Playing Black in Indian systems without c2-c4: a repertoire for the ...g6 and the ...e6 player

Daniel Hill, Dave Regis and Steve Webb (Credits)

A. Colle System
B. London System
- Black plays ...g6 against the London System
  - Polugaevsky-Gufeld, 1979
  - Hills-Webb 1995
- Black plays ...e6 against the London System
C. Torre Attack/Torre System vs. King Fianchetto
- Black plays ...g6 against the Bg5 system
- Torre Attack (Bg5 against ...e6)
  - Risky 4...Qb6
    Passive 5. Qc1
    
    Aggressive 5. Nbd2
  - Positional 4... cxd4
    - Bronstein-Ward, Maidstone 1994 /0-1
D. Trompovsky
- Black plays ...g6 against the Trompovsky
- Black plays ...e6 against the Trompovsky
E. Systems with g3
- Black plays ...g6 against g3
  - Arkell-Nunn/London 1992
- Black plays ...e6 against the g3 system
F. Systems with a delayed c4
G. Stonewall Opening
- Black plays ...g6 against the Stonewall
- Black plays ...e6 against the Stonewall
H. The Richter-Veresov system
- Black plays ...g6 against the Veresov
- Black plays ...e6 against the Veresov

A. Colle System

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 and 3. e3

White will play slowly for the e2-e4 break, opening up the game.

There is a club booklet on the Colle.

Black plays ...g6 against the Colle

This is well-known as a good system: the Bd3 bites on granite and e3-e4 results in a Pirc-style game satisfactory for Black.

The Colle proper is a system which follows 1. d4 d5, which is not the Indian move-order, but you may end up in the line below:

4. c3

4... g6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bg7 7. O-O O-O

Now Fine says White is best advised to play

8. b4=

Since

[8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Ne5 11. Nxf6+ Bxf6 12. Be2 Bd7 is =+]

Colle system vs. King's Indian

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3

Now e2-e4 just loses a tempo on the Pirc, if that's in your repertoire (which it should be! White has more than one way to try and transpose...). Otherwise White can try to get into a main line as below:

Belavanets - Bronstein 13th USSR semi-final, 1941

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. g3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. b3 Re8 9. e3 c6 10. Qc2 Qa5 11. a4 Nf8 12. Ba3 Bf5 13. Qb2 Rad8 14. Rfd1 e4 15. Nd2 Ne6

The Qa5 is not typical, but we can see several themes here:

fianchetto of the King's bishop

use of the e-pawn to gain an initiative on the K-side

over-protection of the advanced e4-pawn

move all the pieces to the K-side in a committal attack

16. b4 Qc7 17. Rdb1 Qd7 18. c5 Ng5

More over-protection

19. cxd6 Bh3 20. Bh1 Qf5 21. Ne2 Nd5 22. b5 Bg4

23. Kf1

Two sword-swipes with the Knights decide the game.

23...Nxe3+ 24. Ke1 Nf3+ 0-1

Black plays ...e6 against the Colle

3. e3

Of course 3...e6 gives Black a problem developing the Bc8. It can hold back and wait for ...e6-e5, but it is more natural to develop it either on the long diagonal or immediately (after ...d5 and before ...e6).

3... Bg4 4. Nbd2 Nbd7 5. h3 Bh5 6. c4 e6 7. Qb3 Rb8

about equal: Kovacevic-Timman 1984]

Colle with ...b6

2... b6 3. e3 Bb7

"The Queen's Indian formation against the Colle-Zukertort has a reputation for reliability; Black indeed had a good plus score in the games examined." TRENDS

4. Bd3 e6 5. O-O c5

6. Nbd2

[6. c3 is the traditional recipe]

6... Be7

is the main line but others are known:

[6... cxd4 7. exd4 Be7 8. Re1 O-O 9. a4 a6 10. Nf1 d6= Kovacevic-Hulak, 1985 (BCO)]

[6... d6 is known to theory]

[6... Nc6!? 7. b3

[7. a3 Be7 8. Re1 O-O 9. b3 d6 10. Bb2 Re8 11. c4 Nb8 Yusupov-Sax, 1988 (1/2-1/2, 63)]

7... cxd4 8. exd4 Nb4 9. Be2 Rc8 10. c4 d5 Yusupov-Chernin, 1987 (1/2-1/2, 18)]

Example Game:

