MNb wrote on 05/20/11 at 16:36:52:


I have made some more studies in the Nimzo Indian, including in lines that are not in my repertour and also read some wch match books and game collections with Nimzo Indian games. After 11 .. h6 12 f4 Ng6 13  Nxg6 fxg6 we have reached Spassky-Fischer Wch 0-1 . However white may have some chanses if he avoids 14 fxe5.

Speaking of Sokolovs new book, I found is usuefull to see what lines he thought was critical and it help my form my black repertour but I have not read it complety since I usually plays 1 e4.

Known and named - the Taimanov variation - but obscure/old. Just the sort of thing Ivanchuk sometimes likes Really not very like the Zurich as black is normally playing a quick d5.

Blacks usual idea vs a Bd3/Nf3 set up is a Ragozin thing with a6/a5/dc/Bd6 etc. Think thats quite established as its a main line of that opening.

Hansen seem to think that the game line might be critical and it followed one of the games he gives up to Bg5.

LeeRoth wrote on 05/29/11 at 15:03:18:

8.Nf4 0-0  9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Ncxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.0-0 Bf6 13.Be3 g6 14.Rac1 is probably the right way.
If you look at game like Kuzubov- Vakarek 2004 or Kacheishvili-Kachiani white seem to keep a dangerous initiative IMHO

LeeRoth wrote on 05/29/11 at 15:03:18:


In line I I think White should be better, but I'd be surprised if White had even a miniscule edge in line II. Black's position is simply too solid.

@stigma: No, Kasparov doesn't give any lines. Well, he does show some developments in the Hübner and comes to the conclusion that White started looking for other tries against 4...c5.

As the 4...c5 5.Nge2(!) d5(!) line seems to be quite OK for Black, maybe 5.Nf3 turns out to be the critical move after all...

After 4...0-0 5.a3!? Bxc3 6.bxc3, another interesting try for Black is 6...d6!?, with the idea of 7.Bd3 e5 8.Ne2 e4. My impression ist that Black is fine. This line can also be played against 4.a3, there White has the extra-option of going for a quick f3 and e4.

Re the Delayed Saemisch, there is some very interesting material in Shereshevsky's legendary book "The Soviet Chess Conveyor" - it will need updating in the detail, of course.

I used 4 e3 with reasonable success in quite strong UK postal events about ten years ago. White can wait until he gets useful informaton regarding Black's intended pawn-structure and king location, and then choose as appropriate between keeping the game within Rubinstein lines or heading for a delayed Saemisch.

I found that one critical line was 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 (I don't like 5.a3 much) 5... d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 when I could find nothing better than inviting a transposition to the old 1950s main line of the Rubinstein by 9. Nf3; however, Black can (should?) avoid this by playing 9...Qc7, to which the best I could find was GM Jon Levitt's line 10. Ba2 b6 11. O-O Bb7 12. Ne5 - I still quite like this for White; it is probably equal, but with two bishops and those centre pawns there is definitely something to play for. I've attached my games with 4 e3 in the hope that someone will find them useful.

Actually I can't really find anything I especially want to play as black vs 4 Nf3 either (lots of playable options of course!)