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Balogh Counter
Gambit Part 3
White plays an early exf5

by IM-CC Keith R Hayward

Part 1 Balogh Counter Gambit Overview and Background

Part 2 Janos Balogh, the Man and His Games

In this article we begin to take a serious look at the Balogh Counter Gambit. We will first look at the critical 3 exf5 which is one of White’s more principled moves.

1 e4 d6
2 d4

My Internet handle is "Drawyah". The following game shows how affective the BCG can be.

2 Nf3 f5 3 exf5 Bxf5 4 d3 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 6 Bg5 Be7 7 Bxf6 Bxf6 8 Be2 Nc6 9 0-0 0-0 10 Re1 d5 11 a3 a6 12 b4 e4 13 dxe4 dxe4 14 Nd2 Bxc3 0-1, zzxxyy - Drawyah 2145, FICS, 1997.

I have shown this game before, but it is still worth repeating:

2 Nf3 f5 3 exf5 Bxf5 4 d4 Nf6 5 Bd3 Qd7 6 c4 g6 7 Nc3 Bg7 8 0-0 0-0 9 Re1 Bg4 10 h3? (10 Be2 Nc6 11 d5 Bxf3 12 Bxf3 Ne5 13 Be2) 10...Bxf3 11 Qxf3 Nc6 12 d5 Ne5 13 Qd1 Rae8? (13...Nh5 14 Be2 Nf4 15 Bxf4 Rxf4 16 g3 Rd4 =+)14 Be2 e6 15 f4?! (15 Be3) 15...Nf7 16 Qb3 e5? (16...c6! unclear) 17 Qxb7 exf4 18 Bxf4 Rb8 19 Qxa7 Rxb2 20 Qa3 Rbb8 21 Rf1 Ra8 22 Qb3 Qe7 23 Rae1 Ne5 24 Qc2 Rfe8 25 Nb5 Nf7 26 Kh2 Qd7 27 a4 Re7 28 Bd3? (28 Bf3! +-) 28 ... Rxe1 29 Rxe1 Nh5 30 g3 Nxf4 31 gxf4 Bh6 32 Re4 Qd8 33 Nd4 Qf6 34 Ne6 Rb8 35 Qg2 Rb2 36 Be2 Ra2 37 Qg4 Qf5 38 Qxf5 gxf5 39 Re3 Ne5 40 Rg3+ Ng6 41 Rg2 Rxa4 42 Bd3 Kf7 43 Bxf5 Nh4 44 Bc2 Rxc4 45 Rf2 Ng6 46 Kg3 ½–½, Bogolyubov - Tartakower, Nottingham 1936.

2 ..... f5
3 exf5 Bxf5
4 Qf3

Many of the 4 Nc3 Nf6 (BT – by transposition) variations below came from the move order 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 exf5 Bxf5. For this reason these lines should be studied closely as well.

4 Nc3 Nf6 (BT) 5 Bd3 Qd7 6 Nge2 Nc6 7 0–0 Bxd3 8 Qxd3 Nb4 9 Qc4 Nxc2 10 Nb5 c6 11 Qxc2 cxb5 12 Nf4 e5 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 Re1 Be7 15 Rxe5 0–0 16 Qb3+ Rf7 17 Qxb5 Qd1+ 18 Qf1 Qxf1+ 19 Kxf1 Bd6 20 Re6 Bc7 21 h3 Rd8 22 Re1 Bb6 23 Be3 Bxe3 24 Rxe3 g5 25 Rd3 Rc8 26 Nd5 ½–½, Patterson,T 2225 - Hayward,K 2300 TCCL Minneapolis MN, 1994.