Colle,Edgar - Capablanca,Jose (18) [A47] *Karlsbad, 1929

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. e3

3... Bb7 4. Nbd2 e6 5. Bd3 c5 6. O-O Nc6 7. c3 Be7 8. e4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 O-O 10. Qe2

10... Ne5 11. Bc2 Qc8 12. f4 Ba6 13. Qd1 Nc6 14. Rf3

14... g6 15. N2b3 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Bb7 17. Qe2 Bc5 18. Rh3 Qc6 19. e5 Nd5 20. Qf2

20... Bxd4 21. cxd4 Rac8 22. Bd1 f6 23. Qh4 Rf7

24. Bf3 Qc4 25. Be3 Nxe3 26. Bxb7 Nf5 27. Qe1 Rc7 28. Be4 Qxd4+ 29. Kh1 fxe5 30. Bxf5 exf5 31. fxe5 Re7 32. Re3 Qxb2 33. e6 dxe6 34. Rxe6 Kf7

White is two pawns down with still the worse position, so:

0-1

B. London System

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 and 3. Bf4

White holds the centre and develops quickly, attacking on either side as the opportunity arises.

Black plays ...g6 against the London System

The Bishop rather invites ...d6 and ...e5.

3... Bg7 4. e3 d6

[4... d5 is recommended by Varnusz, but may not sit easily in the repertoire of a KID player. Also anecdotal evidence suggests that ...d5 may suit a London player's style]

5. h3

To preserve the Bf4, but it has at the moment little scope and its position even invites ...e5. We will look at an example game:

Polugaevsky-Gufeld, 1979

5... O-O 6. Be2 c5 7. Nbd2 cxd4 8. exd4 Nc6 9. O-O Bf5 10. c3 Rc8=

The Bf5 is awkward while it stays and awkward to remove.

11. Bh2 a6 12. a4 Re8 13. Nc4 d5 14. Nce5 Qb6 15. Ra2 Ne4 16. Nxc6?!

[16. g4!?]

16... bxc6 17. a5 Qb7 18. g4 Bd7 19. Ne5

19... Bxe5

An unusual exchange!

20. Bxe5

[20. dxe5 e6 /\ ...c5]

20... f6 21. Bh2 c5 22. f3 Ng5 23. h4 Nf7 24. Re1 Bb5 25. b3 cxd4 26. cxd4 Rc3 27. Kg2 e5 28. Bxb5 Qxb5 29. Rae2 Rd3

30. Rd2 Rxd2+ 31. Qxd2 Qxb3 32. Re3 Qb5 33. g5 Nd6 34. Re1 Nc4 35. Qf2 exd4 36. Rxe8+ Qxe8 37. gxf6 Ne3+ 38. Kg1 Qb5 39. Be5 Qb1+ 40. Kh2 Qf5 41. Bg3 Qc2 42. Qxc2 Nxc2 43. Be5 Kf7 44. Kg2 d3 45. Kf2 d2 46. Ke2 Ne3

0-1

White's poor Bishop could do nothing about the Black attack, and finally dies on what should be its best square!

Hills-Webb 1995

5... Nbd7

for 5...O-O see below

6. Be2

[6. Bd3 is deterred by the Pawn on g6]

6... O-O 7. c4

[7. c3 and Nbd2 is a slower way to play the system; Black can play the Bc8 to b7 as in the game.]

[7. O-O Qe8 is recommended in the book (Varnusz), planning ...e5]

[7... c5 8. c3 b6 9. a4 Bb7 10. Bh2 a6! Varnusz]

7... c5

Thematic, playing to pressurise the long diagonal.

8. Nc3 cxd4 9. exd4 b6 10. O-O Bb7 11. Qc2 Rc8 12. b3

Defends the c4 Pawn but weakens the dark squares.

12... a6

/\ ...b5

13. a4 Re8 14. Rfd1 Nb8

/\ ...Nb8-c6-b4

15. d5 Nxd5

draw agreed (!)

[15... Nxd5 16. Bd2 Nb4-+ ]

One last one with a slightly different move order.

Short,N-Kasparov,Gary/Skelleftea (4) 1989

2... c6 3. Bf4 d6 4. h3 Qb6 5. b3 c5 6. dxc5 Qxc5 7. c4 g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. Rc1 Bf5

Black is fine here: both Bishops are better than White's, Black has control of e4 and can enjoy the discomfort of White's King, which is at least three moves from castling.

