Download PGN of February ’24 KID games
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Makagonov System 5.h3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Na6 8.g4 [E71]
In our first game, Ju, W - Guseinov, G, we have a Makagonov System where Black quickly developed his queenside and got an equal game. In the middlegame the women's world champion went for a faulty plan and after 17...f5 Black took over the initiative.
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Somehow Black managed to improve very quickly and increase his edge as there were not many creative ideas for White. She offered an exchange for a pawn but still Black kept big advantage and easily won later.
Karpov Variation 5.Be2 Na6 6.Be3 0-0 7.h4 h5 8.Nf3 [E73]
Khanin, S - Henriquez, C was again in a slightly strange Averbakh with 5...Na6 and, as in some other games, White decided to punish this with the h2-h4 idea:
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It seems that many players who see a rare move think they should instantly start an attack! After Black went for 8...c5 White didn’t want to go into a Benoni so he allowed Black to get a pair of bishops and a very nice game. However, Black played passively and White found a nice idea, 14 g4, to open the kingside. White had a big edge with a strong attack and no counterplay for Black, but then he made a very strange and big mistake with 22 e5 and Black won easily after that.
Karpov Variation 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3 a6 [E73]
Martirosyan, H - Piorun, K was another strange Averbakh System with 6...a6 and 7.h4:
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Later the centre was closed and White went for g2-g4, Black exposed his king with the standard, but in this case wrong, idea 15...f5. White had a big edge and many options to create his attack on the g-file. However, he went for a wrong plan and soon Black took over the initiative, but later the game turned again and White managed to win in the endgame.
Classical, Gligoric System 7.Be3 exd4 [E92]
Lysyj, I - Saric, I featured the Classical Gligoric with 7...exd4. Black went for the plan with a quick 10...d5 but White choose the aggressive 13 g4 idea and gave one pawn to create an attack on the kingside:
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Soon Black played the obvious 17...Bh8 move which White could punish immediately but both players missed the refutation. Later, White still managed to get a big edge but Black found a nice defense and in the end managed to make a draw.
Petrosian System 6...c6 7.0-0 Na6 8.h3 e5 9.d5 [E93]
Matlakov, M - Guseinov, G was a Classical which reverted to a Petrosian System. Black went for a standard plan to bring his knight to c5 and was not shy to 'fianchetto' him on b7 later to protect the weak pawn:
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White went for the complications with 16.c5 but the result was that he just lost a pawn and Black was a bit better. Later Black gave the exchange but could not develop his initiative. White activated his rooks and finished the game with a strong attack to win.
Classical Variation 6...Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.Be3 Qe7 [E94]
Donchenko, A - Abel, D was in the solid 7...Nbd7 Classical System. White decided to trade pawns with 11.dxe5 and soon Black offered a standard pawn sac idea 13...Nf4:
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After a few moves White somehow gave the pawn back and the game was equal until White decided to trade an exchange for a couple of pawns. Even then the endgame was equal and the game ended in a draw.
Classical Variation 7...Bg4 8.Be3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 exd4 [E94]
So, W - Carlsen, M was a heavyweight clash, and the world number 1 opted for the trendy 7...Bg4 in the Classical. Maybe he follows our articles?! White responded with 8 Be3 which allows Black to quickly get a nice game.
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Magnus even went for the 12...Bxc3 idea, which in the past every KID player would strongly reject: “how can you trade your most important piece”. But today the engines are bringing new ideas. In the resulting endgame the pair of knights was doing well, winning a pawn against White's pair of bishops, but later White managed to win the pawn back and the game was an easy draw. However, in the end somehow Black won.
Classical 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 c6 10.Nc2 [E94]
Zemlyanskij, I - Kotronias, V it was another fashionable Classical line, 7...exd4. White went for 10.Nc2 and the game followed one of the main lines there.
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Black played a novelty, 16...Be6, but White managed to get an edge. He dominated and managed to win material. It should have been an easy win but White somehow allowed Black to take his Queen for 2 rooks. Later White was again winning in a few moves but could not find it. In the end it was Black who had an easy win but he also missed it and the game ended in a draw by perpetual check. Big drama in this game!
Till next month, Marian
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