The Winawer Report (TWR), Issue 04 March 05, 2002 Entire contents Copyright © 2002 by John C. Knudsen, all rights reserved. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* To subscribe: http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/ To unsubscribe: http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/unsubscribe.php?Winawer Public archive: http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive.php?Winawer *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Contacts Editor/Publisher: ICCF IM John C. Knudsen knudsenjohnc@hotmail.com Assistant Editor/Publicity: Rick Massimo mahlesh@home.com Book Review Editor: John Pugh John.Pugh2@btinternet.com WebWatch Editor: Paul J. Comeau xshakespearessonx@hotmail.com *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Submissions: Reader submissions are always encouraged! TWR welcomes articles and games submitted free of charge, and proper credit will be given on all accepted submissions. For articles, plain text (with a margin of 40-50 characters) is preferred. For the games contained therein, PGN or Chessbase format is preferred. For articles, please submit in English. Email submissions to the editor, who will respond promptly. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Advertisements: Small text advertisements with URL or email address are welcomed - contact the editor for rates. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* SPAM Policy: You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it - TWR does not practice SPAM. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Table of Contents Fun With The Tait Variation By Bernard Hanison Recent Games in PGN Book Corner By John Pugh Tom Winckelmann Takes John To Task... *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Fun With The Tait Variation By Bernard Hanison FastBernie@aol.com I have been playing the Winawer C18 Tait Variation since 1997. I first saw it in Jonathan Tait's piece in Correspondence Chess in the summer of 1995, entitled "A Bust to the 7...Qe7 Winawer?" John Elburg (with additions by Tim Harding and Jonathan Tait) took up the theory further in an article in the February 1999 Chess Mail, "Is Black OK in the French Winawer, Tait Variation?" Each of these articles are well-worth seeking out, and probably are still available. I have used them as a basis for the 6 games I have played as White and won every game. In my database of games with this line, White won 30 games, drew 8 and only lost 2, the most important of which is Harding-Arounopoulis from the CC World Championship SFs and in that game current theory shows that 17.g4 is an error. Elburg says that 17.exf6 is worth considering, but instead of 20.f7 my analysis shows that 20.f5 wins for White. My notes are rather off the cuff and should be taken with a grain of salt: They were made for my own use in my base for reference and probably I would revise some of my analysis, especially the line 17.g4? which in the light of the above game should be avoided. The French is not in my own repertoire as Black, but with the White pieces I welcome it and always try and to steer my opponent to the Tait Variation. The theory of this line is still subject to new ideas and I hope more players will take it up. Hanison,B - Bell,I [C18] BFCC Open P503 corr, 2000 [Elburg and Hanison] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 Bd7 [11...dxc3 12.Qd3 Nf5!? 