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Normal Topic Scheveningen Theory and Insights (Read 3002 times)
Kerangali
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #8 - 06/14/24 at 08:29:38
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Artin Ashraf is the new TT terror, playing with insane accuracy and routinely crushing 2700 GMs, who have since learned to play long and cautious games against him. Either he's the next Firouzja, or the next Niemann. But he certainly plays strong moves!
« Last Edit: 06/14/24 at 12:16:42 by Kerangali »  
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kylemeister
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #7 - 06/13/24 at 23:25:18
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Here's a curious thing I came across in the Keres. In three Titled Tuesday (blitz) games within the last year, Artin Ashraf (a teenaged Iranian FM) was on the black side of 6...a6 7. g5 Nfd7 8. h4 b5 9. a3 Bb7 10. Be3 Nb6 11. h5 N8d7. None of his much higher-rated opponents -- Caruana, Sjugirov and J. van Foreest -- played the old book move (supposed to be much better for White) 12. g6. Ashraf lost to JvF and won against the other two.

(That old line with 6...a6 7. g5 followed by h4 is usually seen these days with White having a tempo less, via 6. h3 in the Najdorf.)
  
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #6 - 09/05/23 at 22:55:16
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Well, JvF could have played 10...Nd7 (instead of 10...hg5), which the 2021 ECO had as +/=. (In some old sources, e.g. Nunn in NCO, 7...Be7 wasn't thought to lead to an advantage for White.)

An historical bit about the line played by Duda: Anand-Salov 1992 was used by Drazen Marovic in his 2001 book Dynamic Pawn Play in Chess; he gave 8...d5 as "!" and 12...Qxh4 as "correct."
  
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najdorfslayer
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #5 - 09/05/23 at 21:44:59
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Thanks for the post.

He needs to watch the Chessable course, he played it terribly, he simply invited White to steamroller him by playing an early …Be7.

I’m guessing like lots of people he’s heard it’s bad, but looks like he’s never actually really analysed it to find out for himself. 

Other Super GMs have played it and managed to get an easy game.

Here Duda uses the line given in the Chessable course and seems to have no problems.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2043149
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1941599



  
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kylemeister
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #4 - 09/05/23 at 21:20:04
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najdorfslayer wrote on 09/05/23 at 19:45:09:
I'd be keen to know what specific lines in the  Scheveningen he reckons is pretty bad?

He said it was because of the Keres, which he was facing in banter blitz at the time. While he was trashing the Scheveningen, an ad for Colovic's course appeared on the screen.   Grin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQFBgRSxOOs&t=591s
  
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najdorfslayer
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #3 - 09/05/23 at 19:45:09
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Yes, that's what I found to regarding 7 h4 in the Keres. Kotronias/Semkov basically say White has no advantage here.

Both Kotronias/Semkov and Dismantling the Sicilian give 7 Rg1 but if you follow Colovic's analysis in this line and check engine analysis it seems okay for Black with practically and theoretically.

I'd be keen to know what specific lines in the  Scheveningen he reckons is pretty bad?

Although at my level 2100-2200 I guess you can play almost anything as long as you know it and understand it well enough!
  
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kylemeister
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #2 - 09/05/23 at 04:40:23
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an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 09/05/23 at 03:39:21:
Check out Ehlvest (2018) Grandmaster Opening Preparation. He always had the pure Scheveningen move order in his repertoire, and offers a specialist's insights into the Keres Attack 6.g4(!), e.g. 6...h6 is the only good move. That's from memory -- I don't have the book close to hand. Aside from any precise theory that's in it, it's a good book for general ideas. I took a bunch of notes and at some point I need to re-read it.

Well, Ehlvest wrote of 6...h6 7. h4 Nc6 8. Rg1 h5 9. gh5 Nxh5 10. Bg5 Nf6 11. Rg3"!" as "the main problem in the Keres Attack." He didn't address the other old move 8...d5, which I think has appeared to be satisfactory for Black in recent years. However, he also didn't address 7. Rg1 (7...Nc6 8. Be3, holding back the h-pawn), which seems to be the problem for Black.

(I've been rooting for a comeback by the "pure" Scheveningen, despite such things as Jorden van Foreest a couple of years ago describing it as "objectively pretty bad.")
« Last Edit: 09/05/23 at 06:40:27 by kylemeister »  
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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Scheveningen Theory and Insights
Reply #1 - 09/05/23 at 03:39:21
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Check out Ehlvest (2018) Grandmaster Opening Preparation. He always had the pure Scheveningen move order in his repertoire, and offers a specialist's insights into the Keres Attack 6.g4(!), e.g. 6...h6 is the only good move. That's from memory -- I don't have the book close to hand. Aside from any precise theory that's in it, it's a good book for general ideas. I took a bunch of notes and at some point I need to re-read it.

