Some more updates in some critical lines we analysed at the Greek league:

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. Be2 Bb7 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. O-O 

(Critical is 11. b4 c6 12. O-O a5 13. b5 c5 14. Ne5
Qc7
(We didn't like 14... Bxe5 15. dxe5 d4 16. exd4 cxd4 17. Na4 Qg5 18. Bg4 Qxe5 19. Nxb6 Ra7 when Rizzitano and Sokolov claim equality for Black but White can pose some problems after 20. Qb3 or 20.Rc1) 

15. Ng4 (15. f4 cxd4) 15... Nd7 16. Bf3 Rad8 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Bxd5 cxd4 19. Rc1 (19. exd4 Qf4 20. Rc1 Qxd4 is equal according to Sokolov and he may be right) 
19... Qd6 20. e4 Nc5 21. Rc4 d3 22. f4 Rfe8 is equal according to Sokolov but better for White according to Rizzitano. Some new ideas are needed here it seems) 

11... c6 12. Qb3 Re8

(12... Be7 13. Rad1 Nd7 14. Rfe1 Nf6 15. Ne5 Bd6 16.f4 Qe7 17. Bf3 is better for White even though some players liked the solidity Black's position has) 

13. Rfe1 Na6 14. Rad1 Nc7 15. Bf1 Ne6 16. g3 c5 17. dxc5 d4! TN
(17... Nxc5 was discussed here in chesspub) 
18. Nxd4
(18. c6 Bxc6 19. Be2 Rc8 20. Nxd4 Bxd4 21. exd4 Nxd4bLack wins)
18... Nxd4 19. exd4 Rxe1 20. Rxe1 Bxd4 21. Ne4
(21. Re2 Bxc5 22. Bg2 Ba6 23.Rc2 Qd3 24. Re2 Bc4 25. Qa4 Rd8[/color] and Black is crushing White) 
([color=#0000ff]21. cxb6 Bxf2+ 22. Kxf2 Qf6+ is winning as well) 
21... Qc7 22.Bc4 Rd8 23. cxb6
(23. Bxf7+ Qxf7 24. Qxf7+ Kxf7 25. Nd6+ Rxd6 26. cxd6 Bc6 27.Re7+ Kf6 28. Rxa7 Bxb2 29. Rc7 Bb5 is a difficult ending for White) 
23... Bxb6 and we all preferred Black here who is pawn down! White has difficulties to find a reasonable plan for example if he tries to put the B on g2: 24. Bf1 Qe5 25. Bg2 
(25. Qb5 Rd5 26. Qe2 Qe6 27. Bg2 Re5) 
25... Rd2 and Black is winning!

So, for the Tartakower fans it seems that the line with b4 and Ne5 is the only critical line that needs some care. Maybe we can combine our powers and find the solution here.

An update: Yesterday i was showing an idea of mine in a couple of IM's and FM's in the Greek League Team Championships and this is it:

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 (btw 3...a6!? is interesting here) 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.a3!? Nbd7! 7.Nb5 Ne8 8.e3 and now the idea comes: 8...a6! 9.Nc3 dxc4! 10.Bxc4 b5 11.Bd3 c5! (else b4 comes) and Black has equalized already!

I took a look at Stohl's analysis. He gives 1 d4 d5; 2 c4, e6; 3 Nc3, Nf6; 4 Nf3, Be7; 5 Bg5, h6; 6 Bh4, 0-0; 7 e3, b6; 8 Be2, Bb7; 9 Bxf6, Bxf6; 10 cxd, exd; 11 b4, c5; 12 bxc, bxc; 13 Rb1, Bc6; 14 0-0, Nd7; 15 Bb5, Qc7; 16 Qd3, Rfc8; 17 Rfd1, Rab8; 18 a4, cxd; 19 exd, Bxb5 = (Gelfand).
   Do you have better lines for W after 10 Rd1. Would appreciate the link to Atalik analysis.
                 Thanks, CMA

kylemeister wrote on 06/11/10 at 16:09:12:


I noticed that one as well, especially since in Dautov's old database from 2001 he was rather dismissive of it.

@Ametanoitos

Good find.

Larry Kaufman, in a Yearbook article about nine months ago, thought that 10. Rd1 is quite pleasant for White.

BPaulsen wrote on 06/10/10 at 12:45:19:


A pretty bold statement!

The Tartakower is simply an excellent choice! Together with the Lasker they can form a life-time bullet proof repertoire. The great thing about Tartakower is that studying it you meet chess in it's highest level. Starting with Capa-Alekhine and moving to Spassky-Kasparov/Karpon, Short, Anand and the modern GMs you raise your level of understanding and playing strengh just by studying their classic games. As for the theoritical status, in the "old main lines" it cannot be better! No advantage for White! Can Black play for the win? Absolutely yes! Even in the "boring" Lasker (and i don't have in mind the Topalov-Anand game only). What is the problem? The Catalan and the Bf4 lines. In the first case i recommend studying the chapter "White's dissapearing advantage" in the Wojo's reperoire book and for the Bf4 lines i recommend the "Tartakower-like" ...b6 variations as these were given by Dautov as equal (and were recommended by Mc Donald in his starting out book also). The tryth is that in both cases White can claim a tiny something. If you want, you can study the main line Catalan (...dxc4 and Be7 etc)and the ...c5 main lines after Bf4 and you have an equal game there also, but with the great prise of having to remember tons of complicated theory. All in all this is what i think of the Tartakower: FANTASTIC CHOICE!