10. Be3 Qa5 11. Bd2 Qd8 12. Nd4 Be4 13. e3 Nc6 14. Nde2 Bd3 15. Nf4 Bxf1 16. Kxf1 O-O 17. g3 e6 18. Kg2 d5 19. cxd5 exd5 20. Qf3 d4 21. Ncd5 Nxd5 22. Qxd5 Qe7 23. Rhe1 Rad8 24. Qc5 Qd7 25. e4 Ne5 26. Red1 b6 27. Qc7

27. Qc7 Qb5 28. Qxa7 g5 29. Qa4

Sacrificing the Knight for some play

29... Qxa4 30. bxa4 gxf4 31. gxf4 Nd3 32. Rc6 Nb2 33. Rdc1 Nxa4 34. f5 Rfe8 35. f3 Ra8 36. Kh1 Nc5 37. Rg1 Kh8 38. Rc7 Rf8 39. Bf4 Rac8 40. Re7 Rce8 41. Rc7 Nd3 42. Bd6 Rg8 43. Rxf7 Be5 44. Rxg8+ Rxg8 45. Rd7 Nf2# 0-1

Black plays ...e6 against the London System

3. Bf4

3...b6

[3... d5 4. e3 Bd6 5. Bg3 c5 6. c3 Ne4 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. Nbd2 Nxd2 9. Qxd2 Nc6 = Osmanovitch-Lputian, 1983]

4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3

[5. c4 is Miles' variation in the Queen's Indian 5... Ne4]

5... Be7 6. h3 O-O 7. Nbd2 c5 8. c3 d5 9. O-O Qc8 10. Re1 Ba6 11. Bc2 Rd8 12. Ne5 Nc6 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bh4 Qc7 15. f4 Rac8 16. Qf3 Ne4

1/2-1/2 Gulko-Browne, 1988 (Given in The London System by Soltis)

C. Torre Attack/Torre System vs. King Fianchetto

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 and 3. Bg5

The founder of this system scored a famous victory over Lasker with a 'windmill' combination. It has similar ideas to the London System, and chooses perhaps a better square for the Bishop. It also tempts Black to chase the bishop.

Black plays ...g6 against the Bg5 system

3. Bg5

3... Bg7

White can try and fiddle c2-c4 or Nb1-c3 with 4. e3, but this forgoes e2-e4.

4. Nbd2 c5

White can now try

5. Bxf6 or

5. c3:

we'll look at a game with each.

5. Bxf6 e.g. Spiridonov,N-Kasparov,Gary/Skara (4) 1980

5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. Ne4 Bxd4! 7. Nxd4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 O-O 9. c4

Although Black lacks the dark-squared Bishop, his position is fine.

9... Nc6 10. Qd2 d6 11. Nc3 Be6 12. e4 Qb6 13. Rd1?!

Over-ambitious: Black spies the traditional weakness on f2

13... Ne5 14. b3 f5! 15. Be2 f4!-+

Cementing the post on e5.

16. Nd5 Bxd5 17. Qxd5+ Kg7 18. O-O Rac8 19. b4 Qxb4 20. Rb1 Qa3 21. Rxb7

White seems to have developed some uncomfortable threats...

21... Kf6!!

...but they are all one-move deep, and this stops the lot!

22. h4 h6

[22... Qxa2? 23. Bg4]

23. Rd1 Rb8

[23... Qxa2?? 24. Qxd6+ exd6 25. Rxd6#]

24. Rc7 Rfc8 25. Rxc8 Rxc8 26. Qb7 Qc5 27. Qb2 Qb6 28. Qc1 g5 29. Rd5 e6 30. hxg5+ hxg5

31. Rd1 Ke7 32. Qc2 Rb8 33. Qa4 g4 34. Qa3 Qc5 35. Qc3 g3 36. Rf1 gxf2+ 37. Rxf2 Rb1+ 38. Bf1 Qe3 39. Qxe3 fxe3 40. Rc2 Nxc4 0-1

5. c3 Bisguier,Arthur-Fischer,Robert/New York ch-US Rd: 5 1965

5... cxd4

This capture is best and common in these systems after Nbd2, since White cannot play Nb1-c3

6. cxd4 Nc6 7. e3 O-O 8. a3 h6 9. Bh4 d6 10. Bc4 Bf5 11. h3 Rc8 12. O-O e5 13. e4 Bd7 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Ba2 g5

with the e-pawn fixed, the light-squared Bishop lacks access to f5 and related squares, so this is quite safe here.