4 Nc3 Nf6 (BT) 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 d5 Nb4 7 Nd4 Bg4 8 f3 Bd7 9 Bc4 c6 10 dxc6 Nxc6 11 Ne6 Qc8 12 Nxf8 Rxf8 13 0–0 Ne5 14 Bb3 Qc5+ 15 Kh1 Rc8 16 Re1 b5 17 Bg5 Nc4 18 Bxf6 Rxf6 19 Ne4 Qe5 20 Nxf6+ Qxf6 21 Bxc4 Rxc4 22 Qd5 Bc6 23 Qd3 Qxb2 24 Qxd6 Qf6 25 Qxf6 gxf6 26 Re2 Kf7 27 Kg1 Bd5 28 Rd2 e6 29 Rb1 a6 30 Ra1 Rc3 31 a4 bxa4 32 Rxa4 Rc6 33 Kf2 f5 34 Ke3 Kf6 35 Kd3 e5 36 c4 Be6 37 Kc3 h5 38 Rd8 Kg5 39 Ra8 Bc8 40 Ra5 Kf4 41 g3+ Kxf3 42 Rxe5 h4 43 gxh4 Kg4 44 h5 Kxh5 45 Kd4 Be6 46 c5 Kg4 47 Rd8 1–0, Ellis,M - Hayward,K 94R1 APCT, 1994.

I experimented a lot against 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 exf5 Bxf5 hunting for something I liked. Now the following game strikes me as the best approach for Black. With a kingside fianchetto play can look similar a Leningrad Dutch.

4 Nc3 Nf6 (BT) 5 Qf3 Qc8 6 Bd3 Bxd3 7 Qxd3 Na6 8 f3 Qd7 9 a3 g6 10 Nh3 Bg7 11 Be3 e6 12 0-0 c6 13 Rad1 Nc7 14 Ne2 Ncd5 15 Bc1 0-0-0 16 c4 Nc7 17 Be3 Rde8 18 b4 d5 19 c5 e5 20 dxe5 Rxe5 21 Bf4 Ree8 22 Nd4 Ne6 23 Nxe6 Qxe6 24 Bg3 Qe3+ 25 Bf2 Qxd3 26 Rxd3 Nd7 27 f4 Re2 28 Rfd1 Bf6 29 Kf1 Rhe8 30 Ng1 R2e4 31 g3 a5 32 Rb1 axb4 ½–½, Versteeg,H - Lens,J NLD th corr, 1978.

Many of the following Balogh games and their notes were taken from a 1934 "Wiener Schachzeitung" article written by Balogh.

4 c4 e5! 5 dxe5 Nc6! 6 exd6 Bxd6 7 Nf3 Qe7+ 8 Be2 (8 Qe2 0-0-0 9 Qxe7 Bxe7 10 Be2 Bb4+ -+) 8 ... 0-0-0 9 Nbd2 g5! 10 h3 Nf6 11 Qb3 Rhe8 12 Qe3 Qg7! 0-1, Bardos - Balogh,J corr, 1934/5?, 13 Qxg5 Qxg5 14 Nxg5 Nd4!; 13 Qb3 h5 Balogh.

Black should not play …Bxd3 until provoked (Qf3). The move wastes time and gives White an easy plus.

4 Bd3 Bxd3?! 5 Qxd3 Nf6 (5...Nc6 6 Nf3 e6 7 0-0 Qd7 8 c4 +- Taimanov) 6 Qb5+ Qd7 (6...Nc6 6 Qxb7 Nxd4 7 Na3 +-, Walbrodt - Makavetz, 1892) 7 Qxb7 Qc6 8 Qxc6+ Nxc6 9 Ne2 g6 10 a3 Bg7 11 0-0 Rb8 12 Ra2! Na5 13 b3 Nd7 14 Bd2 (14 Be3 Staunton) 14...Nc6 15 d5 Nce5 16 f4 Ng4 17 b4 Nb6 18 Nbc3 Nf6 19 Be3 Nfxd5 20 Nxd5 Nxd5 21 Bxa7 Ra8 22 c4 Nxf4 23 Nxf4 Rxa7 24 Ne6 Bf6 25 Rd1 Kf7 26 Nd4 Rha8 27 Nb5 Rb7 28 Rf2 c6, De Riviere - Laroche, Paris 1856, 29 Nxd6+! exd6 30 Rxd6 +-.

