The Hippopotamus Rises

The Re-emergence of a Chess Opening

Andrew Martin

li.,\I'~H)Rn
First published in 200S

Cl Andrew Martin

The riJht of Andrew Martin to be identified as Author of this work has

been asserted by him in accordance wIdI the Copyriaht. Desisns and
PaIents Aa. 1988.
ISBN 071348989 8

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the BrItish Ubrary.

All ri&hts reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced In Iny

form or by any means without permission from the publisher.

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A BATSFORD CHESS BOOK

 Definitions of Symbols

+ check
i slight advantage for White
=+= slight advantage for Black
clear advantage for White
+ clear advantage for Black
+- decisive advantage for White
-+ decisive advantage for Hlack
equal game
good move

"
I?
excellent move
move deserving attention
'?! dubious move
? weak move
'r! blunder
t with an attack/initiative
 Contents

Introduction 5

The Modem Approach - and Game Plan 9

~c4 Systems 21

Austrian Attack 37

Quiet System 60

Systems with an early ~e3 or .i.g5 82

A Hero of the Hippo 99

Friends of the Hippo III

Index of Players 133

Index of Variations 137

 Introduction

The Hippopotamus chess V.Ragozin White

opening was an original J.C.Thompson Black
invention of an eccentric English Simultaneous, London 1956
player J.C.Thompson. Looking
over his games one can see that 1 d4 g6 2 c4 f6 3 tOe3 lLlh6
this man was an iconoclast and 4 ~t3lj)f7
simply wanted to 'cock a snook'
at accepted chess practice. He
tried to justify his opening in an
original book, published in 1957.
hut frankly, his ideas have little
value today. With White or
Black he just wanted to mess
around, manoeuvring in his own
camp. luring thc opponent
forward and then to take
advantage of any mistake that
might arise. Providing he didn't Nobody can play this way
make the mistake first! For today. Well, they can, but they
historical reasons then, I will are going to be slaughtered, or
show you two of his games. This they may be taking the mickey
is mischief making on a grand against a much weaker
opponent.
scale!

5
 5 .i.r4 e6 6 e4 d6 7 .i.d3 c6 In The Hippopotamus Chess
80-0.i.e7 Opening (1957) Thompson gives
this move a question mark. But
The black bishops are what does he want to play?
deployed much more Black's position is beyond
dynamically in the modem redemption already: l4 ...:tc8
Hippopotamus. Black's play is a 15 exd6lLlxd6 161Vb3. Maybe I
joke in this game. He does shouldn't even be giving
nothing and gets wiped out. variations ...

9 Ael lLld7 10 "cl lLlfB

11 Itadl .i.d7 12 e5
15 du6 li:\1e6 16 exd6 p'"
17 du7 lIfxe7 18 lLld5+- :el
19 liJlc7 lbcl 20 .ixcl ~e7
At some stage White is going 21 lLld4 c;t>f6 12 ~xf5 .i.c6 23
to have to take action and I guess lLld6lhfg5 24 h4 ti:)b3+ 25 gxb3
Thompson was used to his weak :g8+ 26 ~n f3 27 lbe6+ 1-0
opponent making mistakes at
this stage. Naturally the
It would be quite unfair to
Grandmaster (even in a simul),
rubbish Thompson, because it is
builds up patiently, and then
very hard to come up witb
goes for it. Black's position is so
something totally new in chess.
passive that he can only sit and
At least he tried! So I'll give a
watch.
win of his now, and then fBSl
12 f5 13 dS cxd5 14 ndS g5 forward to the present day,
where a much more interesting
version of this opening has bcc::a
developed.

D.Janoscvic While
J.C.Thomp50D Black
Simultaneous, London 1956

I liJo f6 2 e4 lLlb6 3 i.c4lLln

6
 7 dS eS 8 dsc6 bxc6 9 ~b4 g6
10 f4 j,g7 11 IS g5 Il "'S 0-0
13lDg6!

Oh dear! One can only chuckle

at the sight of these moves.

4 0-0 e6 5 d4 d6 6 lDc3 c6
You can see he's just dismissed
Thompson as a patzer who is
going to fold at the first sign of
attack. But Thompson was
resilient if nothing else!

13dS

Trying to confuse the guy as

much as he can; good tactics in a
funnily enough, against early simul.
j,c4 systems, this sort of stuff
might work quite well! The 14 exd5?
bishop on c4 often tends to be
exposed. As we'll see later, I e4 14 lDxf8 just wins as far as I
g6 2 d4 j,g7 3 ~f3 d64 j,c4 can see: 14... dxc4 15 ~6 ""6+
a6!, followed by ... e7-e6 is quite 16 ~hlll)d7 17 h4.
OK for Black. But with ... f6
thrown in .. .'l The Grandmaster's 14 bsg6 IS fsg6 lDh6
eyes light up! 16 h4??

7
 16 "e2, admitting defeat and And so the early career of the
keeping the game going. was I Iippopotamus drew to a close.
rather better. After all. who would be inspired
by these games? Piddling around
16...i.g4 17
d1C6+ 'itfb8 on the third rank clln hardly fonn
18 hxgS 'ilfd4+ 19 :12 ~xhS the basis of a winning game
20 gxb6 .xc4 plan. Yet the idea of creating an
elastic, flexible positiun, hard to
Oueh!
break down and ready to react
favourably at the slightest
0-1
opportunity has merit. With a bit
of tinkering. couldn't Hlack's
play be improved?

8
 The Modern Approach
- and Game Plan
Maybe the Hippopotamus got
a name from Thompson, but the
idea of pluying elastically with
Black has been around for a long
time. What is the Hippopotamus
anyway? The idea is that Black
develops within his own first
three ranks at the beginning of
the game. He will construct a
solid, stable yet flexible position.
wait to see what White is doing
and react accordingly. I le must
not wait too long. I think this is
the major lesson for modem
players. As with all the reactive
detences such as the Pirc/
Modem or the King's Indian,
poor timing by Black leaves him
horribly passive. I'll say at the
outset that I believe Black can
play the Hippopotamus success-
fully in this day and age and I'm
going to show you how. We'll
take a tour through some very
9
unusual move-orders and look at
some very odd games, but that
does not mean that the opening
is bad. I think the Hippo has
been misassessed. I'm going to
stick with exclusively modem
games in this book. You can find
all the old stuff elsewhere and
frankly, it's not my intention to
give a history lesson. Besides.
those old games were so poor. If
you arc going to play this system
as Black. you need a game plan.
What should it be'!
I) Black must have a good
sense of timing. He must be
ready at any moment to strike
back against the white centre or
misplaced white pieces.
2} Black must feel happy.
initially, with a cramped
position.
The Modern Approach - and Game Plan

3) Black should be a fighter, many different ways. For most

willing to play long games. players, that is tbe main
Often White doesn't come out to attraction of the Modem. Here
play and patience is required. we see veteran Grandmaster
Hort employing a 'rope a dope'
4) Black should have a good strategy facing a series of routine
sense of humour. The occasional developing moves from his
horrible defeat is inevitable opponent. White is invited to
playing this stuff. Mind you, assume the initiative and run
that's true of every opening. aground against the sturdy Black
position. Typical Hippo strategy!
5) Black must understand the
notion of potential. This is the 2 d4 d6 3 .i.e3 .i.g7 4 ~c3
key idea underpinning all
reactive defences. Black may be
cramped, but his position holds
promise. He needs to know how
to keep the game on the boil.