16. Bg3 Qe7 17. Re1 Rcd8

Black's position is harmonious with central control; White's pieces lack scope by contrast. White would like to sink a Knight into f5 but it's going to have to be the one on f3, which is going to give Black the d4 point.

18. Nh2 Be6 19. Bxe6 Qxe6 20. Nhf1 Rd3! 21. Re3

takes e3 away from the Nf1.

21... Rd7 22. Qb3 Qe7 23. Nf3 Rfd8 24. Rae1 Nh5 25. Rc3 Qf6 26. Ne3 Nd4

A nice example of over-protection, the Knight cannot be left, and the exchange will give Black's pieces extra scope.

27. Nxd4 exd4 28. Ng4 Qg6 29. Rd3 Nxg3

White faces an uncomfortable choice

30. fxg3 Rc7 31. Nf2 Rdc8 32. Re2 Rc1+ 33. Kh2 h5 34. Qxb7 Be5 35. Qd5 R1c5 36. Qd7 h4 37. Nh1 Rc1 38. Rf3 g4

Mate is threatened

39. Qxg4 Qxg4 40. hxg4 Kg7 41. Rf5

41... Rxh1+!

0-1

Another recent game featuring ...g6 was this encounter:

Short Nigel D-Kasparov Gary/Cup World, Reykjavik (Iceland) 1989

2... c6 3. Bf4 d6 4. h3 Qb6 5. b3 c5

An interesting tempo-loss

6. dxc5 Qxc5 7. c4 g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. Rc1 Bf5

Black is fine here: his dark-squared Bishop is better than White's, has control of e4 and can enjoy the discomfort of White's King, which is at least three moves from castling.

27...Qc7 Qb5 28. Qxa7 g5 29. Qa4

Sacrificing the Knight for some play

Torre Attack (Bg5 against ...e6)

3. Bg5

3. ... c5

...b6 systems tend to be upset by d4-d5

4. e3

There are two alternatives:

[4. e4 Wagner Gambit, a sharp line 4... cxd4 5. e5 h6 6. Bh4 g5 7. Bg3 Nh5 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qe4 Bg7 Marshall-Nimzovitch, Berlin 1928. /\ ...Nxg3 and x e5]

[4. c3 4... cxd4 5. cxd4 Qb6 6. Qc2 Nc6 7. Nc3?

[7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. e3 d5 9. Nc3 Bd7 10. Be2 Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. Na4 Qc7 13. Nc5 Rfc8 14. Nxd7 Qxd7 15. Qa4 Ne5 16. Qxd7 Nxd7 17. Rfc1 Nb6=/+ "Black's Knight is more powerful" - BELLIN Larsen-Portisch, Tilburg 1980]

7... Bb4

[7... Nxd4]

8. e3 d5 9. Bd3 Bd7 10. O-O Be7

"By now you should realise that this game lacks quality" - Daniel 11. a3 h6 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. b4 Rc8 14. Rfc1 f5 15. Qe2 O-O

and now White blundered with

16. Na4?

[16. Nd2+/= x c5]

16... Nxd4! Stenhouse-Hill, Portsmouth 1996]

After the main line with 4. e3, Black has two alternatives:

Risky 4...Qb6

Positional 4... cxd4

One rare alternative:

4... Be7 5. Nbd2 Nc6 6. c3 cxd4 7. exd4 O-O 8. Bd3 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Re1 h6 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Ne4 Be7 13. Bb1 d5 14. Ng3 Bc8= R Ye-J Ye, Jakarta 1994

Risky 4...Qb6

4... Qb6

"This is undoubtedly the most critical variation of the Torre Attack" - BELLIN.

White must now decide whether to sacrifice the b2 pawn,

5. Nbd2,

or to defend it with the passive-looking

5. Qc1.

Passive 5. Qc1

5. Qc1 Ne4

[5... Nc6 6. c3

[6. Bxf6 gxf6 7. c3 d5 8. Nbd2 Bd7 9. Be2 Rc8 10. O-O cxd4 11. exd4 Bh6= Holmov-Anikayev, Tbilisi 1976]

6... Ne4 7. Bf4 d5 8. Bd3 Be7 9. Nbd2 f5

and Black's position is fine: Petrosian-Cherepkov, USSR 1961.]

