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THE HIPPOPOTAMUS RISES FROM THE SWAMP I'm sure that the Modern Defence would be a lot more popular if Black could avoid the more aggressive White systems. I'm thinking of the Austrian Attack where White plays with an early f2-f4, or the very popular modern idea with Nf3, Be3,Qd2 and a quick Bh6, the so-called 150 attack. Yes, these blunt variations are a real threat. In this short article I'm going to suggest a little-known move-order which sidesteps a lot of the main lines and enables Black to deal with early aggression on his own terms. 1.e4 b6!?
The Queen's Fianchetto Defence has a very poor reputation, quite unjustified in my opinion, but as I say, we are tinkering with the move order. 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 Most White players go 3 Bd3 automatically, doubtless expecting 3...e6. 3...g6! Now that we have lured the Bishop to d3, the Double Fianchetto or Hippopotamus system becomes much more acceptable. 4.f4 White tries to blow Black away. 4...f5!
But this is the excellent reply which quite takes the initiative away from White. Serpik,I - Blatny,P (2500) [B00] We move now to the recent Los Angeles Open Tournament where innovator Blatny will demonstrate the potential of Black's fourth move. [Click here to follow along on an interactive JavaScript board] 1.e4 b6!? 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 g6! 4.f4 f5! 5.Qe2 Taking on f5 sometimes works but not here. Black can take the Rook e.g. 5.exf5 Bxg2 6.fxg6 Nf6 7.gxh7 Bg7 8.Bg6+ Kf8 9.Nf3 Bxh1-+; 5.Nd2 is a reasonable alternative to the text move. I suggest 5...Nf6 6.Qe2 Nc6 7.c3 fxe4 8.Nxe4 e6 9.Nf3 Bg7 and Black's position isn't too bad. In particular, he doesn't need to mechanically castle short e.g. 10.h4!? (10.Nxf6+ Qxf6 11.Ne5 Qh4+! 12.g3 Qe7 13.Be4 Nd8 14.Bxb7 Nxb7 15.Qe4 c6 16.Be3 Nd6=) 10...Nxe4 11.Bxe4 Qf6 12.h5 0-0-0 is unclear. 5...fxe4 This is the main difference between the orthodox Modern move-order and our little deviation. Black gets to destroy the White centre. 6.Bxe4 Bxe4 7.Qxe4 Nc6 8.Nf3 Nf6=
There's nothing wrong with Black's position here. If he wishes, he can hold up the f pawn with ...e7-e6 and the White Bishop on c1 is poor. In our featured game, Serpik gets carried away. 9.Qd3 Bg7 [ 9...e6] 10.Ne5 Looks stronger than it is. 10...0-0! Typically enterprising. Black offers a pawn sacrifice which ,if accepted gives him a tremendous initiative. White can shatter the pawn structure and decline the present but then the Black pieces become very active. 11.Nxc6 Grabbing either pawn cannot be recommended: 11.Qc4+ e6 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.Qxe6+ ( 13.Qxc6 Qxd4 14.Nc3 Rae8 with the initiative.) 13...Kh8 14.0-0 Qxd4+ 15.Kh1 Ne4 with the initiative. 11...dxc6 12.0-0 Qd7 13.c3 c5
Blatny has clearly decided to go after his opponent. Chess logic would suggest that he is correct. Black is ahead in development so he MUST attack NOW. 14.Qc4+ Nd5 Probably Black can keep equality after 14...Qd5, for instance 15.Qxd5+ Nxd5 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Na3 e5 18.fxe5 Rxf1+ 19.Kxf1 Bxe5 20.Kg1 Rb8 Activity compensates for structure. But that's hardly what Blatny is all about - he wants to WIN. 15.dxc5 e5! 16.fxe5 The game is opening up and the White queenside is looking on. Serpik faces a few problems, as analysis shows: 16.Na3 c6 17.cxb6 axb6 18.fxe5 b5 19.Qe2 Rxf1+ 20.Qxf1 Bxe5 21.Nc2 Rf8 White's still a pawn up but Black is tremendously active..; 16.Rd1 c6 17.fxe5 Bxe5 18.Bh6 Rf5 19.cxb6 axb6 20.h3 b5 21.Qe2 Qa7+ 22.Kh1 Qf2! 23.Qxf2 Rxf2 with the initiative.
This I don't like for White at all. Black retained the initiative and he is getting his material back with interest. The point is that White has to defend very accurately indeed just to stay on the board-not everyone is up to the task. 16...Rxf1+ 17.Qxf1 Rf8 18.Qe2 Qe7 19.Nd2 After 19.cxb6 Bxe5 threatens ...Bxh2+. 19...Bxe5 20.Qc4 He just doesn't see it! 20...Bd4+!! 0-1
Quite crushing. Mate on the back rank is suddenly forced. Coolness is need to play the Modern Defence at the best of
times and we must carry that quality over to our little variation. We
must take an eye for the main chance with us too. But the signs are
that a lot of White players will fail to come to terms with the new problems
that we are posing. The Hippopotamus Rises From the Swamp - Part 2 The Hippopotamus Rises From the Swamp - Part 3 [Return to the Index of IM Andrew Martin's Columns]
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