My First Chess Opening Repertoire for White: A Turn-Key Package for Ambitious Beginners by Vincent Moret

Author:Vincent Moret [Moret, Vincent]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Educational, Games & Activities, Chess, Non-Fiction
ISBN: 9789056916343
Google: cdUlDAAAQBAJ
Amazon: 9056916335
Publisher: New In
Published: 2016-05-10T23:00:00+00:00

1.e4 c5 2.♘c3 d6

Anand is not an unbridled fan of the Grand Prix Attack like Nigel Short, but the Indian World Champion’s move order conceals a subtlety on which it is interesting to pause for a moment.

Boris Gelfand is a leading expert on the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian, which he plays almost exclusively when he opens with 1…c5. In the Najdorf main lines, Black rarely develops his knight to c6, but rather to d7. As we have already mentioned (and which will be seen in more detail in the next game), the black move 2…d6 is not the most precise against the Grand Prix Attack. Better is 2…♘c6, in order to leave the d-pawn in its starting blocks and to eventually play …d7-d5 in one move, thus saving a tempo compared to Game 33.

However, if Gelfand had replied 2…♘c6, Anand probably planned to continue with 3.♘f3 and to branch off into another Open Sicilian (after 4.d4). Then the Israeli would not have been able to play his favourite Najdorf any more since his knight was already on c6.

As a result, Gelfand preferred to face a Grand Prix Attack with the move …d7-d6, rather than an Open Sicilian other than the Najdorf. A risky choice.

3.f4 g6 4.♘f3 ♗g7 5.♗c4 ♘c6 6.d3 e6 7.0-0 ♘ge7 8.♕e1 h6

After his defeat against Short, Gelfand tries an alternative to 8…♘d4. The idea of the text move is to defer kingside castling in order to see White’s intentions.

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