Back to Basics / Reader annotations
Reversed Openings
Transpositions, structures, comparisons, extra tempi and semi-tempi—mind-boggling! By GM LEV ALBURT
IN HIS LETTER (BELOW) THE WINNER of this month’s award, Gabriel Birzu, raised a couple of questions which should be of interest to those planning to write to “Back to Basics.” He wondered, for instance, if his comments were “too long or too many”; they were okay, but I occasionally get 2-3,000 word treatises which are very difficult to cut down to the size of my column. But don’t be too brief, as we all want to know what you thought, both during the game and afterwards. As far as the opening stage is concerned (another of Gabriel’s ques - tions)—try to get, and put into your letter, some relevant information from opening treatises such as Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, Modern Chess Openings, and electronic databases! (Do this for all your games, even those you don’t plan to send to me). Now, forward to Gabriel’s letter (my further comments are in italics.)
I submit the following game between me
and Uri Feld for your “Back to Basics” column. I was white in a Reversed Benoni opening. I think it was an interesting game, where
White got a pleasant position out of the opening and managed to increase his advantage by combining play on both flanks until Black collapsed. I think it could be instructive to show a slower game, such as this, to illustrate how one should play when having a positional advantage and how to exploit the weaknesses left behind by the defender’s moves in such unpleasant positions. I’ve tried to be as thorough as possible when
analyzing the game. I’m unsure about my opinions in the opening since this is the first time I’ve played this opening and I haven’t studied it much. I’d love to know what you think about all of this.
MODERN BENONI REVERSED (A13) Gabriel Birzu (1710) Uri Feld (1958)
BCF TNS, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 09.17.2015
18 April 2016 | Chess Life 1. c4 e6
Note that 1. ... e5 leads to the Reversed Sicilian. 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 d4
6. ... Bb4+ Now White has to either misplace the knight
or exchange dark-square bishops. I agree that 6. Nf3 and 7. 0-0 was a bit more
accurate, however, I don’t think that the b1-knight is misplaced. Both d2 and c2 stations are possible.
7. Nd2
This is an ambitious move, played (I guess) to
provoke (and confuse) a 200-point-lower-rated opponent. Compare the diagram position with that of the Benoni: 1. d4 c5 2. d5 g6—would anyone have even considered 3. e3? And yet, after 3. e3? Bg7 we have, with reversed colors, the diagram position. Except that in the real game (the diagram) the side with a fianchettoed bishop is on move. Thus, Mr. Birzu (White) is a tempo, plus almost another tempo, ahead.
4. e3 The continuation 4. Nf3 c5 5. 0-0 Nc6 6. e3
Nf6 7. exd4 cxd4 8. d3 would be a more standard way of getting a similar position to the game, but without allowing ... Bb4+. The Modern Benoni is a very sharp opening
where a loss of one (here, one plus) tempo often reverses the equilibrium (i.e., who’s better). Thus Black may try 4. ... Nc6 like in the line given below.
4. ... c5 GM Genna Sosonko suggested here 4. ... e5,
avoiding the Modern Benoni structure—even at the price of two tempi. White must play creatively, even audaciously, trying to use these extra tempos ASAP, while they still matter.
5. exd4 cxd4 6. d3?! A slight inaccuracy from White, as this allows
Black’s next move. White would rather play the knight to c2,
via a3, to keep the d2-square free for the bishop. See above note.
7. ... Ne7 Better is 7. ... Nf6 as f6 is a better square for
the king’s knight. After this, play might continue with ... Here Gabriel gives a long (five moves deep)
thoughtful, interesting—but in this concrete situation totally irrelevant—line, as 7. ... Nf6 loses a piece to 8. Qa4+, while 7. ... Ne7 doesn’t.
8. a3 Bxd2+?!
Giving up the dark-square bishop will prove very costly for Black. Probably better was 8. ... Bd6. Black still
needs to decide what to do with his e7-knight, but White has to make a few moves to complete his queenside development. A truly difficult choice, as Black is much
worse in both cases. Give this position to your computer for 24 hours and then look at its lines and evalua tions.
9. Bxd2 a5
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