kylemeister wrote on 05/18/07 at 18:45:45:


Thanks.  Yes, that's right, Yearbook 82, pp. 57-64.  One line to which Palliser calls attention is 1. e4 c5  2. Nf3 Nc6  3. d4 exd4  4. Nxd4 e5  5. Nb5 a6  6. Nd6+ Bxd6  7. Qxd6 Qf6  8. Qd1 Qg3  9. Nc3 Nge7  10. Be3!? (the main line, widely considered best, is 10. h4) 10...d5  11. exd5 Nb4  12. Bd3 Nxd3+  13. Qxd3, as played in Abramson - Zilberberg, 1967 Soviet CC Champ.  The game concluded with 13...Qxd3  14. cxd3 Bf5  15. Ne4 Rd8 1/2-1/2 (in view of 16. d6 Nc8).  The commentary, which I believe is Palliser's, mentions 15. d6!? Nc6 (15...Nc8  16. f4! is very promising for White) 16. Nd5 Rd8  17. Bc5 Bxd3  18. 0-0-0 as producing a significant White advantage.  Also, not mentioned in the commentary is 15. d4!? which I think may be White's best try.

Considering that 13...Qxd3 doesn't seem to equalize, I wonder if Black can play 13...Bf5  14. Qd2 Qxg7  15. 0-0-0 Ng6 (15...0-0 leads to trouble after 16. Bc5).  Critical then seems to be 16. h4 h5  17. Rdg1 Qf3  18. Rh2 Bg4  19. Rg3 Qf5  20. f3 Bxf3  21. Rf2 e4  22. Nxe4 Qxe4  23. Rgxf3, after which I'm suspicious of Black's position.

I'm suspicious of the whole Lowenthal, for that matter, but it would be interesting if it were playable.

I could have sworn that I saw some treatment of the Lowenthal with 8. Qd1 by Palliser in a recent update.  But when I look, all I find is 8. Qc7 in May's update.  Was it not on this site that I saw some advocacy that the Lowenthal is playable, or at any rate, is being tried out once again by some strong players?