"I must admit I've never really looked hard at 9...Ne5, but my impression always was that 9...Bf6 refuted the line in a theoretical sense, for after 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 (12.g4 0-0 13.g5 Be5 14.Nxe5 Bf5 =+ - Smit) 12...Bxg5 13.Nxg5 h6 (13...0-0 14.Nxh7 leads to a draw after 14...Kxh7, 14...Bf5 is also equal, while other 14th moves for White give =+ at best) 14.Qe2 (14.Bb5+ Bd7 15.Qe2 Bxb5 16.Qxb5+ Qd7 17.Qxb7 0-0 18.Rae1 Rab8 =+, 14.Qh5 0-0 15.Rae1 Ng6 16.Nf3 =+) 14...hxg5 15.Re1 Be6 16.dxe6 f6 =+."   



I am working on a book on the Moller and part of the reason why is that Black is well advised to take the forced draws in the 9.Bf6 line. I think that this line has been misplayed and misevaluated in Black's favor for far too long.  In general I would evaluate the positions as very unclear but in all of them White has tons of traps and even an edge in the endgame.

Here is an excerpt from my booklet, "The Moller Attack"

17.Re3 White wants to trade off the rooks on h3 and then invade with his queen on the white squares. White also can wait and probe the Queenside with moves like Rb3.

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wqk+-tr(
7zppzp-sn-zp-'
6-+-zpPzp-+&
5+-+-+-zp-%
4-+L+-+-+$
3+-+-tR-+-#
2PzP-+QzPPzP"
1+-+-tR-mK-!
Xabcdefgh
                       
                 17...d5 

Many moves have been tried for black in this important position such as 17...c6, Kf8 and d5. See illustrative games 9-10. Practice playing this position and trying to attack the black king as well as the Study Positions Section

18.Rh3 Rxh3 

[18...Rg8 19.Qh5+ g6 20.Qh7 Qd6 21.Qf7+ Kd8 22.Rd1 c6 23.Rh7] 

19.gxh3 g6 

20.Qf3 Qd6 

[20...f5 21.Qc3 d4 22.Qb3 b6 23.Qb5+ Kf8 24.Qe5 Kg8 25.Qf6 Amazing dance by the white queen. The position still remains very unclear with equal chances.] 

21.Qxf6 0–0–0 

[21...Qf4 22.Qh8+ Qf8 23.Qd4 Qf4 24.Qh8 =] 

22.Bd3 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+ktr-+-+(
7zppzp-sn-+-'
6-+-wqPwQp+&
5+-+p+-zp-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+L+-+P#
2PzP-+-zP-zP"
1+-+-tR-mK-!

There is no saving the doubled pawns and white will plan to push the e pawn and the h pawn. The Bishop gives white the edge in the coming sharp ending. 


I did some very deep analysis on this position and would hapily take it on for a correspondence game for White. This is just a sample of the possibilities starting from the 9...Bf6 mainline. I have to disagree when you guys say that 9...Bf6 is just as challenging as 9...Ne5 which I feel is an attempt at an outright refutation.


Over and out. 

By the way I am looking for a publisher for to subbit "The Moller Attack" to. Any advice or leads would be appreciated.

I believe after 12...Qf6 13.Qxf6, the resulting pins down the e-file give White enough initiative to regain the piece with interest.

Hi Carl, 

Firstly, nice to see another Ohioan around here. 

Secondly, I was under the same impression as Jedi. I believe Marin gives the exact line, and I think most sources have stuck by this line as well as being the best way for Black. If you had an improvement here you'd better save it and use it, because you're bound to rack up point after point.

-Tony

Hi all, this is my first post. Recently I have been working on the Moller Attack in the Italian game for students and have been hitting a brick wall trying to find anything for white after the following moves...

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4
6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Ne5 {
Much better than 9...Bf6 which has many a force draw...} 
10.bxc3 Nxc4 11. Qd4 O-O !(11... Ncd6?? 12. Qxg7+-).12. Qxe4 Nd6 13. Qd3 Qf6 14. Bg5 we have been following Gashimov Domingez 2010 which was featured in this months update. White managed to draw after 14...Qf5 but I feel that 14...Qg6 is an even sterner approach meeting 15.Qg6 with fg followed by Rf5. 

Trying to improve on this line, I have looked at 13.Qf4 as well as the early deviation 10.Qe2 (which Gashimov actually played) but it simply transposes.

Unless somthing can be found then it would seem the Moller is "refuted" because black holds a solid edge in the line starting with 9...Ne5!

Appreciate your thoughts.