13.Rg1 Qe7 14.h3 Bd7 15.Rb1 b6 16.g4 Qh4+ 17.Ng3 Nfe7 18.Qxc3 Rc8 Psakhis - Hertneck, Berlin 1989] 12.Qd3 dxc3 13.Rb1 0-0-0 14.h4 Nf5 15.h5 d4 [15...Rg7 16.Rh3 a6 17.Qf3 Rdg8 18.h6 Rg6 19.h7 Rh8 20.g4 Nfe7 21.Be3 d4 22.Bxd4 Nd5 23.Bxc3 Na5 24.g5 Rg7 25.Qe4 Bb5 26.Bb4 Qc4 27.Bg2 Nc6 28.Bf8 Rgxh7 29.Rxh7 Rxh7 30.Rxb5 Qxe4 31.Bxe4 Rh8 32.Bg7 1-0,Tait J. - Anderson J. 1997.] 16.Rg1 Elburg: 'A invention from the English chess master Jonathan Tait, so I like to call this the Tait variation.' 16...f6 !? (Elburg) [16...Nh6 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 A) 18...b6!? 19.Rb3 Rg3 20.Bd3 Nf5 21.Qb4 (21.Qxc3 Bc6©) 21...Kb8 22.Rxc3 Bc6 23.Qc4 Rc8 24.Qxc6 Qxc6 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Kf2 Rg8 27.g4± Djurhuus - Johannesen Norge (ch) 1996.; B) 18...Kb8 ('!?' Elburg) 19.Be3 Qa5 20.Qc5 Qxc5 21.Bxc5 Bc6 22.Rb3 Rg3 23.Bf2 Rg4 24.g3 f6 25.exf6 Bf3 26.Be2 Bxe2 27.Kxe2 Rd2+ 28.Kf3 Rg8 29.Rxc3 Ng4 30.Rg2 1-0, Tait J. - Elburg J. .1997; 16...Rg4? 17.g3 Nce7 ('N' Bernard Hanison) (17...Rdg8N 18.Bh3 a6 19.Bxg4 Rxg4 20.Rh1 Qd8 21.Qf3 Rg8 22.g4 1-0 Hanison B. - Wengler J. ICCF MN/77 2000; RR 17...Rh8 18.Bh3 Rgg8 19.g4 Nh4 20.Rf1 Qa5 21.Nxd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Bc6 23.Qc4 Kd8 24.Kf2 Bf3 25.Bg2 Bxg2 26.Rd1+ Bd5 27.Rxb7 Rxg4 28.Qc6 Qb6+ 29.Rxb6 Rg2+ 30.Kf1 axb6 31.Be3 Ke7 32.Qd6+ Ke8 33.Rxd5 1-0 Borst J. - Ghellere S., IECG email 1999; RR 17...f6 18.Bh3 Rgg8 19.exf6 Be8 20.g4 Bxh5 21.gxh5 Qh7 22.Rxg8 Rxg8 23.Bxf5 exf5 24.Nxd4 Rg1+ 25.Kf2 Qg8 26.Qxf5+ Kb8 27.Nxc6+ Ka8 28.Qh3 1-0 Hanison,B-Edwards,M/BFCC Open P.478 1999) 18.Bh3 Rgg8 19.g4 Nh4 20.Kf2 Bc6 21.Rg3 Qa5 22.Nxd4 Qc5 23.Be3 Qxa3 24.Rb3 Qa1 25.Qxc3? Qh1 26.Nxc6 Nxc6 27.Qe1 Qh2+ 28.Bg2 Nxg2 29.Rxg2 Qh4+ 30.Ke2 Rxg4 31.Qxh4 Rxh4 32.Rg7 Rxh5 33.Rxf7 Rh2+ 34.Kf3 Na5 35.Rc3+ Nc6 - Tait J. - Giddins S W. British Open Rapidplay 1991; RR 16...Be8 17.g4 Nfe7 18.g5 Nf5 19.Bh3 Nce7 20.Ng3 Nxg3 21.Rxg3 Rh8 22.Bg4 Kb8 23.Rb4 Nc6 24.Rb5 Niessen,T-Smithers,S/IECG email 1997] 17.g4 [17.exf6 is the best move. 17...e5 18.g4 e4 19.Qxe4 Nh6 20.f7 Nxf7 21.Qh7 Nd6 22.f5 Ne4 23.Qh6 Ne5 24.Nxd4 Bxf5 25.gxf5 Rxg1 26.Qe6+ Kb8 27.Qxe5 Qxe5 28.Nc6+ Kc8 29.Nxe5 Re8 30.Bf4 Rh1 31.Ke2 Nd2 32.Rd1 Rxh5 33.Bg2 Rh4 34.Bg3 Rg4 35.Kf2 Rxg3 36.Kxg3 Rxe5 37.Kf4 Re2 38.Bd5 b6 39.f6 Kd8 40.f7 Ke7 41.Rh1 Rf2+ 42.Ke3 Rf5 43.Rh8 Re5+ 44.Kf4 1-0,Tait J. -Clarke P C. Leicester 1987.] 17...fxe5 [17...Nh6 18.exf6; A) 18...e5 19.g5 e4 20.Qc4 d3 21.Nxc3 dxc2 22.Rb2 e3 23.Rxc2 Bf5 24.Rcg2 Rd4 A1) 25.gxh6! Rxg2 26.Rxg2 (26.f7! Tait) Rxc4 27.Bxc4 Qxf4; A2) 25.Qc5 25...Qxf4 26.Ne2 Qh4+ 27.Rg3+- Rc4 28.Qxe3 Nf7 29.Qf2 Nd6 30.f7 Rd8 31.g6 Nd4 32.Rc3 Qxf2+ 33.Kxf2 Ne4+ 34.Kg2 Nxc3 35.g7 Be4+ 36.Kh2 Nf3+ 37.Kg3 Tait J. - Oomen A. BCCA - NBC team m 1992/1994; B) 18...Rxg4 19.Rxg4 Nxg4 20.f7 (20.Qg6 e5 21.Bg2 Qd6 22.f7 Qe7 23.Qg5 Qxf7 24.Bxc6 bxc6 25.Rb8+ Kxb8 26.Qxd8+ Kb7 27.Ng3 Qh7 28.Kd1 Be6 29.f5 0-1, Elburg J. - Tiemann H., 1998) 20...e5 21.Qg6 B1) 21...Rf8 22.f5 Ne3 23.Bxe3 dxe3 24.Bg2 B1a) 24...e4 25.Bxe4 Qe5 26.Qg8 Qe7 27.Bd5 Bxf5 28.Rb3 Qh4+ 29.Qg3 Qd8 30.Nxc3 Na5 31.Rb5 b6 32.Rxa5 bxa5 33.Nb5 a4 34.c3 1-0,Simmelink H Th. - Kristensen S. cr.EMN002 1997; B1b) 24...Qd8! 