This is a more logical way for Black to play against 4 Bd3.

4 Bd3 Qd7 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Nf3 Nf6 7 Be3 e6 8 Bxf5 exf5 9 d5 Nd8 10 0–0 Be7 11 Bg5 0–0 12 Re1 Nf7 13 Bxf6 Bxf6 14 Qd3 Rae8 15 Rxe8 Rxe8 16 Re1 Rxe1+ 17 Nxe1 a6 18 Nf3 Ne5 19 Nxe5 dxe5 20 f3 g6 21 Qc4 Qd6 22 a4 Kf8 23 Kf1 e4 24 h3 exf3 25 gxf3 Qh2 26 Qc5+ Kg7 27 Qf2 Qxf2+ 28 Kxf2 Bxc3 29 bxc3 a5 30 c4 b6 31 Ke3 g5 32 Kd4 h5 33 c5 bxc5+ 34 Kxc5 g4 35 fxg4 fxg4 36 hxg4 hxg4 37 Kd4 Kf6 38 c4 g3 39 Ke3 Ke5 0–1, Mujica del Valle,A - Hayward,K 4PATT6 ICCF, 1984.

4 Bd3 Qd7 5 d5 Nf6 6 c4 e5 7 Nc3 Be7 8 Nge2 0–0 9 Ng3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 Na6 11 0–0 Nc5 12 Qc2 a5 13 f3 Rf7 14 Be3 Na6 15 a3 c6 16 b4 cxd5 17 cxd5 axb4 18 axb4 Rc8 19 Qb3 Rxc3 20 Qxc3 Nxd5 21 Qd2 Naxb4 22 f4 exf4 ½–½, Zilbershtain,M - Hayward,K Israel m APCT, 1996.

Notice that Black is a full tempo up on the above DeRiviere – Laroche game.

4 Bd3 Qd7 5 Qf3 Bxd3 6 Qxd3 e5 7 Ne2? (7 dxe5!) 7...Nf6 8 0-0 Nc6 9 dxe5 Nxe5 10 Qb3 0-0-0 11 f4 Nc6 12 c3 d5 13 Nd4 Bc5 14 Qd1 Rhe8 15 b4 Bb6 16 Kh1 Re4 17 Nxc6 Qxc6 18 a4 Rde8 19 b5 Qe6 20 a5 Bc5 21 f5 Qe5 22 g3 Re2 23 Qd3 Ng4 0-1, Krenosz - Balogh,J Budapest, 1939.

4 Bd3 Qd7 5 Bxf5 Qxf5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 e5 8 c3 e4 9 Nd2 Nf6 10 0-0 d5 11 Re1 Bd6 12 Nf1 0-0 -+, Geier,V - Balogh,J corr 1927.

4 Bd3 Qd7 5 Bxf5 Qxf5 6 Nf3 Nf6 7 Nc3 Nc6 8 0–0 e5 9 Nh4 Qg4 10 dxe5 Nxe5 11 Qxg4 Nexg4 12 Re1+ Kf7 13 h3 Ne5 14 Bg5 Nfd7 15 b3 h6 16 Bd2 Nf6 17 Rad1 ½–½, Albano,T - Hayward,K 96K1 APCT, 1996.

4 Bd3 Qd7 5 Qh5+ g6 6 Bxf5 Qxf5 7 Qxf5 gxf5 (=, Pokes,L - Balogh,J Haag 1928) 8 Nf3 Nc6 9 c3 e5 10 dxe5 dxe5 11 Bg5 Be7 12 Nbd2 0–0–0 13 Bxe7 Ngxe7 14 0–0–0 e4 15 Nh4 Ne5 16 Rhf1 Rd3 17 Nb3 Rhd8 18 Rxd3 Nxd3+ 19 Kc2 c5 20 Nc1 c4 21 Nxd3 cxd3+ 22 Kd2 Kc7 23 f3 Kc6 24 Nxf5 Nxf5 25 fxe4 Nd6 0–1, Coriell,J - Hayward,K 98R1 APCT, 1998.