6) There's the added benefit of

originality. The books haven't
been here...yet! Before getting
into specific move-orders, let's
look at a few games to whet the
A very, very popular system
appetite and see if we can make
against the Modem these days.
more sense oCthe formidable list
White can play with 12-0 or
above.
~gl-f3.
W.Spoelman White
V.HortBlad 465.4 b6!?
Essent Open, Hoogeveen 2002
The first sign that Black is
1 e4 g6 intending a 'Hippo' formation.

After 1... g6 Black's defensive 6 .d2 .i.b7 7 .i.c4 ~d7 8 ~D

set-up can be interpreted In e6

10
 The Modern Approach - and Game Plan

He leaves the knight on g8 at advantage. Spoelman isn't really

home to delay .i.h6. up to it.

90-0 10 llfel ftJe7 11 lladl ~f8!

ll.idJ ~g8
White may consider either 9 h4
~gf61O d5 e5 or9 d5 e5 10 g4!?
I suppose if White does
both of whieh are messy.
nothing Black will eventually
come to ... e6-e5 and ... f7-fS after
9 b6!
due preparation. Spoelman eyes
the king heading for h7 and tries
to get his knight over to aid a
kingside attack.

13 It)e2lt)f6 14lDgJ "eR!

An extremely annoying move

to face mainly because White
feels he has to be going
somewhere with his position -
but when he starts to cast his eye
around for a plan he struggles
to find anything concrete.
Whichever central pawn he 15 'Ifb4
pushes liberates a black bishop.
He would love to be able to Not sure White wanted to play
move his knight to e I and this one but Black was
plough through with f4-5 but threatening ... It)g4 anyway.
that takes ages. Now White must Alternatives arc not inspiring:
demonstrate patience and even 15 b3 It)g4 16 h3 It)xe3 17 llxe3
cunning if he wants to get any c5! 18 c3 ~h7~; 15 "c3 c5!.

11
The Modern Approach - and Game Pia"

IS.aS 16 .a3 l:td8 17 c4 32 i.b2 :te8 33 l:tcl 'iVe6

34 1.a3 :te7 35 ~S i.lldS
Looks fine, but White weakens 36 exdS "K4 37 d6 cx.d6
the square b4. Hort is on to this 38 l:txd6 e4 39 tbh2 .xb4
small detail in a flash. 40 1:bb6 i.d4

A remarkable little game

17lDd7 18 h407\.:6 19 i..bl
which should really have been
llJb4 20 b3 eS
concluded IS moves ago.
White's initial advantage in
space and time seemed to
evaporate and he was left only
with weaknesses. Spoelman was
doubtless baffled - where on
earth did he go wrong.. .'!

0-1

Finally some sign of real I have dabbled with the Hippo

myself although not on any
activity from Black, although
regular basis. In a reeent 4NCL
with the bishop on b I buried it
game I found myself having the
seems to me as if White has black pieces against the
already been totally outplayed. extremely well-prepared and
thorough John Shaw, fresh from
a GM norm at the Olympiad-
21 dxeS dxeS 22 .cl .e7 not a pleasant prospect.
23 l:td2 c,t>h7 24 lledl llJa6
25 llJe2 lLldcS
J.Sha. While
Attacking both b3 and c4. A.Martill Bid
4NCL, England 2004

.e6
26 lLlc3 lLlllb3 27 Axd8 lLlxcl
28 :&d7 29 i..llcl i..c6
30 %l7d3 llJb4-+ 31 :Jell .xc4 I e4 b6!?

12
 The Modern Approach - and Game Plan

This seemed like the best way

in at the time. Black fully intends
to fianchcllo both bishops. but
by playing 1... b6 he hopes to talk
White out of the more aggressive
move-ordcrs. panicularly 1 c4
g6 2 d4 Jig7 3 ~3 d6 4 f4!.

2 d4 .i.b7 3 li)cJ e6 4 li)t3 d6

S .i.d3 ~7 6 0-0 g6 7 a4!
...and Black is OK. He will play
... c7-cS after due preparation and
the bishop on d3 finds itself on
the wrong square.

8aS

Quite right! John Shaw is a

methodical. logical, classical
player and he usually goes for
a nagging edge with White
rather than the quick attack.
I underestimated 7 a4 and
immediately made a bad move. 8... buS

7JLg7? Horrible. The more 1 looked at

8...1t1e7 9 a6 JLc8 the less I liked
Of course 7...86 is forced - 1 it: 10 .i.gS (10 .i.f4 0-0 11 .d2
know that now! - with the eS 12 .i.h6! exd4 13 .i.xg7 ~xg7
intention of answering 8 as with 14 ltlxd4 ltleS I 5 f4 ltlxd3
8...bS 16 .xd3) 10...h6 JI .i.e3 0-0

13
The Modem Approac:h - and Game Plan

12 ild2 ~h7 13 Ilfel. The The alternatives leave Black

problem is that Black has no
good pawn breaks in the centre.
let alone the usual Modem idea
of attacking and dismantling the
centre as and when necessary. I
looked but I did not see.
9 .te3lDgf6 10 liXI2!
with nothing to do. At least in the
game White has choices to
make. it's still murky and he
could go wrong. 11.. .l:lb8
12 lhaS; 11...'ii'bS 121lxaS.
lllDxaS flc7

13 f4!
I'm not sure how big White's
advantage is here. It's in between These positions arc so difficult
substantial and life-threatening I to play becau...e one is making
think, and so I had to find some original judgements on vinually
way to play on at the same time every move. "'or instance should
keeping somc chances. I soon White take on b7 or not and then
reconciled myself to the ultimatc just play against the a-pawn', For
loss of the a7 pawn: after that it Sbaw maybe thal was thc be5t
was easier. approach although 13 f4 cannot
be wrong; indeed it looks as
10._0-0 UlDbJ c6 though Black may be mated. c.g.
.c I-h4 etc. Where is his
Is this really a Hippo? Well. counterplay coming from? So
Black has plenty of pawns on the 13 :a2 nfbS 14 . 0 .tc8
third rank; it comes pretty close. IS :fal seems best.

