1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
g6
3.Nc3
Bg7
4.e4
d6
5.Be2
0-0
6.Nf3
Bg4!?
Still attracts a decent following among master players. Black relies on piece activity and an early attack on d4 to facilitate counterplay.
I prefer White in this line.
7.Be3
Nfd7
8.h4!
IDEA
Very direct and with the Black Knight drifting away from the Kingside,logical too.
8 h4 could put Black under serious pressure if he does not find the right central counter.
8...e5
[ 8...h5
Possibly it is prudent to hold up the h pawn. In the following snippet, Ehlvest only keeps a nominal advantage. 9.Qd2
c5
10.d5
Na6
11.Bh6
Nc7
12.Bxg7
Kxg7
13.Nd1
( 13.Ng5
Bxe2
14.Qxe2
a6
and Black plays ..Rb8 and ..Re8,with a pawn break in the offing.) 13...Nf6
14.Ng5
Bxe2
15.Qxe2
Qd7
16.Ne3
b5
17.b3
bxc4
18.bxc4
e5
19.0-0
Ng4
20.f4
exf4
21.Rxf4
Nxe3
22.Qxe3
f6
23.Nh3~~
Ehlvest,J-Spraggett,K/Manila 1992
Maybe White's a shade better but he's got queenside problems long-term.; 8...c5
9.d5
b5!?
An understandable reaction.Arlandi takes and lives! 10.Nxb5
Bxb2
11.Rb1
Bg7
12.Qd2
Bxf3
13.Bxf3
Nb6
14.Be2
N8d7
15.h5
Ne5
16.Na3
Na4
17.Rb3
Rb8
18.Kf1
Qd7
19.Bh6
f5
20.hxg6
hxg6
21.Bxg7
Kxg7
22.Qh6+
Kf6
23.f4
Nf7
24.Qh4+
Kg7
25.Qh7+
Kf6
26.Rg3
Arlandi actually played this game very well; he's organised a terrific attack. There were few concessions on the queenside and Black's knights seemed to get into a tangle. 26...Rg8
27.exf5
Qxf5
28.Bd3
Qxf4+
29.Rf3
Qxf3+
30.gxf3
Ne5
31.Bc2
Nb2
32.Rh4
Ned3
33.Re4
e5
34.dxe6
Ne5
35.f4
1-0 Arlandi,E-Cebalo,M/Saint Vincent 1999]
9.d5
a5
10.h5!
A new move,I believe. White gets on with the attack without delay. [ 10.Qd2
Na6
11.h5
is similar. 11...Bxh5
12.Bh6
( 12.Ng5
is analagous to the main game but Mikhailevski hasn't wasted a tempo on Qd2.) 12...Nf6
13.Nh4
Bxe2
14.Bxg7
Kxg7
15.Kxe2
Ng8
16.g4
h6
17.Rag1
Qg5
18.Nf5+
Kf6
19.Nxh6
Nxh6
20.Rxh6
Rh8
21.Rxh8
Rxh8
22.Qd3
Rh4
23.Qf3+
Ke7
24.Qe3
Qxe3+=
Marques,V-Dantas,B/BRA 1998; 10.Rb1
is a different approach. White is announcing an advantage on both sides of the board.
It's tough to argue with what happens in the sequal.Eminent Grandmaster Martinovic is run out of moves!
10...b6
11.a3
Nf6
12.Ng1
Bxe2
13.Ngxe2
Ng4
14.Bg5
f6
15.Bc1
h5
16.f3
Nh6
17.Be3
Nd7
18.Qd2
Kh7
19.b4+/=
But this is the type of edge that won't go away! 19...axb4
20.axb4
f5
21.Bg5
Qe8
22.0-0
f4
23.Nb5
Qc8
24.Ra1
Qb7
25.Qb2
Bf6
26.Rxa8
Rxa8
27.Bxf6
Nxf6
28.Nxf4
c6
29.dxc6
Qxc6
30.Nh3
Qxc4
31.Nxd6
Qd4+
32.Qxd4
exd4
33.Rd1
Nd7
34.Rxd4
Ne5
35.Nc4
Nc6
36.Rd7+
Kg8
37.b5
Ra1+
38.Kh2
Na7
39.Nd6
1-0 Gabriel,C-Martinovic,S/Germany 1998
Strategically,a wonderful game. ]
10...Bxh5
11.Ng5
h6
[ He could take on e2 but I don't fancy Black's chances. g2-g4 is coming and there's not a lot Black can do about it. I append a easy-to-understand analysis: 11...Bxe2
12.Qxe2
h6
( 12...Nf6
13.0-0-0
h6
14.Nf3
Ng4
15.Bd2
Qd7
16.Nh2
Nf6
17.g4->
; 12...h5
13.g4
) 13.Nf3
h5
14.0-0-0
Nf6
15.Nh2!
Black's percentage survival chances are not high.]
12.Nxf7
Rxf7
[ 12...Bxe2
obliges Black to give up the exchange
which I guess Vitebsky didn't really believe. Sometimes strong opponents 'talk' you out of the best moves-maybe Black's position isn't so bad: 13.Nxd8
Bxd1
14.Ne6
Bh5
15.Nxf8
Kxf8
16.f3
Nf6
17.g4
Bxg4
18.fxg4
Nxg4
19.Ke2
h5
This won't be easy at all for White to win.]
13.g4
Bxg4
14.Bxg4
Nf8
15.Be6!
White will stop at nothing to open up lines and squares to get at the King.
15...Nxe6
16.dxe6
Rf6
17.Nd5
Rxe6
18.Qg4
Kf7[]
If the Queen protects,White takes on c7.
19.Bxh6+-
Bf6
20.Bg5
Chess is a lot of fun when your poor opponent has no counterplay. One glance at the Black queenside demonstrates the potential of White's opening idea.
20...Bxg5
21.Rh7+
Kg8
22.Qh3
Bf6
23.Rxc7
It's getting embarrassing now.
23...Re7
24.Rc8
Re8
25.Nxf6+
Qxf6
26.Rxe8+
Kf7
27.Rc8
Only time-trouble can explain Black's refusal to resign.
27...Nc6
28.Qh7+
Ke6
29.Qg8+
8 h4 looks like the introductory move to a very promising attack. It's looks like Black has to play it safe with 8...h5,which seems submissive , or gamble on 8...c5 9 d5 b5,where there may be something to be found. 1-0