Stigma wrote on 11/19/10 at 02:58:48:


Thanks for commenting, Stigma! I respect your opinion in this matter, as in others. Some brief comments based on my abortive preparation (I ended up playing 1 Nf3!):

Grischuk-Pelletier saw 15...Qc7, which Pelletier later replaced with 15...Rf7, which indeed seems best.

I noted the Erenburg game. Playing through it quickly it seems convincing and thematic, yet Erenburg's own notes rather contradict this. He suggests various improvements for both sides, notably 15...Rf7 (instead of Uhlmann's 15...b6), which he continues 16 Be3 Qc7 17 f4 Bd7 "with approximately equal chances". Here the engines gives White a slight plus after 17 c4. However, Black can also consider 17...b6 (instead of 17...Bd7), holding up c4 on account of ...Ba6. I opine that if Black got this position from a Winawer he would not be too unhappy - he is not in much danger and there is still some imbalance to fight for more than a draw.

I don't think Black was in any real danger in Predojevic-Pelletier.

Agreed that 16.a4 Qc7 17.f4 Bd7 18. Be3! (18.Ba3 Rc8!) White probably keeps an edge and this might be the best that White can do after 15...Rf7.

I also agree that Black has several arguably better (or possibly more attractive) options against 3 e5, but if a well-prepared Black is more or less OK in this old line then the whole line 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Qb6 6 a3 becomes a somewhat less attractive option for White.

I've attached some material to make it easier for readers to join in this discussion.

Stigma wrote on 11/18/10 at 22:07:07:


I decided to start a thread on this. Recently I sat down to prepare White against a specialist in this old line of Uhlmann's. Encouraged by Sveshnikov's awarding of a ?! after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 c4 7. Nbd2 f6 I delved into the database and used engines to try to find a clear white advantage, or even a promising middlegame plan. I found nothing; it seems that Pelletier has strengthened Black's play and Black is OK. It's just another case of White's bishop pair and space being more or less cancelled out by his pawn weaknesses and Black's strong centre, somewhat as in the Winawer. It is not as easy as one might imagine for White to find a useful role for the extra unopposed bishop.

Sveshnikov gives as his main line 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 c4 7. Nbd2 f6 8. Be2 fxe5 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Bc5 11. O-O Ne7 12. b4 cxb3 13. Nxb3 O-O 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 15. Qd3 but Black seems OK after 15...Rf7. Neither 15 Qc2 nor 15 Qd4 seem any better.

I also looked at Vallejo Pons's idea of 12 Bh5+ g6 13 Bg4 h5 14 Be2 but was not convinced.

Can anyone point to a way for White to gain a pleasant edge against this old Uhlmann line?