This sideline is not as harmless as new book claims

Date: 20 Jun 2005 22:18:03
From:
Subject: This sideline is not as harmless as new book claims

I recently purchased the new book by GM Lev Alburt...called Chess
Openings for Black, Explained.

Now this is NOT a review of the book Although I can say this...I love
the layout in that you can easily follow the variations in this format
because the diagrams are right there in front of you all the way. Most
chess books give only one diagram per variation and then burying you
with mounds of lines with no diagrams displaying what they mean. The
Kasparov book series is a perfect example of this problem.
Nevertheless...as I said...this is NOT a review.

I DO want to take issue with the authors inclusion of a "sideline"
which they claim is "harmless". As I'm reading this carefully from
beginning to end...it doesn't mean I have to take their suggestions
laying flat on my face without critical objections and analysis to
their "lines".

For instance...they're recommending the Accelarated Dragon as the
choice for Black to defend against White's 1.e4 opening move. Fine.
But then they get to this point in the book...pretty early on page
60..there is this amazing assumption by these GM authors and before I
quote the line...here is the variation that I'm questioning their
judgement.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6...

now at this point...I have to question their judgement to making this
call instead of 4...Bg7. They claim Nc6 is better based on their
"analysis". But that's their opinion. What I'm questioning their
judgement in this line is the following "sideline"

And here is their verdict on page 60..."Not dangerous for Black is
5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Qd4 Nf6 7.e5 Nd5 8.e6 f6, as White falls dangerously
behind in development."

Very pretty line. Unfortunately...this book leaves out an unpleasant
surprise...and I've tested this against Junior 9 a few days ago. When
I "tried" this line as Black against Junior 9 on move 8 it came up
with a stunning novelty: 8. Nc3! instead of 8. e6 with the threat to
win a mere pawn on an exchange of knights at d5. This move threw me
for a loop as there is no mention of this in the new book. I'm
immediately thrown on the defensive at this point as I have to do
something to prevent White from winning the pawn.

Anybody want to comment on this line and what to do against Junior 9's
novelty at move 8?

Date: 21 Jun 2005 09:08:10
From:
Subject: Re: This sideline is not as harmless as new book claims

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Qd4 Nf6 7.e5
Nd5 8.Nc3!?, 8...Qb6 looks fine for Black, with the idea of 9.Qxb6
Nxb6 (9...axb6 10.Nxd5 cxd5 11.Be3 may be somewhat better for White)
with an imbalanced but relatively equal position. 8...Nxc3!? also
looks playable but is rather double-edged after 9.e6 dxe6 10.Qxc3 f6
11.Qxc6+ Bd7, when Black will play ...Bg7 and ...0-0 in the next few
moves with what looks to me like an unclear position.

- Geof

Date: 21 Jun 2005 07:15:01
From: Mark Houlsby
Subject: Re: This sideline is not as harmless as new book claims

Don't play lines you don't understand. Of course *I* play lines I don't
understand because there are no lines that I *do* understand, but
that's *my* problem....