lnn2 wrote on 11/11/07 at 05:46:18:
My experiences are similar to yours. I think the MacCutcheon is really the only way for me to play against 4. Bg5. But recently I lost miserably to a FM in a few rapid games starting with 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 Ne4 7. Qg4 g6 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Nxc3 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. h4 Ne7 12. h5 g5 13. Ne2! (much better than 13. f3 which is unclear) where after 13.. Nxe2 14. Qxe2 I think Black is slightly worse.
Black is up a pawn, but ironically, the more pieces Black exchanges, the easier for White to use the open b file or exploit Black's kingside weaknesses. Later I found out from the database that Nepomniatchi also lost to Najer in this line (Najer-Nepomniatchi Moscow 2006), but he was willing to repeat it in Spoelman-Nepomniatchi Corus 2007 so who knows. This was also recommended by Watson for White in Dangerous Weapons.
Hah. Seems like I was right...
Nepom just lost some more games after 13. Ne2! recently:
I. Popov (2594) - I. Nepomniachtchi (2634) Dagomys 2008
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 Ne4
7. Qg4 g6 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Nxc3 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. h4 Ne7
12. h5 g5 13. Ne2 Nxe2 14. Qxe2 c5 15. dxc5 d4 16. O-O-O Bd7
17. Bxd4 Bc6 18. Bc3 Qd5 19. Rhg1 Qxc5 20. Bb4 Qb6 21. c4 Ba4
22. Qf3 a5 23. Bxe7 Qb3 24. Rd2 Qc3+ 25. Bc2 Qa1+ 26. Bb1 Rc8
27. c5 g4 28. Qe3 Kxe7 29. Ra2 Qxa2 30. Bxa2 b6 31. Kb2 bxc5
32. Qf4 1-0 This was covered by Neil in his recent update.
Nepom then tried to avoid opening the position with 14... Nf5!?, but it was again an unfortunate result. Perhaps Black can improve by being consistent with his strategy and avoid closing the position with 17... c4?! in the following game:
Bo Vuckovic (2556) - I Nepomniachtchi (2634) Plovdiv EuCh. 2008
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 Ne4 7. Qg4 g6 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Nxc3 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. h4 Ne7 12. h5 g5 13. Ne2 Nxe2 14. Qxe2 Nf5 15. g4 Nxe3 16. fxe3 c5 17. c3 c4 18. Bc2 Qa5 19. Kd2 Bd7 20. Rhf1 O-O-O 21. Rxf7 Ba4 22. Bg6 Rd7 23. Qf1 Rhd8 24. Qf6 Rxf7 25. Bxf7 Bd7 26. Bxe6 Qb5 27. Bxd7+ Rxd7 28. Qf8+ Kc7 29. Qb4 Qxb4 30. axb4 Rf7 31. Ke2 a6 32. Ra5 Rd7 33. Rc5+ 1-0