Templare2 wrote on 03/23/20 at 22:27:12:


If this was an OTB game, that's some impressive prep by Black.
17...d3 was recommended by Huzman in CBM 108.
The engines like 17.Bg5 or 17.Nf3 with advantage to White.

Hi guys!

I have a question for you who are more experienced and stronger than I am.

Is Avrukh 1B's QGA book still valid?

For example, in December I played a Avrukh suggestion in tournament in the line with 3. e4 but my opponent played me 17 .., d3 (Avrukh considers only Nd7 as in Beliavsky-Sermek) as in the Petkov Ruefenacht game and I was caught by surprise and shortly after i lost.

Even today I don't know how to respond with White. What du you think?

Thanks

No problem. 

I figured that was what you wanted to say, but I couldn't resist cracking a joke.

I don't have a lot of experience with these 3.e4 QGA lines, but what little I have is on the White side. Quite apart from any objective verdict, my feeling was that the ...Bb4+ lines were relatively easy to play for White, with only a small amount of theory you really had to remember. It's possible to play those positions decently for White even if you have forgotten the theory.

While 4...exd4 felt a lot trickier: I've tried both the long main line with Qxb7 and the alternative 7.Bb5!?, but only managed draws with both. Avrukh in the second incarnation of his 1.d4  repertoire claims that 7.Bb5 has been completely defanged (by some engine or corr games)-So that leaves the main line 3...e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.0-0 Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.Qb3 etc. Avrukh claims White ends up better, but even if that's correct it involves remembering or finding a lot of very accurate moves. Black has a weakened pawn structure, but on the plus side he has the half-open f- and b-files and chances of a kingside attack if White plays too slowly. I think Black players could do very well with this if they specialize. Of course it does require Black to also be happy with a complex/unbalanced middlegame arising.

Of course Black players also have different playing styles and preferences. A solid, technical player as Black may well do better with 4...Bb4+, which often leads to one or two pairs of minor pieces being exchanged and more well-known pawn structures arising.

VGA wrote on 10/02/18 at 19:00:07:

kylemeister wrote on 10/02/18 at 19:03:41:

This is just like the Accelerated Trompowsky: 1. Bg5!, flexibly waiting with the d-pawn to see if it belongs on d4 or d3.

I wonder how you got engines to even consider 3...Bb4+.

Can't jump over the pawn.