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/GrandmasterOpeningPreparation-excerpt.pdf
  
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najdorfslayer
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Scheveningen Theory and Insights
09/04/23 at 19:45:30
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I have been a keen Scheveningen player (off and on) for about 30 years. I become interested when learning chess by reading the K v K games in the 1985 WCs matches.

As such I have always had a leaning towards the Classical Scheveningen!

I therefore always used to play the Scheveningen via a Najdorf move order, mainly because Kasparov did, and until recently never really know much theory on the 'dreaded' Keres attack.

Obviously the Scheveningen can occur via various move orders, and I have played all of these at some point.

Books/Courses on the Scheveningen include: 
1. Play the Najdorf Scheveningen Style by Emms.
2. Grandmaster Repertoire 6: The Sicilian Defence (which is covers the Scheveningen v 6.f4, 6.Be2 and 6.Be3 via a Najdorf move order) by Ftacnik.
3. The Taimanov-Scheveningen Hybrid by Semkov covers some Scheveningen lines by not all.
4. Starting Out: The Sicilian Scheveningen by Pritchett.
5. The Sicilian Scheveningen Move by Move by D'Costa.
6. Chessable: The Modern Scheveningen by Colovic

I am aware they maybe more digital ones such as the recent Marin course on the Scheveningen via a Taimanov move order.

I have decided finally to learn the Scheveningen via a pure Scheveningen move order, rather than a Najdorf, Taimanov or Kan move order for the reasons below!

1. Najdorf allows 6.h3 and 6.Bg5 lines and 6.Be2 e6 with early 0-0-0.
2. Taimanov allows 5.Nb5 and the new 6.Be3 a6 7 Qf3 lines plus a variety of other lines that a nothing like the Scheveningen, I'd prefer to avoid.
3. Kan allows 5 c4, and 5 Bd3 and 6 Nc3 Qc7 6 Bd3 lines.

Using these move orders, for me is a case of the 'cure being worse than the disease'.

After analysing the Keres for about 2 months in a lot of depth using a variety of Black AND White sources, such as Playing 1 e4 by Shaw, Attacking the Flexible Sicilian & GM Repertoire 1 e4 The Sicilian III, also playing the Scheveningen move order extensively online, I have come to the following conclusions:

I have come to the following conclusions

1: The Keres attack isn't as terrifying as all that, and if you analyse the lines given in the White repertoire books, White ends up with no more of an advantage compared with any other White main line.

2. In order for White to get any edge they need to know a lot of narrow theory, the same as Black.

3. Not that many people actually play it! (I'm about 2100 online).

Other lines which I was concerned about and think are tough and worry me more than  the Keres Attack.

1. I am aware the 6.Be2 e6 Najdorf lines are popular with an early 0-0-0 and K-side pawn storm. I know Carlsen lost a few yrs ago as Black against one of these lines.

This can be avoided somewhat by playing 6 Be2 Nc6 then if White at any point plays 0-0 Black has the option of transposing to a Classical Scheveningen, if not then Black can avoid ...a6 lines and play ...e5 in Modern Scheveningen Style as recommended by Colovic.

2. After 6 f4 I'd play a6 and avoid the 6 f4 Nc6 7 Be3 line given in GM Rep 1 e4 which I'd prefer to avoid.

3. After 6 Be3, then I'd have a few options, I haven't decided which to do yet.

Play 6...a6 and after 7 f3 b5 play the line given by Cheparinov in his Chessable course, this look fine for Black, the issue is after 6...a6 White ca play 7 Be2 and play the lines I was trying to avoid by playing 6 Be2 Nc6.

Play 6...Nc6, but then after 7.f4 I'd again get into a line I'm trying to avoid after 6 f4 Nc6.

Play 6...Be7 then after 7.f4 Black prioritises ...0-0 and ...e5 rather than play Nc6.

Play 6...Be7 then after 7.f3 play lines with ...Nc6 and ...d5 without ...a6

Play 6...Be7 then after 7.f3 play lines with ...Nc6 and ...a6

Would love to know other Scheveningen players thoughts a move orders and favourite lines!
  
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