The above games show Black has nothing to fear from 4 Bd3.

In the following game Black wins the battle of tactics.

4 Nf3 Nf6 5 c4 Nc6 6 d5 Ne5 7 Nxe5 dxe5 8 Qb3 e6 9 Qb5+ Nd7 10 dxe6 Bxe6 11 Qxb7 Bc5 12 Qc6 Bf7 13 Bd3 Bxf2+ 14 Kxf2 0–0 15 Ke1 e4 16 Bxe4 Qe7 17 Be3 Ne5 18 Bc5 Nd3+ 19 Kd1 Nxc5 20 Nd2 Rad8 21 Re1 Nxe4 22 Qxe4 Qb4 0–1, Howell,W - Hayward,K 94RS3 APCT, 1994.

4 Nf3 Nf6 5 c4 Qd7 6 Be2 e6 7 0-0 Be7 8 Nc3 0-0 9 Re1 Nc6, Keemink - Balogh,J corr, 1941.

4 ..... Qc8

4...Bxc2 5 Qxb7 Nd7 6 Na3 +- Euwe. And it is hard to dispute this assessment. Black wastes too much time and ruins his own pawn structure for no noticeable gain. Fortunately 4…Qc8 is a clear improvement.

5 Bd3

White directly challenges Black’s queen bishop. This move makes the most sense. If White can provoke a trade of the white square bishops then e6 and f7 might prove to be fatal weaknesses for Black.

5 Bb5+ c6 6 Bd3 Bg4 7 Qg3 Nf6 8 h3 Bf5 9 Ne2 Na6 10 c3 Nc7 11 0–0 g6 12 c4 Bg7 13 Bxf5 Qxf5 14 Qb3 Rb8 15 Be3 0–0 16 Nbc3 Kh8 17 Ng3 Qd7 18 Rac1 b5 19 cxb5 cxb5 20 Nge4 Nh5 21 Ne2 e6 22 Qb4 Rb6 23 Qd2 Nd5 24 Bh6 b4 25 Bxg7+ Kxg7 26 f4 h6 27 g4 Nhf6 28 N4g3 Rc8 29 Rxc8 ½–½, Pedersen,N - Hayward,K 96K1 APCT, 1996.

5 ..... Bg4

Euwe's suggested improvement for Black in his game against Weenink. Most opening books will fail to mention this improvement only citing the original game 5...Bxd3 6 Qxd3 indicating White is clearly better. Here are the moves to that game again.

5...Bxd3 6 Qxd3 Nc6 7 Nf3 e6 8 0-0 Qd7 9 c4 0-0-0 10 Re1 Nf6 11 Bd2 Re8 12 Na3 Be7 13 b4 (13 d5? Ne5 14 Nxe5 dxe5 15 Rxe5 exd5 16 cxd5 Bxa3 A. Gillam) 13...Rhf8 14 b5 Nd8 15 Nc2 Nh5 16 a4 g5 17 a5 g4 18 Ng5 d5 19 b6! cxb6 20 axb6 a6 21 c5! Bxg5! 22 Bxg5 Nc6 23 Reb1! Qg7? (23...e5!? 24 dxe5 unclear A. Gillam) 24 Be3 Kd7 25 Nb4 Nxb4 26 Rxb4 Rc8 27 Rxa6 bxa6 28 b7 Rb8 29 Qxa6 Qe7 30 Bg5 Qxg5 31 Qd6+ Ke8 32 Qxb8+ Kf7 33 Qxf8+ Kxf8 34 b8Q+ 1-0, Euwe - Weenink, Amsterdam, 1923.

