The Chess Mind

Browsing New Jersey master Jim West's blog a couple of days ago, I noticed that he has responded to another of my analyses on one of his pet lines, the Philidor Counter-Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5). The variation du jour continues 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5(?) (Stefan Bücker's 5...Nf6 6.Nxf6+ gxf6 looks more resilient, though still somewhat better for White, I think) 6.Neg5! exd4 7.Nxd4 Qe7+ 8.Be2 h6 9.Ngf3



and now we have a parting of the ways. In my earlier post, and in the game he considers in his post, the continuation was

(A) 9...c6 10.O-O Qf6 11.Re1 Bd6 12.Ba6+!

My analysis continued with 12...Kf8 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.c4, with a clear advantage for White, but West gives 12...Kf7 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.Bd2 c5 15.Nb5 Nbc6 16.Bc3 d4 17.Bc4+ Kf8 18.Nxd6 Qxd6



Black "will follow with moves like ...Qf6, ...g5, ...Kg7, and perhaps ...Rf8 as well, with a reasonable position", according to West.

I think his variation is pretty reasonable through Black's 18th move, but his conclusion is unduly optimistic. If Black gets to make those consolidating moves for free, then he'd probably be in good shape. But if we look at the position right now, we should be more impressed by White's bishop pair and Black's stunted development. White should now play 19.b4(!), threatening to rip apart the center for his bishop pair, and also (alternatively) to play b5 and then Ne5. White has a big, maybe winning advantage here, as I try to show in my analysis. (Link below.)

(B) West adds another move to the mix, 8...c5. He refers to a previous blog post, where in the notes to a June 1999 game with Jaan Ehlvest, he gives this variation: c5 10.Nb5 a6 11.Nc3 d4 12.Nd5 Qd6 13.Bc4 Ne7 14.Bf4 Qe6+



15.Qe2 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Qxe2+ 17.Kxe2 Nd7 18.Rhe1 Nb6 19.Kf1+ Kd8 20.Bf7 Be7 21.Ne5 Rf8 22.Bg3 Bf5 23.Bg6 Bd6 24.Nf7+ Rxf7 25.Bxf7 Bxg3 26.hxg3 Bxc2 27.Rac1 d3 28.Re8+ Kd7 29.Rxa8 d2 30.Ra1 Nxa8 31.Bh5 Nb6 32.Bd1 Bd3+ "with compensation".

As Bent Larsen says (though I try to forget it when it applies to my own analysis): long line, wrong line. Look at the position around move 12-13. White has a significant, almost threatening lead in development, while Black's king is stuck in the center on an open file and vulnerable along the h5-e8 diagonal to boot. Can Black really be okay here?

My first reaction is "no way!" - but can I prove it? My first impressions might be reliable most of the time, but West has had years of practice with his "baby", and has undoubtedly developed a good sense of what Black can and can't get away with in this variation. On this occasion, however, I think his judgment is provably mistaken. Take a look at the previous diagram, which constitutes some heavy-handed foreshadowing. Those of you who experimented with "my" anti-French line won't be surprised by the right move here: 15.Kd2! The threats of 16.Nc7+ and 16.Re1 promise a massacre, so Black's only chance is to grab material with both hands and pray: 15...Nxd5 16.Re1 Nxf4 17.Bxe6 Nxe6 (17...Bxe6 is even worse - see the analysis linked below) 18.Ne5 h5 19.Qf3 and Black is going to be smashed - just what one should expect with an exposed king and a severe lack of development.

The analysis given above - and more - can be replayed here. Back to you, Mr. West!