25.Bxc6 Bxc6 (25...Qh4+ 26.Ng3 bxc6 27.Rb4 Qh2 28.Ne4 Qh1+ 1-0, Tait J. - Elburg J. .1997) 26.Qe6+ Bd7 27.Qxe5 Rxf7 28.Qxc3+ Bc6 (28...Kb8!? 29.Qxe3 Bxf5 Tait) 29.Qxe3 Rxf5 30.Qh3 Bd7 31.Rb4 Qh8 32.Rc4+ Kb8 33.Qg3+ Ka8 34.Nf4 Bc6 35.Kd2 Rf7 36.c3 Rd7+ 37.Kc2 Elburg J. - Oomen A., KE01 1997; B1c) 24...Na5 25.Qg7+- Tait J. - Hardy D G., 1997; B2) 21...d3 22.Qxd3 Be6 23.Qxc3 Bxf7 24.fxe5 Qxe5 (24...Bxh5 25.Bf4 Ncxe5 26.Qxc7+ Kxc7 27.Bg2± 1-0, Tait J. - Elburg J., 1997) 25.Qxe5 Ncxe5 26.Bg2 b6 27.h6 Bg6 28.Rb3 Kd7 29.Rg3 Rg8?! (29...Bxc2?! 30.Bh3 Ke7 31.Bxg4 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Nd3+ 33.Ke3 Nxc1 34.Nxc1 Rxc1 35.Kd2 Rh1 36.Re3+ Kf6 37.Kxc2 Rxh6 38.Re6+ Kg5+-) 30.Bb2 Bh7 31.Bxe5 Nxe5 32.Rxg8 Bxg8 33.Be4 b5 34.h7 Bxh7 35.Bxh7 Nc4 36.a4 bxa4 37.Nc3 Nb6 38.Bg8 Kd6 39.Ke2 Kc5 40.Kd3 Kb4 41.Nb1 Nd7 42.Kd4 Kb5 43.c3 Kb6 44.Na3 Nb8 45.Be6 Kc6 46.Bg4 Na6 47.Bd1 Nc5 48.Bf3+ Kb6 49.Nc4+ Kb5 50.Nd6+ Kb6 51.Nc8+ Kc7 52.Kxc5 a3 53.Bd5 1-0 Oomen A.-Kuhlmann A., corr 1996 [Elburg]] 18.gxf5 exf5 [18...Rxg1 19.Nxg1 exf5 20.fxe5 Qxe5+ (20...Rg8 21.e6 Bxe6 22.Ne2 Qe7 23.Bf4 Rg4 24.Bg3 Qf7 25.h6 Bc4 26.Qf3 Bd5 27.Qf2 Be4 28.Rc1 Rg6 29.Bf4 Qf6 30.Bh3 Qe7 31.Kf1 Qf6 32.Re1 Bxc2 33.Nxc3 Bd3+ 34.Ne2 Rg8 35.Qf3 Bc4 36.Rc1 Bxe2+ 37.Qxe2 Kd8 38.Qc4 Qg6 39.Qd5+ Ke8 40.Re1+ 1-0 Hanison B. - Jenkins A., BCC Champ. Cand B 2000) 21.Ne2 Re8 22.Kd1 f4 23.Bxf4 Qxh5 24.Qb5 Qxb5 25.Rxb5 Bg4 26.Rg5 Bf3 27.Rg7 Ne5 28.Bh3+ Kd8 29.Bg5+ 1-0,Tait J. - Gough M.J., Nottingham Rapidplay 1992] 19.Rxg8 Rxg8 20.Qc4 Rh8 21.fxe5 Qxe5 22.Qb5 Qxb5 23.Rxb5 Rxh5 24.Bf4 Rh1 25.Kf2 a6 26.Rc5 Kd8 27.Rd5 Ke8 28.Nxd4 Rh4 29.Ne2 Be6 30.Rc5 Ne7 31.Bg2 b5 32.Bf3 Ng6 33.Bg3 Rc4 34.Rxc4 Bxc4 35.Nxc3 1-0 Hanison B. - Wengler J. [C18] ICCF MN/77, 2000 [Bernard Hanison] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 Bd7 12.Qd3 dxc3 13.Rb1 0-0-0 14.h4 Nf5 15.h5 d4 16.Rg1 Rg4 [RR 16...Be8 17.g4 Nfe7 18.g5 Nf5 19.Bh3 Nce7 20.Ng3 Nxg3 21.Rxg3 Rh8 22.Bg4 Kb8 23.Rb4 Nc6 24.Rb5 ½-½ Niessen T. - Smithers S., W1997F.001 IECG email 1997; RR 16...f6 17.g4 fxe5 18.gxf5 Rxg1 19.Nxg1 exf5 20.fxe5 Rg8 21.e6 Bxe6 22.Ne2 Qe7 23.Bf4 Rg4 24.Bg3 Qf7 25.h6 Bc4 26.Qf3 Bd5 27.Qf2 Be4 28.Rc1 Rg6 29.Bf4 Qf6 30.Bh3 Qe7 31.Kf1 Qf6 32.Re1 Bxc2 33.Nxc3 Bd3+ 34.Ne2 Rg8 35.Qf3 Bc4 36.Rc1 Bxe2+ 37.Qxe2 Kd8 38.Qc4 Qg6 39.Qd5+ Ke8 40.Re1+ 1-0 Hanison B. - Jenkins A./BCC Champ.Cand B 2000] 17.g3 Rdg8N [RR 17...Rh8 18.Bh3 Rgg8 19.g4 Nh4 20.Rf1 Qa5 21.Nxd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Bc6 23.Qc4 Kd8 24.Kf2 Bf3 25.Bg2 Bxg2 26.Rd1+ Bd5 27.Rxb7 Rxg4 28.Qc6 Qb6+ 29.Rxb6 Rg2+ 30.Kf1 axb6 31.Be3 Ke7 32.Qd6+ Ke8 33.Rxd5 1-0 Borst J. - Ghellere S./IECG email 1999; RR 17...f6 18.Bh3 Rgg8 19.exf6 Be8 20.g4 Bxh5 21.gxh5 Qh7 22.Rxg8 Rxg8 23.Bxf5 exf5 24.Nxd4 Rg1+ 25.Kf2 Qg8 26.Qxf5+ Kb8 