F22 wrote on 08/20/09 at 06:10:35:


Well as I explained that in my first post... . 

Theoretically it appears to be okay in my sources so if you think it is okay, then by all means, play it. In my opinion the position of c8-bishop shouldn't be disclosed too early to the opponent. Perhaps that is the rather subtle point which will matter more to super-GM's then to us.

BobbyDigital80 wrote on 08/18/09 at 02:19:31:


I did not know about the exchange sacrifice. But what is wrong with 10.a5 Ba7 ? Anyway according to Beliavsky & Mikhalchishin 8...Rb8 is more accurate but then they don't even mention 10.a5.

Schaakhamster wrote on 08/17/09 at 09:24:23:


First of all Kramnik did not play 8...b4. Also White has no problem with getting his knight to K-side instead of Nc3-Ne2-Ng3 he can play Nd2-Nf1-Ng3.

Also I should mention that after 6...Bb7 7.d3 Black can also try 7...Bd6!? It is part of theory and if I recall correctly the idea is to play ...d5 in one move after ...O-O, ...Re8, ...Bf8.

By the way there will be a fritztrainer DVD by Michailtschisch in on the Arkhangelsk. I saw an excerpt in the latest CBM 131. While I was not absolutly impressed, Michailtschischin is shurly the top specialist on this topic so it may be interesting.
Unfortunatly I do not know if he also covers the Neo-Arkhangelsk

What about this line?
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.a4
Isn't this line annoying for black? If he now plays 8...Rb8 then 9.d4 Bb6 10.a5! is annoying. If 10...Nxa5 then 11.Rxa5! Bxa5 12.dxe5 and white is better. After 10.a5 black has to play 10...Ba7. Anyone know how this line is doing for black? Or should black play something different from 8...Rb8? Is Bb7 or Bg4 better? I'm interested in playing this as black but that a4 line is annoying.

here is my take on it:

(1) In a way 6. ... Bb7 gives away information too early. Black develops his bishop to the h1-a8 diagonal to pressurize e4 without white being commited to the c3-d4 push. d3 reinforces e4 and if black insists on 7. ... Bc5 (7. ... Be7, keeping the bishop on a square where he can help out on the kingside might be better) I think that 8. Nc3 with a4 is strong. 

For instance: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. d3 Bc5 8. Nc3 d6 9. a4 b4 10. Ne2 

White can rerout his queen's knight to the kingside much more quickly because black can't play Bg4. He has locked up the queenside and the bishop on b7 isn't doing a lot. Black might has to play Bc8 down the line to activate this bishop). All in all enough to claim an edge for white.

With 6. ... Bc5 black can see what white wants. After 7. d3 his c8 bishop can be hold in reserve and deployed according to whatever white's plan is. 

Summary: 6. ... Bc5 is more flexible while 6. ... Bb7 gives white an easy and good plan. Is black busted in the 6. ... Bb7 line? Far from, but in GM-chess it is all about small differences.

(2)

After this move-order black can play

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Bb7 8. d3 b4 taking away c3 from the knight which complicates the situation somewhat. Rerouting the knight to the kingside takes a lot more time now.