14
 The Modem Approach - and Game Plan

This came as a swprise to John

Sbaw. Chugging along without
The first glimmer of light complications was no longer an
appelU1i at the end of the tunnel. option.

IS ~b3 cS 16 dlcS dieS 20 esdS exdS 21 ~xdS

17:81
21 ~S ~xeS 22 fxeS d4
White is still playing very well 23 J.d2 dxc3 24 J.xc3 J.dS! is,
and very logically too. He seems I would say, unclear. Black is
to have a total grip. I knew that
fighting. 21 lira I dxc4 22 J.xc4
playing passively would be
1Ob6!.
useless and cast my eye over the
position for an unusual idea. 2l-bdS 22 b3 Ilea

17.Jtb4 18 ~2 . . .

The first stage is to get the big

pieces out of exposed positions.

19~c4

Now I was very happy. The

game seemed to have utterly
changed. Suddenly White had
to make a massive mental
readjustment from attack to
19 ~5! defence. Furthermore, in this
inspired frame of mind.
For better or worse. At least I had spotted an excellent
Black is going down in flames. combination.

15
The Modern Approa(:h - and Game Plan

23 .d2 .i.xc4 24 .txc4 Shaw was visibly upset and

who wouldn't be? The point is
that he ean't play 28 l:tg 1 due to
28 ....i.e5. The queen and :a2 are
very remote indeed.

28 : 1 .ilal 291b.l .xc4

3O.x.7.xcl

Some care is required in the

endgame but it must be an easy
win.

24... :xc4!! 31 :n 1i'c4 32 8+ g;v.7

Based on White's awkward
pieces. I think the idea works.
25 bxc4 lbe3 transposes.
2S.:xe3! 26 blc4 ~d4
27~bl
33 "al+ .d4 34 7 .(6
3S ~Il .e7 36 1+ f6 37 h3
l:te2 38 Wbl WeS 39"'.7+ ~b6
40 "17 :el 41 l:xe1 W'xe1+
42 ~h2 We5+ 43 g3 1i'e2+
44 ~v.1 edl + 45 Wf2 .d4+
46 ~f3 c4

47 v.4

For one horrible moment I

27....xf4! thought I had been mated, e.g.

16
 The Modern Approach - and Game Plan

47 .m+ c;t>gS!' I'd seen this V.Jansa White

move some time ago of course S.Joksic Black
but panic sets in when you are European Senior Championship,
winning cleanly and the Arvier 2004
opponent gel.. even the slightest
chance. (47 ...!iti>h5?? is the I e4 g6 2 d4 J.g7 3 M d6
blunder of the year: 48 g4+ ~g5 4 .i.e3 ~7 5 ltifJ a6 6 .d2
49 h4+ ~xh4 50 ~6 mate) h6!?

47d3+ 48 ~12 ~g5

49 .18 .e2+ 50 ~ .e3+
51 cotgl cl 52 .c8 'lii'h4 53 .c7
.xh3+ 54 <il?tl ~sg4 0-1

1 was very happy to win this

game and in some style. It
inspired me to think. a little bit
morc about some of these odd
positions and this book is the Perhaps he intends ...e6, ...flle7
result. I love the idea of an and then ... ~-g8-h7 'a la'
opening which you can adjust Hort. It is a most unsuccessful
to your own specifications. experiment. White's approach
Literally you can play the pawns shows great experience. When
confronted with slow, confusing
up to the third rank in any order!
moves such as 6 ...h7-h6, he does
New directions in chess!
not overreact. Instead, Jansa
builds his position and tries to
I mentioned earlier that if
prevent his opponent from
Black gets it wrong he can be
finding an active plan.
trounced. Lest you get the wrong
impression after the two 7h3
previous games, let Grandmaster
Jaosa show you how he deals Not at all in the same category
with the Hippopotamus. as 6 ... h6. Later on While knows

17
The Modern Approach - and Game Plan

that to deny Black g4 will be

very useful indeed.

7e6 8 .i.dJ 1:iJ.e7 9 0-0 gS?!

Centralisation preceded the

idea of f2-f4! which ... g6-g5
only encouraged. I really don't
like Black's position at all.

11 eS 12 dxeS
Having come this far Black
feels he should be doing Now the ltd I is very useful.
something and ...ltie7-g6 is the
12 dxeS
only idea he can see. Maybe just
... b7-b6 was indicated, or even
12 ...~xeS 13 .i.e2 leaves the
9 ... ~f8!? with the usual murky
d6 pawn banging.
position which is difficult to
come to grips with. 13 i.c:4 .c:7 14 84 lOg6
IS ~e2:1:
to Iladl!
I like this move very much!
Prophylactic development
against a future central pawn
break. The rook is very useful in
the centre, whether Black tries to
go active or not.

10e6 11 ~b2!

18
 The Modern Approach - and Game Plan

It could almost be a normal You can sense he wants to end

Modern position, but not quite,
thanks to that horrible pawn on
gS, weakening the light squares.
White is much better.
15..0-0?
He just has to try and hang on.
with something like, say, lS ...bS
16 J..b3 lOf6 17 lOg3 Ad7
IS 'ifd6 .xd6 19 l:bd6. Thc
quccns have been exchanged and
there is the chance of salvation,
although White remains with a
substantial edge.
it all, one way or another.
Elderly players calUlot stand the
tension for too long. 19... lOf4
would certainly have been tried
by a younger, more combative
opponent, but it is doubtful
whether Black's problems arc
solved: 20 J..b6! .e7 (20...ebS
21 ee3 .i.g7 22 "'3 .i.e6
23 J..xe6 lOxe6 24 Ad7)
21 'ifc3 Ae6 22 :d2 g4 23 bxg4
J..xg4 24 .i.cS! 'ifc7 2S .i.d6
.cS 26 eb3.
20 .i.b6 'We7 21 "xb6

16 lOgJ :tea 17 lOg4Z lOf6

18lL\d6+ .i.xf6 19 as!