White won, but hardly an impressive display by White. Nonetheless, 5…Bg4 is a stronger move.

6 Qg3

US Correspondence Chess Champion, Jon Edwards, was kind enough to share with me some of his analysis on this line.

6 Qd5 Nf6 7 Qb3!= Edwards.

I think this next game is an excellent example of the type of tactics Black must be prepared to play.

6 Qf4 g6 7 Be3 Nf6 8 h3 Bf5 9 Bxf5 Qxf5 10 Qxf5 gxf5 11 Nf3 Nc6 12 Nc3 e6 13 Ng5 Kd7 14 0–0–0 d5 15 Rhg1 Rg8 16 a3 Bd6 17 g3 a6 18 Ne2 Na5 19 f3 Nc4 20 Bf4 Bxf4+ 21 gxf4 Raf8 22 h4 h6 23 Nh3 Ne3 24 Rde1 Ng2 25 Ref1 Nxh4 26 Rh1 Ng6 27 Rfg1 Nh8 28 Kd2 Nf7 29 Ke3 Rxg1 30 Nhxg1 Rg8 31 Kf2 b6 32 Nc1 c5 33 c3 c4 34 Rh2 b5 35 Rg2 Rxg2+ 36 Kxg2 a5 37 Nh3 Nd8 38 Ne2 Nc6 39 Ng3 b4 40 axb4 axb4 41 Ne2 bxc3 42 bxc3 Na5 43 Kf2 Kc6 44 Ke1 Kb5 45 Kd1 Ka4 46 Kc2 Ka3 47 Nhg1 Nb3 48 Kb1 Nd7 49 Ng3 Nf6 50 N3e2 Nh5 51 Kc2 Ka2 52 Nh3 Na1+ 53 Kd2 Kb2 54 Nf2 Nb3+ 55 Kd1 Nf6 56 Nh1 h5 57 Nf2 h4 58 Ke1 Nc1 59 Nd1+ Kc2 60 Ne3+ Kd3 0–1, Howell,W - Hayward,K 82RF2 APCT, 1984.

Many of Jon's lines involve an early kingside fianchetto for Black, which I think, is the best approach in this line.

6 Qe4 g6 7 Nf3 Bf5 8 Qe2 Bxd3 9 Qxd3 tempo! Edwards.

The following game is my first test of Jon Edwards' analysis. I think Black had a very pleasant game and was on the better side of a draw. I think this is a key game in proving this line is playable for Black.

6 Qf4 g6

7 Nc3 Bh6 8 Qg3 Bg7 9 Nge2 Nf6 10 Bg5 Nc6 11 f3 Bf5 12 Bxf5 Qxf5 13 0–0–0 e6 14 Rhe1 0–0 15 Nf4 Rae8 16 Re2 e5 17 dxe5 Rxe5 18 Rxe5 Qxe5 19 Re1 Qf5 20 Qh4 Re8 21 Rxe8+ Nxe8 22 Ncd5 Qe5 23 c3 a6 24 a3 Qf5 25 Ne3 Qd7 26 Nfd5 Qe6 27 f4 b5 28 f5 gxf5 29 Qf4 Ne5 30 Kb1 h6 31 Bh4 Bf8 32 Qxf5 Qxf5+ 33 Nxf5 c6 34 Nde3 Kf7 35 Bg3 Ke6 36 Kc2 c5 37 Bf4 h5 38 Ng3 Nf6 39 Bg5 Neg4 40 Nxg4 hxg4 41 h4 gxh3 42 gxh3 d5 43 Kd3 Bd6 44 Ne2 Ne4 45 Be3 Kf5 46 b4 c4+ 47 Kd4 Be5+ 48 Kxd5 Nxc3+ 49 Nxc3 Bxc3 50 h4 ½–½, Jones,W - Hayward,K 99KQ2 APCT, 2000.

