[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Marshalling the Chigorin?

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Marshalling the Chigorin?
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1187773877.shtml


   As popular as the Marshall Gambit* is, the Chigorin Variation** of the
   Ruy Lopez is even more popular, at least historically. Despite sharing
   the first six and a half moves in common, the two lines continue in
   very different directions. The former is quite sharp and open, with
   Black frequently enjoying a space advantage and the initiative in
   exchange for a pawn. The latter, by contrast, often features turgid
   maneuvering, with White enjoying a slight space advantage in what is
   often a partially locked position. Or at least that's how things stood
   before the game Kuznetsov-Gajewski:
   1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3
   O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2
   [kuznetsov_gajewski_2007_1.jpg]
   This position has appeared 8736 times in Mega2007, and countless more
   times in correspondence and amateur play. I've had this position with
   White dozens of times myself, and I've always seen 10...c5, the move
   that arose in 8703 of the 8736 games mentioned above. But what I've
   never seen, and had never been played in the Mega database, was
   Gajewski's choice in our main game: 10...d5!!?
   [kuznetsov_gajewski_2007_2.jpg]
   This is a thematic break in the Ruy, even when we're not taking the
   Marshall into account, but here?! Black won the game and the computer
   approves, but we'll have to wait and see. If it's fully sound, it's
   truly significant, as White's play has long been seen as Black's most
   serious test. If Black can equalize this easily, then the Ruy as we
   know it is in trouble. (Actually, it's already in trouble thanks to
   the Marshall Gambit, but this would be a further nail in the coffin.)
   [1]Here's the full game.
   * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O
   8.c3 d5
   ** 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6
   8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5

References

   1. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/files/kuznetsov_gajewski_2007.htm