Collapse. But 21 ...lOf4 22lOhs

li)xhS 23 .xhS gxh3 24 J..cS!
Fairly merciless. Black is finishes the job rather nicely.
being squeezed on both sides.
12 'ifl:g6 ~ 23 'ifh7 ph3
19g4'! 24li)h51-O

19
The Modern Approach - and Game Plan
J think this is a superb
perfonnancc by White. It's not at
all easy to find the way to crack
Black's three rank position, but
here Jansa encouraged Joksic to
self-destruct by simple central-
isation and the activc plan of
f2-f4. Just the thought of f2-f4
seemed to be enough.
20
Outro
This feels like the type of ch~s
that defies the modem theor-
etical database. White will have
real trouble pinning Black down
to this or that particular
variation. Pcrhaps that's both the
strength and the weakness of this
very unusual opening.
 i..c4 Systems

Intro b) I e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3liJc3 d6

4 .i.e4 a6!.
Systems where White plays an
early ~c4 are among the easier
ideas for Black to combat. I
L.Baruay While
B.lvkov Black
think there arc two reasons for
Interzonal, Sous se 1967
this:

Black can close down the I e4 g6 2 d4 .tg7 3 't)f3 d6

4.i.c4
a2-g8 diagonal with ... e7-e6

The bishop on c4 often

becomes a target for attack.
White often has to move the
bishop baek to b3 before he can
feel entirely comfortable. Thus
Black gains time. However there
ean he no underestimating the
danger; Black's development
plan is still very slow and he
must stay alert. I'll distinguish
between two distinct move- Natural enough, and a move
orders in this chapter: which will be frequently
employed at club level. Masters
a) 1 e4 g6 2 d4 JLg7 3 ttJf3 d6 might not like the exposed
4 i.c4 a6! position of White's bishop. With

21
J.c4 Systems

other. more testing ways to put

Black under pressure. attention
has switched away from ~c4
systems in n:cent years.

.....86

A) 7....tb7 8 .c2 b4 9 as!

~7 10 c3 bxc3 11 ~xc3 0-0
12:d1.

B) 7...bxa4 However ugly. this

may be the best chanc:e. 8 .lgS
(8 .i.xa4+ was played by
Clearly ...a7-a6 is constructive Tregubov in thc next game.)
and Black is certainly looking to 8...~7 9 .i.xa4+ ~7 10 %let
play ... b7-bS if he can. 116.

C) 7...b4 8 c3 ~f6 9 LI bxc3

50-0 e6
10~c3
S...bS 6 .tb3 e6 7 a4! aaempts
Thesc lines arc vcry
to highlight the reason it's bcner
instructive, because thcy
to delay ...b7-bS. White is ahead
demonstrate how difficult it is
in development. has a safe king
for Black to take the fight
and therefore opens the position. immediately to White in the
YeL ..you'lI see in the next game opening. That's why the Hippo
a 2600 GM lose this very isn't for everyone. Black ba.~ a
position with Whitc! I give some solid position, refrailUl from
analysis as an hors d 'oeII\ft'S to immediate contact and must wait
the main course: for his chance.

22
 i.c4 Systems

The Hippo position takes

shape. Now Black is looking at
moves such as ... b6-bS, ... c7-cS,
...d6-dS, ...e6-eS, but all in good
time. He might even be thinking
of running his king over to h7.
White has to demonstrate a plan
and, faced with this obligation,
Barczay overreaches.
6.i.gS
11 84 ~f6 12 eS
White has plenty of choice to
He feels that he has to do
be sure: 6 c3, 6 a4, 6 :le I, 61Oc3
something. 12 d5 blocks the
are just a selection of the options
position, after which a typical
on the table. I'm not sure that I
like 6 .tgS too much. White sets
up both bishops as a target for
0-0 14 h3 .tc8 15 .d2
line might run 12... e5 13 "d3
~h7

the black pawns.

6~7 7 "dl h6

Why not gain a move?

8 .te3 ~7 9 ~ b6 10 :lfel
.ib7

Black would now be looking to

play for the kingside pawn
advance, with say, ... ~hS or
...lOd7 as a prelude to ... f7-CS!.
I think White is worse here.
There are two quieter moves, but
they really don't give White any

23
~4Syslems

hope of advantage: 12 ~d3

~g4!; 12 .d3 1the4 13 1the4
<IS!.

I must admit that I would have

snapped ofT that bishop:
13 ...~xf4 14 .xf4 0-0 IS:ad1
Wd1.
17 cl?

A sign of dissatisfaction. White

should play 11 :ad I but even
there 11...c1 is surprisingly
difficult to meet. White has
pawns on c2 and d4 to worry
about.

17..idJ
Only Black can be better here
Of course! Now Ivkov goes up
with the potential monster on g1.
a couple of gears.
It will require patience to slowly
break White"s space advantage
18 pG eS! 19 .1&3
but the long-tenn chances are all
Black"s.
19 dxeS dxeS 20 JLxeS
(20 Agl .gS 21 l1ad I hS with
an attack) 20 ...JLxeS 21 AxeS
14 bxc3 ~xn!. .g5+ 22 Whl .f4!-+

14...0-0 IS esd6 cld6 16 ea3 19...bS 20 duS dieS 21 WIll

~f5 -as
24
 .tc4 Systems

Giving a strong Grandmaster

'the run of the game' is always a
very risky thing to do. Black's
precise problem in the Hippo
will always be the managing of
his counterplay. He cannot
pa...sively defend throughout and
from a certain point on he must
try 10 emphasize all the positive
A surprising point at which to things about his position. It's
resign. like running a long race, letting
the opponents go ahead at the
White can play on with beginning, and then overhauling
22 Wb4!. the idea being that them towards the cnd, when
after 22 ... h4 23 .txeS .i.xeS energy is spent.
24 :xe5 lOg3+ 25 fxg3 .xe5,
hc has 26 .xb6. Possibly the P.Tregubov White
patient 22 ...:fb8!, leaving White M.Lupu Black
looking at his horrible structure, Dc Corse Open. Bastia 2000
gave Dan:zay no confidence.
I d4 g6 2 lOO .i.g7 3 e4 d6
1 wa.. impressed with this game 4 .i.c4 a6 5 0-0 b5
when I first played it through
and remain so nearly 20 years
later. I like the philosophy of
reactive defensive systems. The
idea of giving the opponent
plenty of rope and then to strike
back at the right moment is very
appealing.

()"I

25
~4Syslems

This is a very frisky Hippo. . ..as-a4, a good plan trying to

Black changes gear a little too dissolve his weakness, and with
early for my liking, but he can 14...Jlfe8 be necessurily covers
perhaps get away with il the knight on e7 so that he can
move his queen if needed.
6 j,bJ e6 7 a4 Indeed. the fate of the knight on
e7 is a theme common to
Must be the acid tesl fianchetto situations and it's this
feature of the position that Black
7...bu4 j,g4+ ~7 9 .i.asaddresses next. As he can hardly
fOe7 11 .0 1-8 11 ~ ~
contemplate ... M, ... g6-gS and
11 .i.b3 j,b7
...~7-g6, there remains only
one way to improve this knight.

