After 6. Bg5 e6  7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 h6 11. Bh4 Bd7 12. e5 dxe5 13. fxe5 Nd5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Nxd5 exd5, black is OK if white plays the obvious move 16Qxd5. Black can respond with Bg4 or Bc6 with a good game despite being a pawn down.

Unfortunately 16. Bd3! seems to favor white somewhat, as far as I can tell.

There is an Informant monograph (FIDE chess) on B60-5.

Glenn Wilson did some great analysis. 15...Qb6!? can be used against both 15Qb4 and 15Qe3. Still 15Qb4 a5!? has a certain RR charm.

I would love to do without h6. But consider the following line:

6. Bg5 e6  7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 h6 11. Bh4 Bd7 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Qxd6 Bc6 14. Qxd8 Rfxd8 15. Bb5 Bxc3 16. Bxc6 Bd4 17. Bxb7 Rab8 18.c3 Be3+ 19. Kc2 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Rxb7

Isn't it nice to have luft?

FreeRepublic wrote on 06/11/17 at 20:05:15:


I was about to suggest the opposite, actually - does Black necessarily have to throw in ...h6, potentially weakening the Kingside and giving White the extra option of 11 h4 - ?

Ah, I've found the answer to my own question.

The slightly paradoxical 15...Qb6! when:

A) 16 a3 Qe3+ 17 Kb1 a5! (17...Bxc3 18 Qxc3 Qxc3 19 bxc3 is possible as well) 18 Qe4 (18 Qb3 Qxf4=) 18...Qc5 and Black has a serious initiative.

B) 16 Qxb6 axb6 and now:

   B1) 17 Ne4 Rxa2 18 Nxf6+ gxf6 19 Bc4 Ra5 - despite Black's mess of a structure, I don't see a clear way forward for White.

   B2) 17 Bb5 Bxb5 18 Nxb5 gives back the pawn in exchange for breaking the blockade on the d7 square. However, after 18...Rxa2 19 c3 Ra5 followed by ...Rd8 and ...Rd7, I don't see any problems for Black.

   B3) 17 Bc4 Bc6! (I think this is more accurate than 17...Bxc3 18 bxc3 Bc6 because now 19 Rhe1!; White can ignore the threat to his g2 pawn, because without the Bishop on f6, the d-pawn is far more dangerous.) 18 f5!? (18 Rhg1 Bxc3 19 bxc3 Ra4=), and now a sample variation could go 18...Bxc3 19 bxc3 exf5 20 Rhe1 b5 21 Bd5 Rfd8 22 Kb2 Kf8 23 Re7 Bxd5 24 Rxd5 Rxd6! 25 Rxf7+ Kxf7 26 Rxd6 f4 with an ending that should be okay for Black.

This can also be played if White tries 15 Qe3 instead of 15 Qb4, as after 15 Qe3 Qb6!, I don't really think White has anything better than taking on b6.

Here is one interesting way:

6. Bg5! e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O  9. f4 h6 10. Bh4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bd7!? 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. e5 Be7 14. exd6 Bf6

fjd wrote on 06/11/17 at 05:38:51:


That is what the Hiarcs opening book recommends. It looks good for White. One game:

"I might return to the Classical if I could find a line I really trust against the Richter-Rauzer"

I found a fun speed game at the ICC:

[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.06.10"]
[White "SillyWizard"]
[Black "yozhik"]
[Result "*"]
[TimeControl "300+0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 h6 10. Bh4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bd7 12. e5 dxe5 13. fxe5 Nd5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Nxd5 exd5 16. Qxd5 Bg4 17. Re1 Rfd8 18. Qe4 Qg5+ 19. Kb1 Bf5 20. Qf3 Bxc2+ 21. Ka1 Rac8 22. Be2 Bd1 23. a3 Qc1+ 24. Ka2 Rd2 25. Qxb7 Rxb2+ 26. Qxb2  Rc2 *

A line you can trust. 

Well, I don't know that anyone has ever claimed that that old Spassky main line (as I think of it) isn't playable.   

I'm reminded that Edmar Mednis chose between 9...Be7 and 9...b5 based on the tournament situation and such.