6. Bf4 d5 7. c3 Nd7

[7... Nc6]

8. Nbd2 Ndf6 9. h3 Bd6 10. Ne5 c4?!

(This type of move often leaves White free to ignore the centre and attack elsewhere)

11. g4 Nxd2 12. Qxd2 Ne4 13. Qc2 Bxe5 14. Bxe5

and now I played the weakening

14... f../strong>

Aggressive 5. Nbd2

5. Nbd2

5... d5

[5... Qxb2 This looks unwise. 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. exd4 Qc3 8. O-O d5 9. Re1 Be7 10. Re3 Qc7 11. Ne5=/and with a nice position for the sacrificed pawn.]

6. Bxf6 gxf6 7. c4 cxd4 8. exd4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nc6 10. O-O Bd7 11. d5

Although Black has played a safer line I would say that this position is good for White. The problem for Black after 5. Nbd2 the Knight on f6 can no longer go to e4, and therefore Black is likely to end up with doubled pawns.

Positional 4... cxd4

4... cxd4

Bronstein-Ward, Maidstone 1994 /0-1

5. exd4 Be7 6. c3 b6 7. a4 O-O 8. Na3!? Nc6 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. O-O Nd5 11. Bd2 Rc8 12. Re1 Qc7=

This position is equal, although the first thing that struck me was that White's position looks a little easier to play. Perhaps Black can leer at the Knight on a3 and work in a raid based on ...Bd6 and ...Nf4. I don't know how the game went, but Black won.

Summary

If you think that your opponent will defend the pawn with 5. Qc1 then 4...Qb6 is clearly worth a try. However, after 5. Nbd2, White is likely to achieve a better position because no time has been wasted. This is not to say that you can't take the b-pawn, if you are looking for a sharp game. For those who prefer a more positional type of game, then 4...cxd4 is ideal.

D. Trompovsky

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5

An even earlier Bishop move, and now only 2...e6 and 2...Ne4 can stop White from kicking a hole in the Black pawn formation. In the 'seventies Hort and Jansa often adopted it with a positional approach, but a more brawling style has been characteristic of Hodgson's revival of the line in the 'nineties.

Black plays ...g6 against the Trompovsky

Ah, now - this booklet has got a big hole in it - you can hardly play ...g6 against the Trompovsky.

2...g6 3. Bxf6 exf6

and I think Black already has some problems getting organised.

2... c5

is the sort of move that might appeal to a KID player, particularly if you have a quick look at

3. d5?! Ne4 4. Bf4 Qa5+

A better idea for White is

3. Bxf6! e.g.

3... gxf6 4. d5 Qb6 5. Qc1

which is probably the funny sort of position that White may feel more comfortable than you, although I don't think White can claim a plus here, e.g. 5... f5

[5... d6]

6. c3

[6. e3]

[6. g3]

6... Bg7 7. e3 e6 8. Nh3

Hort says this is unclear. I believe him.

I recommend

2... Ne4

Now I think the best for White is

3. Bf4

Alternatives:

[3. Bh4 g5 4. f3 gxh4 5. fxe4 is the old theory on this line: White will struggle to hold the dark squares]

[3. h4 is Hodgson's favourite]

3... c5

[3... d5 4. f3 Nf6 5. e4 dxe4 6. Nc3 is a Blackmar-Diemer Gambit a tempo ahead for White!]

[Another idea for Black is3... Nc6!? /\ 4. f3

[4. d5 e5!]

[4. Nf3!]

4... e5! 5. dxe5 g5! 6. Bc1 Nc5

/\ ...Bg7]

After 3...c5:

4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6

when

6. d5

transposes above.

Black plays ...e6 against the Trompovsky

2. Bg5 e6

3. e4

[3. Nf3 is the Torre]

Now

3... h6

is the most common move, but not the only one:

[3... c5

is almost entirely untested. One known example went

4. e5

[4. Nf3 is the Wagner Gambit]

4... h6 5. Bc1 Nd5 6. c4 Nb6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Nf3 d5 9. exd6 Qxd6

[9... Bxd6!?]

10. Qxd6 Bxd6 11. Nc3 Nc6 12. Bd2 Nd7 13. O-O-O Ke7 14. Nb5

1/2-1/2 Soffer-Yudasin, Israel 1994.