15 ~bl ~b'! 16 ~14 ~

If I were Black. I would be

conc:emcd about the pawn on a6
which is the only real weakness
on the board. In such positions
Black must play dynamically to I like it. Deep defence. It's
offset his positional problems. interesting that Black can still
play OD both sides of the board.
13 :rei ed7 141a3:rel
17 :adl?!
While must be a little better,
but we will sce that there is I really don't understand the
plenty of life left in the game. point of this move other than
With 13 ...d7 Black prepares Tregubov is just marking time

26

and waiting to see how the game
develops. lie won't win. but the 22 .i.xh6 :ul+ 23 l:tuI Ae8
opponent is going to lose! Lupu
has difTerent plans and in the
absence of constructive ideas
from White, creates a few of his b7, I know whose position I
own. 17 cS! would be my prefer.
forward-going suggestion, fixing
f6.
17 S!
Makes perfect sense now that
White has vacated the a-file.
18.(4 a4 19 i.a2 f5!
With good light-squared
counterplay.
20 ext5
20 ~h6 liWt6 21 .i.xh6 eS!
22 i.xg7+ (22 dxeS i.xeS
23 "d2 fxc4 ) 22 ....xg7 23
dxe5 Le5f
Jic4 Sy...tems
20 edS 21 lOb 6 lOxh6
Deep Fritz shows equal. If I
compare the bishops on a2 and
24 i.xg7+ ~xg7 2S J:te3 l:txe3
26 ihe3 ~f8 27 i.e6 "e7
28 dS ~g7 29 "d3 "h4
30 lObS "c4!
With queens off the board, the
bishop on e6 might well be
stranded out of play.
31 "c3+ 'ifxc3 32 lOxc3
Black has three small things
going for him in this ending:
I) His king is able to come to
the centre at speed.
27
Ac4 Systems

2) He has a better bishop. 38 a3 a3 39 p'4 asbl40 ~bl

~dS
3) His a-pawn is very
dangerous. if he can arrange to Ifs all gone wrong for White.
play ... ~4.
4. J.ldS ~ld5 41..tJe3 Ae4

I guess he was afraid of

32 ...Wffi 33 f4!.

33 WO Wf6 34 Wel We5

35 .t.gllI6 36 tJ

36 WO c6! 37 g3 (xg) 38 (xg)

c1tdS

36....h6+ 37 Wf2
This was an exemplary
performance by Black, who
gradually emerged from his
outwardly cramped position to
take over the whole game.
Tregubov seemed out of ideas.

0-.

It's vinuaUy impossible to put

any definite move orders
together when considering the
Lupu takes his chances Hippo. Black is offering White
extremely well. the chance to develop more or
less as he pleases! Consider the
The threat is ...a4-a3 ! following game. where White

28
 .i.c4 Systems

sets up the pieces in 'Fred

Reinfeld' fashion and Black...
well...

A.Breake White
J.Blcld Bla('k
Lippstadt 1994

1 e4 26 1 d4 d6 3 ~3 .i.g7 One cannot help but notice that

4 "*.c4 86 5 ~fJ e6 6 .i.f4 the correct development of the
bishops is a tough call for White.
Unless be places them on e3 and
d3 (which will eventually
obstruct the queen and rooks),
then they are vulnerable to
attack. It's a common idea for
Black to play ... eS with a white
bishop on d3, nailing that piece
to the pawn on e4. That's what
Hickl does now.

Fred would be proud. 10 .i.g5 f6 11 J.e3 ~b6 12 .4

c6
6- bS

Time for a quick prod.

7.i.d3

7 .t.b3 .i.b7 leaves While

contemplating ... bS-b4.

7_...tb7 8 0-0 ~7 9 lid e5

29
Ji.c4 Sy.'items

We are almost back in pawns. whatever the computer

J.C.Thompson territory now. programs might say.
Perhaps Hickl had Thompson in
his mind, perhaps not. 19.in %:le8

13 d5 1 must admit that I expected

Some sort of opening of the
gamc is callcd for, so onc would
expect 13 axbS. However 'ilc8 23 ~d2 c!i)f6 24 ~c4 f4
13 ... cxbS (13 ... axbS'!! 14 ':xa8
.xa8 IS dS!) 14 h3 0-0 IS .d2
liJfl 16 dxcS dxcS 17 Ilad 1 .ic6
leaves mattcrs most unclear.
13. b4 14 dxc6 i.xc6 15liJd5
i.xd5 16 exd5 0-0
19... gS.
20 cl h6 21 as Ilb8 22 6'&3
Eventually the black pawn
chain starts to rumble torward.
The queen went to cS not only to
protect a6. as you will scc.
25 .ta7 :b7 26 .tb6 :d7

16... aS. Ifs amazing that it takes White

so long to muster any real
17 "d2 liJn 18 .xb4 f5 threats, and that Black has timc
for these moves.

27 :adl . . . 28 .a4 l:tde7

29liJa3 .c8 30 "c4 ii'g4

I would not like to be White

here facing the onrushing Black

30
 lI..c4 Systems

With the qucenside dis- 35.:ihdS 36 'iWc4

integrating, it's time to go tor it
on the other flank. Some might 36 'iha6 e3 (36 ... fxg3 37 fxg3
dismiss Blaek's play as unsound lZ'Ie5 38 .1e2 l:tf8 39 nfJ)
or opportunistic but I see very 37 fxe3 fxg3 38 ~g2 'i'h5.
little difference between this
game and many in the 36..'iWhS 37lDc6:OO 38 tDd4
Sveshnikov Sicilian or King's l:eS 39 ttJc6 d5 40 "'e2 f3
Indian. where Black is obliged to
There is real menace in those
play in the same way. If you
have an open mind, you can play pawns.
this opening system as Black.
41'ii'xa6:g5
31 'iWe2 -"'4 32 tZlc2

32 'iWxa6 e4 looks dangerous,

50 White tries to keep things

light.

32 e4 33 g3 'ifg5 34 h4 "'15

42 iLe3

42 hxg5 tDg4 leads to mate.

42 . xh4 43 .txg5 "'xgS

44~d4

44 "'a7 'iWhs 45 lDe7+ ~h7

35liJd4 46 fud5 tDg4 is a line which
demonstrates that Black's attack
That was the point. is very powerful indeed.

31
~4Systems

... White has to find some good

...lDg4 looms.
45lDxtJ
45 .i.g2 fxg2 46 ~xg2 1Oe5
47 :hl 1Wg5 48 1Wc2 is a stab at
defence but 48 ...oo!
moves and even then he might
not survive: 48 :xe3 :xe3
49 .xe3 .xd I 50 a7 .a4
(50...a I 5 I 1ib6 ~O+ 52 ~g2
Q\cl+ 53 Wgl ~f3+=) 51 "'6
lDO+ 52 ~hl ~h7 53 "a6 "g4
54 1Wxf6 .hf6 55 a8=. "e4+-
48 .i.g2 ~b7 49 .7 lDtJ+
5O~n

50 .i.xf3 exO-+

50lDg4 51 1fb81Wh2

The finish is unsurprising to

somcone brought up on thc
King's Indian.
... ensures Black's advantage.

