5 13) g4 Nb6 14) Qf2 Nc4 15) Ne4 Be7 16) Bc5 Bb7:

17) Bxe7 Qxe7 18) Ng5 h6 19) Nh7 Rfc8 20) g5 Nb4 21) gxh6 Nxa2 22) Kb1 Nc3 23) bxc3 Qa3 24) Nf6 gxf6 25) Rhg1! Kf8 ( or 25)...Kh8 26) Bxc4 bxc4 27) Qh4 Qe7 28) exf6 Qa3 29) h7 +-) 26) Bxc4 bxc4 27) h7 Ke7 28) Qb6 +-

Keano wrote on 07/28/06 at 07:43:17:

If we go down the path 11...Bb4 12.Bd3 b5 then 13.g4 vs. 13.Rhf1 a big question which, at the moment, I am still undecided upon.  I too worry about the "blank spots" in the 13.g4 line.

Quote:

Regarding the improvement Shipov mentions for White, are you referring to 17.f5 (likely, I guess)?  I am just starting to work through the 17.f5 line myself and will be interested to hear what you've come up with for Black should we go down this path.

It'd be fair to say that I'm hoping for 11...Bb4 at the moment, since it seems to offer an exciting game and some interesting analytical challenges and opportunities for both sides.

Interesting lines - the main Khalifman line seems to be very sharp so there may be chances to improve on both sides - he says himself that the whole line is new so that there may be "blank spots".

As for me - I looked at my idea with 11...b6 followed by ...Bb4 last night, and finally I rejected it. It was not that there was anything clear-cut but for one thing the immediate a3 is possible after Bb4 and after ...Be7 it seemed to me the Black attack was a little bit slower in the few lines I looked at.

So then I went back and looked at 11...Bb4, in particular the Anand-Morozevich game, and I now believe that theoretically this is Blacks best bet at the moment - in the improvement Shipov mentions for White in the notes in that link OstapBender provided I think I found some salvation for Black....

so, to sum up, I am putting my vote down for...... 11....Bb4 

MNb wrote on 07/28/06 at 03:30:51:

MNb,
This is a very nice line! (OK, playing in Spielmann style has its merits )

I was wondering if Black can play 21...exf5 22.gxf5 f6 23.e6 and then 23...Nxd6 with the idea that 24.cxd3 would be answered by 24...Nd6 (so maybe White prefers 24.Rxd3 here).  Black makes some big concessions here (e.g., opening the g-file might be just too dangerous to consider) so I am not claiming this as improvement, but I am interested in what you think (and I will also try to analyze this myself, of course).

Thanks again,
Ostap

BTW,
Kind of a related question:
Based on what Smyslov_Fan has mentioned above, it looks like we may soon have the moves 11...Bb4 12.Bd3 b5 on the board.  If so White will have a major decision to make between 13.g4 (as played in Nijboer-Stellwagen, NED-ch 2002) or 13.Rhf1 (as played in Anand-Morozevich, San Luis 2005).  I wonder if you've given any thought as to which move looks more promising.  Anyway, something to think about as Smyslov_Fan decides on his next move...

I can't believe I am still helping you after your nasty comment on my hero. But I have a few lines for you, in the true spirit of Spielmann:

16.Bc5 Bb7 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Nec5
a)18...a5 19.Nxb7 Qxb7 20.Qh4.
b)18...Nb4 19.Rhe1 Nxa2+ 20.Kb1 Nb4 21.f5 Nxd3 22.cxd3 Nb6 23.f6.
c)18...Rfb8 19.Rhe1 a5 20.f5 N6xe5 21.fxe6 fxe6 22.Bxc4 Nxg4 23.Qg3 dxc4 24.Rd7.
I absolutely don't claim this to be the last word, but maybe you will admit, that playing in Spielmann style has its merits. 

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 07/27/06 at 09:06:26:

SF,
I will almost certainly answer 11...Bb4 with 12.Bd3 and I can confirm this later if you like after I've taken a bit of time to consider whether there are any attractive alternatives.  Do I understand correctly that we're talking about trying to reach 11...Bb4 (assuming this is what you choose) 12.Bd3 b5 before you have to be away for a week?

And, yes, summer disappears all too quickly...

Hello,

I would vote for 11...b6 at the moment, the Nijboer-Glek 2001 already mentioned by BadPritt is only game in DB with 12 h4, suprised Watson does not mention it, and can obviously be improved, i.e. Rf8 -d8 -f8 hints that something was overlooked by Glek between moves 15 -18.
                   Also fact that Dom and John Cox think 11... Bxe3 is not so bad is worth consideration too. My feeling is that for practically any resonable move there are improvements because so few games have been played, and don't think 11Nb3 is going to knock this line out.

Bye John S

No objection at all.  I'll even add a diagram to the page to facilitate discussion.

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Nb3




And, as I said already, I'm happy to see the discussion that is being generated.  It's the discussion and analysis that is making this game thread a success. (of course, I wouldn't mind winning as well... )

I like the idea (blue for France, SF) of coming up with a key improvement that makes the 11...Bb4 line playable, but I haven't heard that line-saving innovation yet.