Black could have played on with

14... Bc5]

After 3...h6:

4. Bxf6 Qxf6

5. Nc3

White can try the Knight on d2:

[5. Nf3 b6 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. Nbd2 a6

[7... c5 8. e5 Qd8 9. Be4 Qc7 10. O-O Be7 11. Re1 O-O 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. Bxb7 Qxb7 14. Nc4

Levenfish-Rabinovitch, Petrosgrad 1921]

8. Qe2 d6 9. O-O-O Nd7 10. Kb1 e5

Lots of pawn moves, but he must have thought White couldn't rush the centre.

11. c3 Be7 += Korchnoi-Karpov, Hastings 1971/72]

5... Bb4 6. Nf3

[6. Qd2 c5 7. a3 Bxc3 8. bxc3 d6 9. f4 O-O 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Bb5 Na5 12. Bd3 b6 13. O-O Bb7 Hodgson-Yudasin, ??]

6... d6 7. Qd2 Nd7 8. a3 Ba5 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O c6 11. b4 Bc7 12. Ne2 e5 =

Bezold-Bischoff, Altensteig 1994

Summary

I believe 3...c5!? is well worth a try, in order to try and transpose into the Torre. Of course, White can go for a Torre immediately with 3. Nf3, and it will be interesting to see how many White players opt for this. 3...h6 is also OK, although Karpov sank rather against Korchnoi in the game given in the Custer's Last Stand handout.

[Footnote from Frederick Prost: is 3...c5 really so easy?]

E. Systems with g3

1. d4 Nf6 2. g3

Transpositional except against the King's Indian where the double fianchetto system is known (with b2-b3).

Against the ...e6 systems it usually transposes into the Catalan, where Black may have problems whether the centre is closed (Botvinnik) or open (Keene).

Black plays ...g6 against g3

The system with g3 and b3 (without c4) is one to know about:

3. b3 Bg7 4. Bb2 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2

6... e5

Black has an important alternative here:

[6... Nbd7 7. O-O e5 8. dxe5 Ng4

9. Qd2

[9. Nc3 Pirc 9... Ngxe5!

[9... dxe5 10. Nd2+/= Pirc]

]

[9. c4 Re8 10. h3 Nh6 11. Nc3 dxe5 12. e4 c6 13. Qc2 f6 Holmov-Gufeld, about equal]

9... Ngxe5?!

[9... Re8! 10. h3 Nh6 11. Na3 dxe5 12. Nc4 f6 which is probably OK for Black]

10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Nc3 c6 12. Rad1../em>

[12. Ba3+/= ]

]

7. dxe5 Nfd7 8. O-O

8... dxe5

[8... Nc6 9. Qd2 Miles-Ristic, 1988 9... Ndxe5 Marovic]

9. e4 Nc6 10. Nbd2 b6 11. Qe2

Now Polugaevsky-Medina, 1972, continued:

11... Qe7

[11... a5 Marovic]

12. Rfd1 Nc5 13. Nf1 Ba../strong>

1-0, 39

[13... Be6 was better, acording to Marovic]

Of course, White might sidle over into the main line with g3:

Arkell-Nunn/London 1992

3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O

[5. c4 d6 was the game move order]

5... d6

6. c4

[6. c3]

6... Nbd7 7. Nc3 e5 8. Qc2 Re8 9. b3 c6 10. e3 exd4 11. Nxd4 h5

Intending ...h5-h4xg3, when White will be reluctant to play f2-f4 to dislodge a Knight on e5.

12. Ba3 Qe7 13. Rad1 Nc5 14. b4 Nce4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. b5 c5

(forced, but the Ba3 needs another post now)

17. Ne2

x d5: Black needs play on the King's-side

17... Bf5 18. Qb3 h4 19. Nf4 Qe5 to prevent Bb2 20. Rd5 Qf6 21. g4 Bxg4 22. f3 h3

23. Bh1

[23. Nxh3]

[23. Bxh3]

23... Nc3 24. fxg4 Qh4 25. Rd3 Qxg4+ 26. Kf2 Bd4 27. Rxc3 Qxf4+ 28. Ke2 Qxh2+ 29. Kd1 Bxc3 30. Qxc3 Re5 31. Bb2 Rae8 32. Bd5 R8e7 33. Qd2 Qxd2+ 34. Kxd2 Rf5

[34... Rxe3 35. Bf6<-/-> ]

35. Rxf5 gxf5 36. Ke2 h2 37. Kf2 Re6 38. Bc1

[38. Bxe6 h1=Q]

38... Rg6 39. Bg2 Rg4 40. Bd2 Rxc4 0-1

Black plays ...e6 against the g3 system

2. g3 e6

This system with c2-c4 is well known: it is called the Neo-Catalan.

