6...c5 7. d5 e5 looks a bit suspect to me.  I notice that Speelman, playing Velimirovic in 1983, was willing to give Black that position with an extra tempo (7...e6 8. Bc4 e5 9. Be2).

I am not convinced by game 32 but i think the critical line is in the notes (... b5!?). What do you think of the line : 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 c5 7.d5 e5 . Ok the computer does not like it at all for Black  , but after Ne8 and f5 it's a game, what is your assesment ?

It would seem surprising to me if he doesn't essentially portray Black as able to equalize against the Classical.  From the sample pages, I thought he might be not showing an edge for White even against 6...Nc6.

Michel Barbaut wrote on 02/19/13 at 09:53:26:


You are missing the Pirc in Black and White 

Haven't found this line myself either, but then I see this book as a set of interesting weapons to add to an existing repertoire and an array of pitfalls to avoid and weed out, rather than a stand alone repertoire book.

Maybe you Pirc players are the new target of the chess opening industrial complex   

http://www.chessbase-shop.com/en/products/bojkov_attacking_with_the_pirc

kylemeister wrote on 02/17/13 at 18:03:21:


To me, the !? used here indicates that of the choices available to Black, this is one of the better ones, but the line still isn't any guarantee of equality, i.e. an interesting try, even if obviously, not a new one.

I'm liking the book the more I read it and I'm finding his assessments interesting !?

For example, the Austrian 6...Nc6 7. 0-0 Bg4, your engine and your reading of PiB&W might give you some optimism, but his GM assessment is, too passive, don't go there.

kylemeister wrote on 02/17/13 at 18:03:21:


Indeed 1.e4!!?? d6!? (1.-b6?!!, 1.-a6??!!, 1.-g5???!!!)