45._1Wxf3 46 -.w lOgs 47 .6

....5

After 47 ... eJ!

52 'ite2 "xg2 5..1 :n li'Igl+!

54 ~d2 e3+ SS ~d lDe2+
56 'it>b I 1!i'e4+ 57 ~.1
58~bl
.84+

32
 ~c:4 System."

L.Chrlsdansen White
A. Wohl Blac:k
Olympiad, Bled 2002

1 e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3 lL)c3 d6
4~c4 a6

Note the move-order.

5 lL)f3 e6 6 a4
58...lL)xd+!
Christiansen plays for
Nevertheless, Hickl plays with
restraint, a modification of
style!
White's set-up that we have not
encountered so far. 6 a4 is very
59 bxd e2! 60 :d exfl="
61 l:tUl lL)r662 f3 d4 63 cxd4 sensible. I can just see my
opponents playing such a move.
~5 64 :c1 ~b4 0-1

Playing for a win with Black is 6... b6

never easy and one will always
have to take a certain amount of Of course. To allow 7 as would
risk. be unwise.

It's USA v Australia at the 7 0-0 lL)d7 8 e5!?

2002 Olympiad and the IIippo
has been sighted yet again! This
time Alex Wohl jumps on to the
Hippo's hack but, as we know.
he will try any old rubbish. His
opponent. Larry Christiansen. is
one of the greatest attacking
players in the world. and so this
is either a very brave or a very
tool ish choice.

33
J..c4 Systems

So much for restraint. White W'c7 14 J..b3 Jog7 15 .i.f4 i.b7

was just warming up. 16 "'el

As a general rule Black does

not want an open fight right at
the start. Thus 8...dxeS 9 dS!

So far, so good for Black.

White is only minimally better,
if that. One could hardly call it a
Hippo, more a Hedgehog. Black
must now search for a plan. He
... would be most unwise: will be looking to station his
9...ltXtf6 (9 ...llX:S 10 "'e2! e4 rooks correctly and possibly to
II dxe6 .i.xe6 12 lLlxe4; angle for ... b6-bS! I don't Iikc
9...lLlfS 10 "'e2 lLle7 I1 :dl) Wohl's next move at all.
10 lDxeS lLlxdS 11 lLlxti! ~xti
12 lbxdS lLlf6 13 lDxf6. In all 16.':.e8?!
these lines Black is likely 10 be
murdered in his bed! Placing the rooks is an art. To
recap the basics, place rooks on
9 exd6 nd6 10 lLle4 lLlf6 open files or behind a pawn you
nlLlxf6+ wish to push. The text implies
that Wohl has ideas of ... c6-eS
11 J.h6 J.xh6 12 ~f6+ ~f8 and maybe ... ti-CS as well. but
only hclps Black. this looks highly unlikely to me.
Black starts to drift around here.
n ~xr6 12 Ilet 0-0 13 cl There are two better moves at

34
 .i.c4 Systems

least. I like 16... ti:'lfS! an 24 ..gS?

aggressive, active placement.
For instance: 17 :adl (17 d5!" Ugly. Why not simply
cS 18 i.d2 :taeK) 17 ... bS! 24 .. :.c7 and put the onus on
18 axbS axbS 19 d5 (19 1i'xbS? White to demonstrate his
AxO 20 gxO ntb8 ) 19... e5 20 advantage. Maybe the Hippo
.i.cl :as. There's also 16 ...:fc8doesn't suit Wohl's temper-
and then thc queen's rook can amenl. He cannot mark time.
find employment on b8, c8, or
dS. 17 .i.c2 liXIs 18 i.g3 iOf6-= 25 .te2 :fe8 26 .to! i.d3
27 ti:\xo ltlbs 28 i.b2 f5
17 nadl ~dS 18 i.A3lOf6 19
.c4 Wb8 20 1i'b4 Ad8 21lOd2 Modest movcs such as
21 .xb6'r! i.xO 22 "xb8 2S ...c7 or 28 ... lOf6 would
Axb8--4 address the needs of the position.
Wohl insists on activity and this
21 i.a8 22 .i.c4 leads to his downfall.

22 lL\c4 may be answered by 29 -"3 ~ 30 :e2:t

22 ... 85 23 .xb6 "xb6 24 lOxb6
ltb8 25 llJxa8 l%xb3 26 &7
Ihb2 27 i.xd6 :cS.

12...&5 23 1t'a3 b6 24 b3

Christiansen has something to

aim at.

30.i.f6 31 llde 1 ~g7

3S
i..c4 Systems

The loss was self-inflicted. It's

time to summarise Black's
game-plan against systems with
an carly J.c4.

1) 4 ... a6 is the best

introductory move, whether
White plays with 3 ~f3 or
31Oc3.
32 ~d2!
2) ... e7-e6 comes next to shut
Black's pawn structure creaks. down the bishop.

32.~7 33 ~4 f4 34 ~xa5 3) Look for hits on the white

8 3S It)c4 .dS 36 ..,.. J.e7 bishops in order to gain rime.
37 ~xb6+- .15 38 .5 fJ 39 14
.g6 40 l:te3 ~ 41 .c4 :f8 4) Refrain from immediate
42 :xe6 ~xe6 43 l:(xe6
44 :e1+ dS 45 l:h:bl dxc4
"'1+ hand-to-hand combat. Black
must slowly build up It solid,
46 ~xc4 J.f6 47 J.eS J.xeS clastic position.
48 ~xe5 :d5 49 b4 :c8 50 :lb3
bS SI gxhS 1-0

36
 Austrian Attack

Intro also the possibility of a direct

kingside attack with pieces;
1 e4 g6 1 d4 J.,.7 J M d6 ideas such as .e I-M cannot be
4'4 ignored. Wc arc going to
investigate a very rare approach
to the Austrian Attack, one
which I believe deserves to be
played more often. Our reply
begins with 4..e6!?