27.Nxc6+ Ka8 28.Qh3 1-0 Hanison B. - Edwards M., BFCC Open P.478 1999] 18.Bh3 a6 19.Bxg4 Rxg4 20.Rh1 Qd8 21.Qf3 Rg8 22.g4 1-0 Recent Games In PGN Here is the main database update, which contains recent higher-level Winawer games in PGN format, ECO codes C15-C19: http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/twr/twr04db.zip Here are the annotated games and other referenced games from this issue in PGN: http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/twr/twr04a.zip ----------------------------------- ***Please visit our advertisers*** ----------------------------------- Correspondence Chess News (CCN): http://ccn.correspondencechess.com Subscribe to CCN-Plus: http://ccn.correspondencechess.com/ccnplus.htm The Annual Correspondence Chess Yearbook (CCYB): http://correspondencechess.com/yearbook/ The printed book, Essential Chess Quotations, from iUniverse: http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/quoteb.htm Chess coaching services: http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/coaching.htm ----------------------------------- Book Corner By John Pugh John.Pugh2@btinternet.com New in Chess Yearbook and the Winawer Variation. Four times a year, “New in Chess” of Holland publish their Yearbook, which they accurately call “The Grandmaster Guide to Opening News." The Yearbooks, which run to around 240 pages an issue, are based on surveys (35 in the latest issue, Yearbook 61) which cover the whole range of chess openings and are written by a range of authors. Contributors in the latest issue include Anand, Baigrov, Bologan, Chernin, Dvoretsky, Ehlvest, Kramnik, Lautier, Morozevitch, Polgar, Topalov and Timman. A typical survey is a couple of pages of text followed by a game or two, with detailed Informator-style notes together with further games, some of which have light notes. The issues also include a readers forum, often with high-profile contributors (e.g. Gligoric in the latest issue), a book review section and “Sosonko’s Corner." Most issues contain two or three surveys on the French, and the Winawer is often included. For instance, the latest issue contains a survey by British GM Jonathan Rowson on the variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Qa4. The move merits half a page in Pedersen’s new book “The Main Line French 3.Nc3,” and McDonald gives it about the same in his book “French Winawer.” William Hook played the variation as Black against Bobby Fischer at the Siegen Olympiad in 1970 and not surprisingly lost in 28 moves. Fischer played 8.Qg4, which until recently was considered the refutation. Apparently the line has recently become quite trendy and has been used by Nikolic, Psakhis and Pert. Rowson tells us “The basic idea is to lodge the Queen on a4 and exchange light-squared bishops with …..b6 and Ba6, but Black is also willing to close the centre with ...c4 if necessary.” Rowson gives an interesting quote from French expert Psakhis: “Closing the position with ...c4 is almost always a mistake in the Winawer.” He adds that White needs to know where to place his pieces to exploit this, and Psakhis