As I wrote in the "Spanish repertoire" thread, in my opinion 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a5 4. 0-0 Nd4! is fine for Black. 4...Na7 is a brilliant idea, but too extreme.

Well, that's it!
Good or bad analyses, I don't know..
All I can say is that there was no Rybka's, Houdini's and alike.. It was 1992, after all..
As for Dr Georgi Popov, not just every man that ever played chess (no matter if OTB or correspondence one) has a memorial 12th category tournament called upon his name.
And not every day we are lucky to invent a variation of Ruy Lopez, that have its own name because of our own games and analyses. 

Vass wrote on 07/25/12 at 18:31:02:



I have never heard of Popov, though sure he was a very personable chap. And if he had pets, no doubt he treated them exceedingly well.

The good think about chess is that one lives and dies by analysis, by consideration of moves. If one is to obliged to talk of reputation, I here trust Kylmeister who speaks considerable sense within this forum. Bulgarian Popov, with ...a5, engenders no faith. Notably a corr GM, rather than OTB it also must be noted.

I side with those who distrust the analysis of 3...a5. Idle tosh.

kylemeister wrote on 07/25/12 at 18:18:27:

Of course, you can have your own opinion.
The problem is that if I have to believe your opinion (if no engine approved) or the one of the late GM Dr Georgi Popov - guess who'll be the winner! 
Nothing personal though! Just a preference of mine. 

Vass wrote on 07/25/12 at 11:13:14:



Simple 6.Bxc6 is a good version of exchange spanish for white.

kylemeister wrote on 07/25/12 at 16:16:32:

Of course, the assessment of the variation imho is +/=. The problem for black can be +/-