The Austrian Attack is without

doubt one of the most dangerous
threats to the Pirc/Modem
complex. Not to mention the
'Hippo' complex, whatever that
might be! While sets up a three-
pawn centre, behind which he A move quite in the Hippo
can develop his pieces, castle style, I think you will agree! The
and then look to blow Black initial idea is 10 try and halt the
away with the help of moves advance of White's f-pawn, so
such as e4-e5! or f4-(5!. There is much so that White's pieces end

37
AU.vlrian Alla"k
up tripping over each other's
toes in his own camp. Black
keeps his king in the centre for
as long as is necessary, to
forestall or delay the automatic
kingside attack. Positionally
Black's thinking is impeccable,
but is it all too slow? The
challenge of this opening is to
walk the fine line between
passivity and real counterplay
... and get it right!
V.KOtroni85 While
J.Hebert Black
Monlreal2002
We are entering a zone
which defies precise analysis.
There is very little theoretical
information to go on in any book
that I can fmd ECO is quite
positive about Black's chances,
but that's only in a meagre
footnote. Both players must face
this murky fight more or less on
their own! 'All well and good'
says Black, and so right at the
outset 1 will show you a
game where the Hippo gets
badly beaten. Forewarned is
forearmed!
38
1 e4 g6 2 d4 J..g7 3 ~c3 d6
4 f4 e6 5 ttJt3 ltle7 6 .i.e3 b6
Later we will see that ... a6 is
the way to go in these positions,
so that Black can save a tempo
with ...b7-bS if needed. 6... b6 is
thematic, but with White
limbering up to castle long,
counterplay is essential.
7 'tWd2 .i.b7 8 0-0-0 ~7
Black can play 8... a6! now
... with the loss of a tempo after
9 i.e2 bS 10 a3 N7
I1 :hg I eS 12 dxcS dxcS
13~g5b414axb4cxb415111bl
~c6, J.Schneider-K.Raetsch,
Wiesbaden 1992, and forth-
coming counterplay on the
queenside. Imabrine this type of
position with an extra move!
 Austrian Attack

9 eel!? l1:n O-O?!

Kotronias is more or less
inviting Black. to castle short
upon which ..,.. begins 10 look
like the commencement of a
winning attack. Of course,
Hebert should not oblige. Other
moves do not hold the same
menace: 9 J..e2 a6 (9 ... 0-010 h4
~ffi 11 ~gS h6 12 J..f3 hxgS 13
hxgS li.XI7 14 g4 :e8 IS :h31'
M. Hol7.haeuer- P.Martynov,
Schramberg 1993) 10 h3 bS
1I a3 IIc8!; or 9 J..d3 a6.
9....6 10 J..d3 cS
Finkel gives 10... bS!? 11 g4
~b6 12 ltn .d7 13 h4 0-0-0
Putting his head on the block!
As stated. Black. should avoid
this level of committment for as
long as possible. Perhaps
11 ...c7 12 g4 0-0-0 with
similar play to the last variation,
was preferable.
11 g4 ~f6?! 13 ....4 c:xd4
14 ~xd4% ~7
I don't understand this move,
but maybe Black is in deep
trouble anyway. For instance:
14 ... bS IS gS ~7 16 f5 exf5
I 7 exf3 1Oc6 18 ffi.

...as better, with a passive, but 15 f5

very flexible position. I would
not mind taking Black. here; the Unleashing the bishop on e3.
six-pawn attack does not look So much for 4 ... e6 keeping
loo impressive. White's centre under control!

39
Austrian Attack

15.exfS 16 exfS 8) 17 .....c7 18 li)xd5 .txdS

19 f6 .ib8 20 ~f5! :fc8
(20 ... gxf5 21 j,xf5) 21 .!iJh61
'i1;f8 22lL\xf7 Axf7 23 tifxh7+-.

C) 17 ... f6 18 fxg6+-.

17 J.gS J.f6

16...li)c6
The variations after 16 ...lZ\dS,
which was maybe Black's
intention when be played
14 ... llJ<i7, are brutal and
convincing:
17 .. .'ifb8 18 f6 ..th8
(l8 ... liJxd4 19 fxg7 :le8
20 l:xf7! ~f7 21 'ifxh7 l:g8
22 .xg6 mate) 19 li)dS ~eS
20 lL\xc6li)xc6 21lZ\xh6+-.
18 c71e4!

17.igS

Winning: l8 ....txgS+ 19lWtgS

li)ffi 20 fxg6 fxg6 21 Jlxf6 llxf6
22 "xh7-t ~t~ 23 li)dc6+ +-
Such a game. where Black gelS
A) 17 ....if6 18 c!t)e4 .i.xgS" 19 wiped out without any
c!t)xg5 ~7f6 20 fxg6 hxg6 counterplay, is no fun at all for
(20 ... fxg6 21 lOde6) 2 t :f3. the second player. But I can

40
 Austrian Allack

isolate Hebert's mistake; he

castled on the wrong side at the
wrong moment. The waiting
game is hard to play!

1-0

Grandmaster Nigel Davies has

a very open-minded approach to
the Modem. He is willing to
embrace new ideas and is
always on the lookout for
original ways of handling the
black pieces. He loves the idea
of picking the opponent off
as he comes forward - an
essential component of Hippo'
philosophy.
... and although this is solid for
Black, the knight on c6 often has
to redeploy to e7 to effect
... c7-c5. However, the main
drawback of 4 ...~6 looks like
5 i.b5!, which is scoring well
for White these days.
slLlo lLle7 6 .i.e3 It'ld7 7 .d2
a6!

B.Baum While
N.Davies Black
Gausdal 1993

1 e4 d6 1 d4 g6 ) Ilk) .t17
4 f4 e6!?

I'm reminded of a similar line:

4.A)c6 5 .te3 (5 .i.e3 It'lf6
6lLln 0-0 7 .d2 c6 followed by
... It'le7 will reach a similar set-up
to 4 ... e6) 5...~f6 6 i.e2 0-0 7
lLln e6
This is the way, in my none too
humble opinion. Black can
always play ... b7-b6 if need be,
whereas ...b7-b5 in one go might
prove very useful.

41
Awtrian Attack

8 .i.d3 White changes tack, seeing

Black's queenside counterplay
Rajlich Khechumyan. well advanced.
Budapest 200 1 went 8 0-0-0 bS
9 h4?! /l}a; 10..t.d3 .i.b7! when 9...~f6 10 : ' t l
suddenly Black was threatening
to win the c4 pawn with 11 ...b4.

Davies was critical of this

I...M
Alternatively, Black might
play 8 ... M, supporting the
advance ... c7-cS: Gara-
Khechumyan. Budapest 200 I
continued 9 0-0-0 /l}ffi 10 h3
J.b7 11 g4 h6 12 :tin ed7
when White finally ran oul of
patience with 13 gS and did not
sland very well after J3 ... hxgS
14 fxgS It:)hS I S It:)b2 1Uc6
16 "f2 0-0-0.
9 0-0
move but I don't think it's too
bad. Note he leaves the bishop
on cS at home so that he can
cope with f4-fS more easily.
Why not lake the two bishop,,?
White can hardly phlY for
checkmate without his precious
dark-squared bishop. 10... 0-0 is
the other option, which is
obviously playable loo.
11 IS
He has to play this at some
stage.