himself has won many games as Black by playing …..c4 against weaker opposition. One interesting idea, which Rowson gives, is 8.Qb1, forcing ...c4. Rowson analyses in detail the game Rowson-Motwani, Aberdeen 2001, and then gives 13 other games, including Fischer-Hook. Six of these games have notes, mainly light. Other Winawer surveys in recent issues are: 7.Qg4 0-0 by Olthof, Shulman, Kindermann and Dirr in Yearbook 60; 6…..Qc7 7.Qg4 f5 by van der Tak and Dokhoian (Kasparov’s second, who analyses Kasparov-Short, Novgorod 1997) in Yearbook 59; 5……Ba5 6.b4 cxd4 7.Qg4 by Lukacs, Hazai and Anand in Yearbook 55; 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Bd3 cxd4 by Pliester and Watson in Yearbook 55. Write to New in Chess at PO Box 1093, 1810 KB Alkmaar Netherlands. Website http://www.newinchess.com. Their products are stocked by most chess booksellers. Tom Winckelmann Takes John To Task... (Editor's note: This is in reference to the article "Don't Underestimate The WRG" in TWR 01 - in particular, the notes to the game Winckelmann-Knudsen, as below: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3 e5 [Huebner's move. 6...c5 is preferred by most players.] 7.Bb5+!? [7.Be3 Bf5 8.Rb1 b6 9.Ne2 exf3 10.Ng3 Be6 11.Qxf3 Bd5 12.Qh5 Nd7 13.dxe5 g6 14.Qe2 Qe7 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.Bb5 0-0-0 17.0-0 Nxe5 18.Qe2 f6 19.Ba6 Kb8 20.Bxb7 Kxb7 21.Ne4 Kb8 22.Nc5 Rd5 23.Na6+ Kb7 24.Nb4 Ra5 25.Bd4 c6 26.c4 Nh6 27.Nd3 Nf5 28.Bc3 Ra4 29. Bb4 Qe6 30.c5 Qc4 31.Qf2 Nxd3 32. cxd3 Qd5 33.cxb6 axb6 34.Rfe1 Rha8 35.Bc5 b5 36.Rbc1 Rg4 37.Rc3 h5 38. h3 Rg3 39.Re7+ Nxe7 40.Qxg3 Nf5 41. Qe1 Qe5 42.Qxe5 fxe5 43.Kf2 Rd8 44. Kf3 Rd5 45.Ke4 h4 46.Bf2 Kc7 47.Be1 Kd6 48.Bf2 c5 49.Rc2 Ng3+ 50.Bxg3 Rd4+ 51.Ke3 hxg3 52.Rb2 Kc6 53.Rc2 Rf4 54.Rb2 b4 0-1 Schulze,M-Knudsen, J/IECG Master Class 2001 (54)] ) Tom writes: When I saw this game on 19.07.2001, I told John Knudsen that 12.Qg4! is much better than 12.Qh5?! John answered: "In the Schulze game, I planned 12...Nf6 (!) in response to 12.Qg4 (!?) - this move ensures at least a draw I think." Then I told John that I would like to play 13.Qg5 John answered: "I have been busy with the magazine (CCN). Perhaps, after 13.Qg5, Black can try either 13...Nbd7 or 13...exd4?! - the latter being probably too risky! - I think your 12.Qg4 move is better than what Schulze played!" Then I told John that I would like to play 14.dxe5 (after 13...Nbd7) and if 14...h6 15.Qf4. After that I got no answer from John until now! I think White is winning!! 15...g5 16.Qd4 c5 17.Qd2 Nxe5 18.Bb5! +- Today I read in John Knudsen´s Winawer Report 1/2002 again about WRG. Also the Schulze game is published! But nothing of my winning novelty 12.Qg4! Yes, Winawer players are adventuresome souls! Best wishes Thomas Winckelmann John responds: Guilty, on all counts! The game with Schulze was just a side game in the notes to the game Winckelmann-Knudsen, and I had forgot our earlier conversation. Thanks for keeping me on my toes, Tom! 12. Qg4 must be considered before Black ventures this particular line again. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*