2. g3 e6

3. Nf3

3... c5

[We looked at 4. dxc4 in the Custer booklet: the only other independent line is]

4. c4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6

which is the English Opening: g3 systems have become fashionable against the Nimzo and so they are another one to slot into your repertoire

6. Bg2 and now 6... d5 is the Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit

One complex line which offers hances to both sides is

6. Nc3 Qb6!?

[6... Bb4 is safe, 6...Bc5 is uncommon]

7. Nb3

[7. Nc2 d5!? is an approved gambit]

7... Ne5

[7... Bb4!? and 7...d5?! have also been tried]

8. e4 Bb4 9. Qe2

with a complex position that is given in few Nimzo books! DR has played either side with pleasure, and some lines he recalls go:

9... a5 10. f4

[10. Be3]

10... a4!? Nunn 11. fxe5 axb3 12. exf6 Rxa2

Pick the bones out of that!

F. Systems with a delayed c4

Even if White has c2-c4 lines in their repertoire, it may reduce Black's options to delay this, e.g. in the Catalan.

This is a transpositional device and your main openings books should help you here.

G. Stonewall Opening

1. d4 2. e3 3. Bd3 4. f4

White locks up the centre and rolls down the King's-side

1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3

[3. f4 is sometimes played to avoid the 3...Nc6 line, but then Black can always play ...Bf5]

Black plays ...g6 against the Stonewall

The Stonewall is not pointless, particularly after ...d5/...e6. But an early ...g6 deadens the attack from d3, and Black can try ...d6 and ...e5 to blow up the centre, e.g.

1... g6 2. e3 Bg7 3. Bd3 d6 4. c3 Nd7 5. f4 e5 6. Nf3 Ngf6 7. fxe5 dxe5 8. dxe5 Ng4 9. e6 fxe6 10. Nd4 Nde5 11. O-O

[11. Be2 O-O 12. Bxg4 Qh4+ 13. g3 Qxg4 14. Qxg4 Nxg4=/+ ...1/2-1/2 Jordan,D-Regis,D/Devon vs.Glos 1995]

11... Rf8 12. Rxf8+ Kxf8 13. Qf1+ Kg8 14. Bc2 c5 =+

Black plays ...e6 against the Stonewall

2. e3 d5

[2... e6 immediately has no special virtues, unless you really want to play a ...b6 system]

3. Bd3 c5

[There is also the system with 3... Nc6 e.g.

4. f4

[4. c3 e5!]

4... Nb4! 5. Nf3 Nxd3+ 6. cxd3 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. O-O O-O=]

4. c3 Nc6

[4... e6 5. f4]

5. f4

5... e6

blocks the Bc8 better is:

5... Bg4 6. Nf3 e6 7. Nbd2 Bd6 8. h3 Bh5 9. b3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Rc8

when Black is comfortable

H. The Richter-Veresov system

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 (Other moves transpose into e.g. the Pirc or French)

This is another system emphasising piece play - again with the threat of doubling the f-pawns, or reserving King's-side chances.

Against the Veresov itself:

3...Nbd7

3...Bf5 and

3...c5

are independent lines with some little theory attached.

e.g.

[3... Bf5 4. f3

[4. e3]

[4. Bxf6]

4... Nbd7 5. Nxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 h6 7. Bh4 N7b6 8. exf5 Ne3 9. Qd2 Nxf1 10. Kxf1=/+ ]

[2... c5 is another idea again, which might appeal to the KID/Benoni player]

Black plays ...g6 against the Veresov

2... g6

Black offers a Pirc. If White declines we probably get a Torre where the move Nc3 forgoes some of White's best ideas, like Nbd2 and moves of the c-pawn.

Black plays ...e6 against the Veresov

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6

3. Bg5 d5

3...c5

You will find White players who head for the French here, as pure Veresov ideas like 4. e3 and 4. Nf3 look insipid. These are all playable, particularly at club level (what isn't!).

Credits:

Dan composed the repertoire for the ...e6 player.

Steve composed the repertoire for the ...g6 player

Dave typed it up, and is responsible for all mistakes that are not the responsibility of the other authors

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Playing Black in Indian systems without c2-c4: a repertoire for the ...g6 and the ...e6 player

Torre Attack (Bg5 against ...e6)

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