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Normal Topic What is the current status of Gallagher variation (Read 10053 times)
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Re: What is the current status of Gallagher variation
Reply #7 - 06/07/12 at 18:52:34
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I used to play the Gallagher Variation exclusively when I played the King's Indian, and although I somehow never lost with it (won 2 against two 2400s and drew 2 against two 2400s), I would not play again now it because of the risk. I felt as if my queenside would collapse each move, and it requires very rapid kingside and centre tactics to divert White's attention from the queenside (moves such as ...h5/h4, ...Nxe4, sometimes even ...g5tactics) to balance counterplay whilst maintaining the queenside structure. I still find the variation risky, but I also find the King's Indian complex quite risky as well. Maybe that explains why I play Grünfeld now
  

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TonyRo
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Re: What is the current status of Gallagher variation
Reply #6 - 06/07/12 at 17:00:21
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Unwittingly of course! Cheesy 

The Gallagher variation, at least to me, seems like an exceptionally risky way to play against the Fianchetto KID, especially when there are other options like the Panno that reach similar levels of imbalance, but (in my opinion) with a bit less positional pressure on Black.

I thought the line I chose led to positions that were clearly better for White - Claus did a great job of defending. Perhaps 16.cb is better than what I played - not sure offhand whether the weakness of Black's a5-pawn is better for White than having a passed a-pawn. Definitely requires investigation. 

I felt like I was close to breaking through, maybe that's where I bungled it.
  
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Re: What is the current status of Gallagher variation
Reply #5 - 06/07/12 at 14:22:05
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This reminded me of another Yearbook article ("Don't Play the Gallagher ŕ la Gallagher!" by Carlos Matamoros from early 2009).  I notice that TonyRo, wittingly or not, followed a recommendation in that article, except that there 16. cb ab 17. a4 += was given.
  
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Claus Jensen
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Re: What is the current status of Gallagher variation
Reply #4 - 06/07/12 at 13:54:26
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I think the Gallagher variation is playable but you have to work out your lines. I have tried it on a few occasions in CC. In one game I played another chesspub member:



I think 12...Qe7 is important to carry out the Gallagher idea without sacrificing the d6 pawn.

I used the same idea in a game from Danish CC Championships 2009, but white chose a different (and worse) setup as white




  

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Re: What is the current status of Gallagher variation
Reply #3 - 01/05/12 at 16:03:53
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What did Avrukh propose?
  
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Re: What is the current status of Gallagher variation
Reply #2 - 01/05/12 at 12:53:09
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Avrukh´s GM2 gives this line a hard time after 14. ...b4; he doesn´t mention 14. ...Bb7 and Rb6; these moves are analysed in NIC-Yearbook 95 by Jose Vilela (?). He concludes, that the whole setup seems playable; his maingame is Onischuk,A - Flores,D
  

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Re: Current status of The Gallagher Variation
Reply #1 - 01/05/12 at 09:07:39
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You can still play the system, but you'll have to do a bit of work updating the lines yourself. I recall that there's one setup (not sure if it's Be3/b3 or another one) where Black can't go for the usual ...c5/...b5 but gets only a marginally worse position with ...c5/...Qc7 or something. My memory is too hazy on the details, so you should check using your databases and other sources.

I've had good results using the Qc2/Rd1/b3/Bb2 setup as an Anti-Gallagher (...a6 exponents really don't know what to against it), but if Black plays a ...c6 setup instead Black is comfortably equal.
  

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saubhikr
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What is the current status of Gallagher variation
01/05/12 at 04:29:51
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In Gallagher variation against g3 KID, black plays a6, c5, b5 etc after exd4 often sacrificing the d6 pawn. This was recommended by Gallagher in his book on KID also. Liking the dynamic position but worried if the book still holds good. Can you tell me what is the current status of this line and can I play this system based on this book.
  
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