6 Qf4 g6 (idea ...Bh6) 7 Bd2 Bh6 8 Qg3 Nc6 9 Bc3 (9 c3) 9 Nf6 10 d5 Nd8 11 Nf3 Nh5 12 Qh4 Nf7 13 Bxh8 g5 14 Nxg5 Bxg5 Edwards.

6 Qf4 g6 7 h3 Bh6 8 Qxg4 Qxg4 9 hxg4 Bxc1 10 Bxg6+ Kd7! 11 Nd2 Bxb2 12 Rb1 Bxd4 hxg6 13 Be4 Nc6 Edwards.

6..... Nc6

6...g6 7 Nc3 Bg7 8 Be3 Nc6 9 Nge2 (9 d5 Ne5 10 Be2 Bxe2 11 Ngxe2 Nc4 12 Bc1 Qf5 13 Qd3 Qxd3 14 cxd3 Nb6 =); 7 h3 Bf5 8 Nc3 (8 Nf3 Bxd3; 8 Bxf5 Qxf5) 8 Bg7 9 Nge2 (9 Bxf5 Qxf5 =) 9 Nc6 10 Be3 Bxd3 11 cxd3 Qf5 = Edwards.

6...g6 7 f4 Bg7 8 Be3 Nc6 9 c3 Nf6 10 Nd2 Nd5 11 Bc2 (11 h3 Nxe3 12 Qxe3 Bf5 13 g4 Bxd3 14 Qxd3 e5 15 fxe5 dxe5 16 dxe5 Nxe5 17 Qe4 0-0 =) 11...Bh6 Edwards.

6...g6 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 c3 Nf6 9 h3 Bf5 10 Bxf5 Qxf5 11 0-0 0-0 12 Re1 Nc6 = Edwards.

6...g6 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 Nbd2 Nc6 9 c3 (9 d5 Ne5 10 Nxe5 Bxe5 =) 9...Nf6 10 h3 Bf5 11 Bxf5 Qxf5 = Edwards.

6...g6 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 Be3 Nc6 9 c3 Nf6 10 h3 (10 Nbd2 Nh5 11 Qh4 e5 12 dxe5 Nxe5 13 Nxe5 Bxe5 14 h3 Bf5 15 Bxf5 Qxf5 16 g4 Nf4 17 gxf5 Ng2+ 18 Kf1 Nxh4 19 fxg6 hxg6 =; 10 0-0 Nh5 11 Qh4 e5 12 dxe5 Bxf3 13 gxf3 =) 10...Bf5 11 Bxf5 Qxf5 = Edwards.

6...g6 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 Be3 Nc6 9 Nbd2 Nf6 10 a3 Bf5 11 Bxf5 Qxf5 12 Rc1 Nh5 13 Qh4 Bf6 14 Qe4 unclear Edwards.

7 h3

7 Bb5 Nf6 8 Nc3 a6 9 Bxc6+ bxc6 10 Qe3 Rb8 11 Nge2 Bf5 12 Qd2 g6 13 0-0 Bg7 14 Ng3 Nd5 15 Nxd5 cxd5 16 Re1 Rf8 17 Qe2 e5 18 dxe5 dxe5 19 c3 Be6 20 b3 Kf7 21 Bb2 Qb7 22 Qe3 Qb6 23 Ba3 Qxe3 24 fxe3 Rfd8 25 Rf1+ Kg8 26 Bc5 Bf8 27 Bxf8 Rxf8 28 Rxf8+ Kxf8 29 Kf2 Ke7 30 Ke2 Rf8 31 Rf1 Rxf1 32 Nxf1 Kd6 33 Nd2 a5 34 b4 axb4 35 cxb4 c5 36 bxc5+ Kxc5 37 Nf3 Bg4 38 Kd2 Bxf3 39 gxf3 g5 40 Kd3 Kb4 41 e4 d4 42 Kc2 Ka3 43 Kb1 Kb4 44 Kc2 ½–½, Gomotka,H - Braune,P BdF-Meisterkl-VorrJ33 corr, 1987.

