Paddy wrote on 09/29/09 at 12:33:19:


Is there anything wrong with 6...Qxc5?

In a recent tournament I came across the line:

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bf5!?
Now none of White's usual options seem to really impress:

A) 6.Be3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bxb1 8.Rxb1
(8.Qxb1 e6 also looks fine for Black, who could also consider 8...e5)
8...e6
(this is Black's idea; to eliminate the b1 knight before playing to blockade White's IQP. If 8...Qxa2 9.Bd3 White will drum up some compensation - in fact Fritz 11 already suggests White has a large advantage)
9.a3 Nf6 10.Rc1 Bd6 11.Bc4 Qa5+ and Black is at least OK

B) 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.Nxd4 Qe5 easily equalises

C) 6.Na3 was played by one of the only 2400+ players to face 5...Bf5 but he eventually lost after 6...cxd4 7.Bc4 Qe4 8.Be3 e6
(8...dxe3 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Ng5+ Ke8 11.Nxe4 Bxe4 12.Nb5 is good for White)
9.cxd4 Bb4+ 10.Kf1 Nf6 and Black was better and eventually won in Kristjansson (2472) - Rombaldoni (2309), 29.03.2009

D) 6.Be2 is the most common and was the move I tried, but after 6...cxd4 7.cxd4 Bxb1 8.Rxb1 e6 9.a3 Nf6 10.0-0 Bd6 11.Bg5 0-0 12.Rc1
(12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Rc1 was possible, but certainly not better for White)
12...Rfd8
(12...Ne4 and 12...Be7 were other possibilities giving Black an even game)
13.Bc4 Qa5 14.b4!? Qb6 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.d5!? exd5 17.Bd3 and White has reasonable compensation for the pawn but no more

E) I suppose the critical move has to be 6.dxc5 and it was played by the highest rated White player (Godena 2540), but I didn't particularly like the look of it with Black's bishop already cutting off c2 from White's King. 6...Qxd1 7.Kxd1 0-0-0+ I suspect it's better to give check before White can develop with Be3, although I'm not sure about whether 0-0-0 or Rd8 should be prefered
(7...e6 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Nbd2 Nd5 10.Nb3 Nxe3+ 11.fxe3 0-0-0+ 12.Ke1 is another typical unclear position for this line Godena (2540) - Rombaldoni (2425), 24.08.2009)
Now either 8.Nbd2 or 8.Ke1 are unclear (Black might continue with e7-e5-e4 immediately, or play in a more constrained manner). Personally I have some experience in the dxc5 structure from the line 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.dxc5 Qxd1 7.Kxd1 but usually my king gets tucked away on the queenside via c2. I don't think I'd feel comfortable with my king stuck in the centre like this.

Any ideas on how White can at least pose some questions to this line?