7 ..... Bf5

7...Bh5 8 c3 Nf6 9 Nf3 Qe6+ 10 Be3 0-0-0 11 0-0 Ne4 12 Qf4 d5 13 Ng5 Qf6 14 Nxe4 dxe4 15 Qxf6 gxf6 16 Bxe4 e6 17 Nd2 Bd6 18 Nc4 Be7 19 Rfe1 Bf7 20 Nd2 f5 21 Bc2 Rhg8 22 Bf4 Rg7 23 Bb3 Rdg8 24 g3 Nd8 25 Kf1 h5 26 h4 Rg4 27 Nf3 Rxf4 28 gxf4 Bf6 29 Ng5 1-0, Ulrich,J - McCollough,R CNFC Concord Open, 1967.

7...Bh5 8 Nc3 Nc6 9 d5 Nd8 10 Nge2 e5 11 Qc4 Bf7 12 Bg5 c6 13 Bxf6 gxf6 14 Qa4 Qd7 15 dxc6 Nxc6 16 Nb5 Be7 17 Ng3 Be6 18 0-0-0 f5 19 Bc4 Bxc4 20 Qxc4 a6 21 Nc3 Rc8 22 Qe2 0-0 23 Nd5 Bg5+ 24 Kb1 Qf7 25 c3 Bh4 26 Nf1 Nd4 27 cxd4 Qxd5 28 dxe5 Qxe5 29 Ne3 Rc6 30 g3 Bf6 31 f4 Qe4+ 32 Qd3 Re8 33 Rhe1 Rb6 34 b3 Bc3 35 Qxe4 Rxe4 36 Re2 Bd4 37 Rde1 Bxe3 38 Rxe3 d5 39 Rxe4 ½–½, Kruis,R - Borst,J NLD th corr, 1978.

As I stated earlier, I think my game with William Jones is the best and critical way to play this line. However, I have chosen to leave my game against Jon Edwards as the main line. I think this game typifies some of the core problems Black can have in this line. The game shows the e-pawn can be weak, e6 square can be soft, and getting the bishop to e7 is not an easy task. I think I was rather creative in getting some play / tactics in this game, but Jon was simply too strong!

It is rather ironic I had Jon's analysis before this game started, and I chose not to follow his ideas of …g6. And now I think this is best way for Black to play against an early exf5.

8 c3 Nf6 9 Ne2 e5 10 0–0 Be7 11 Bb5 0–0 12 Bxc6 bxc6 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 Nd2 Qe6 15 Re1 Nh5 16 Qe3 Qg6 17 Nc4 Be4 18 Ng3 Nxg3 19 fxg3 Bd5 20 Nxe5 Qh5 21 Qe2 Qf5 22 c4 Be6 23 Bd2 Bc5+ 24 Kh2 Rae8 25 Bc3 Bd6 26 Rf1 Qg5 27 Rxf8+ Rxf8 28 Re1 c5 29 b3 h5 30 Bd2 Qf5 31 Nd3 Bd7 32 Bf4 h4 33 Bxd6 cxd6 34 gxh4 Re8 35 Qd2 Rxe1 36 Nxe1 Qe5+ 37 Kg1 Bc6 38 Qf2 a5 39 Nd3 Qe4 40 Nf4 a4 41 Kh2 a3 42 h5 Qe5 43 Qg3 Be4 44 Nd5 Qe6 45 Nc3 Bc6 46 Nb1 Bxg2 47 h6 g6 48 Qc3 1–0, Edwards,J - Hayward,K CM866 APCT, 1996.

Please provide me feedback on this article, and / or ideas for future opening article subjects. Remember, none of that main line theory! <smile>

Good Chess!! Keith Hayward

Part 1 - Introduction/Overview
Part 2 - Janos Balogh, the Man and His Games

Click here to return to The Road Not Taken index.