42
 AU.vlrian Attack

1l lLlxe3 12 .xe3 0-0 As Davies remarks: An

unfortunate necessity after
12... exfS 13 ext3 is ugly for which my position starts to look
Black. very ugly. But it's still a tough
fight in which my opponent
13 K4 b4 14lLldl e:lf5 15 pIS comes second'

IS exf5 :e8 16 tiJgS .id7 17lLle3 c6 18 c3 bxc3 19 bxd

17 fxg6 Q\xg6 exposes White's ~h810 ~hl 11.721 litgl .as!
weaknesses on d4, 84 and 85, 11 exdS ."cl
23 .ib! g5
proof positive that White cannot
just lash out without his dark-
squared bishop.

The game turns in Black's

favour. Suddenly White's king is
the more exposed.
IS...d5! 16 .f4

16 .gS lLlc6 17 .xd8 :'xd8

18 c3 bxc3 19 bxc3 dxe4 I must say that I prefer
20 .txe4 .i.h7 21 ~3 :ab8 24 ... lLlxd5! 25 lLlxd5 cxdS
leaves White centralized, but by 26 :c I ~ with a tight defence
DO means better. and an extra pawn: 27 l:tgel l:te7
28 l:txe7 .xe7 29 l:te 1 ef7
16f6 30 .td3 :c8

43
Austrian Anack

25 d6 ~ 26 .e4 .i.d7 27 37 g4 :ug4+ 38 ~fl :t'4

lkl ""'18 dS .sd6 29 dsc6 39 ~e2 lle4+ 40 ~d3 :"4
4. Ilc3 e4+ 42 lite) ~7

A typically tough battle ID

uncharted territory.

0-1

The following game is a real

gem. White seL" out his stall with
a lot of hustle and bustle, comes
29Jhbl! forward aggressively and is
picked ofT in an exemplary
'The kind of exchange sac manner. The black centre
that's ideal for your opponent's towards the end of the game is a
time-trouble. Direct threats are sight to behold!
not necessary, you just need to
stop him from solving his
problems' N.Davies. C.B.ker While
N.Davies Blade
30 .sbl i.sc6 31 :an .i..8 Crewe 1996

Possibly both players were e4 g6 2 d4 .le7 3 ~cl d6

short of time, otherwise ifs hard 4 f4 e6
to explain why Black didn't
prefer 31 ... ~7! with threats.

32 ~. :b8 33 .cl
:lb4
34 tOe4 .r4 35 al _g4+
36.g2:lsc4

Winning material and the

game.

44
 Austrian Attack

Already a prophylactic idea There comes a time when the

against the possibility of White pussyfooting must stop. Serious
playing f4-f5. The way I see it is counterplay is initiated with
that if I prcvent White from 1O... cS!.
moving his [-pawn forward his
bishop on c I will never be able II ~e3 llJf6!
10 exchange itself off for my
bishop on g7. And in that case
my king keeps a vital defender'
GM Davies.

5 tDO &7 6 .ie2 llJd7 70-0

b6

As mentioned, thoroughly
appropriate when White either
Hitting e4, an attack which is
plays his bishop to e2 or castles
very difficult to meet.
short.
lll:tadl

White's two other moves are

Primitive. Rlack hits back with
not very good: 12 eS llJfS;
a show of strength in the centre.
12 .i.d3 c4! and so he has to rely
on this rook centralisation.
However, Davies is not to be
bluffed and takes the pawn!

1l....i.xe4! 13 llJxe4 llJxe4

14 f5

White is getting desperate

already.

14... gdS! IS dxc5 bxc5

45
Austrian Attack

16 llJg5 llJxg5 17 i.xg5 f6

18 i.eJ :c8!

Keeping the bishop out of d5

and securing the position against
Carefully guarding against any 1Ifxg6 tricks.
White's only threat of i.xc5.
28 :el lld7 29 ~gl dS
19 :13 llJg6 20 .b5 ':f7
21 :b3

Baker's whole game plan

seems to be based on checkmate.
However, without a centre it's
unlikely this can ever succeed.
The rest of the game is
predictable: Davies continues to
play with due care and takes
White apart! Preparations are complete. It is
lime to 'let those truck.ers roll'!
21 ...i.fB 22 :gl c4 23 g4 f4
24 i.d4 e5 25 .id .e8! 30 <oth I e4 31 Ag2 .f7
32 .if6 13 33 1.x13 n13
25 ... d5 26 g5 f5 27 1.xeS!! 34 1h13 d4 35 ..hIS "'dS+
llJxeS 28 g6 :g7 (28 ... llJxg6! 36 '6'xd5+ Ihd5 37 Ildl .i.g7
29 l:txg6+ ~h8) 29 'iVxh7+!! 38 1I13 1.u6 39 gxf6 'itlf7 40 b3
cxb3 41 exb3 ne6 42 :h3 bS
26 ~5 IS 27 .i13 'iVe6 43 :bdJ l:ed6

46
 Austrian Attack

Davies made chess look easy. your own games. White ha.'i
We know that this is Dot the ca.'Oe. noticed the impending quccnsidc
countcrplay and. with everything
0-1 protected in the centre, elects to
castle short. Spassky decides
that he has enough dcfensive
c.c...rtas White resources and follows suit.
B.Spsky Black
Lugano Open 1982
L.0-09.el
Spussky is fond of the Hippo.
Without doubt a dangerous
We saw that he was even willing
manouevrc.
10 risk it in a world champion-
ship match! Now to a game
against a much less respectful
oppoDcnt than Petrosian; a man So that he can get rid of the
with nol quite so much to lose. bishop with ... ~b4.
How will Black's postion stand
up against 'the rough stuW'! Joeb4

1 e4 d6 1 cM P 3 ~ 17 So I wonder whether it was

4 (4 e6 5 ICiD 1Cie7 6 .id _ worth a tempo here with 10 a3!?
7 d3 b5 8 0-0 to stop Black's next move?

I think you can more or less

guarantee this position in a lot of

47
Austrian Attack

A very important move which is easily negated by the black

takes all the sting out of a later bishops and the powerful d5
f4-fS. knight.

11 g4!? 161fxd8

Typical of Cuartas, a fearless 16 'lff2 .tb7 leaves White

player. Yet the alternatives wondering about how he is
probably appeared unattractive: going to defend his king.
It a3 lLlxd3 12 cxd3 'itd7
13 :ac I i.b7; It :ad 1 lLlxd3 16.:xd8 17 ~f2 .tb7
12 l:lxd3 f5. Once the light- 18 :tact
squared bishop goes Black can
start to prod at the centre.

11 15

Reminiscent of the Closed

Sicilian. Black takes the sling
out of the pawn advance.

12 gxfS exfS 13 eS lLlxdl

14 cxdl b4 lSlLle2lDdS!

18.':ac8

t8 ... i.f8 looks more positive.

in order to transfer the bishop to
e7 and then play ...<lifi;
18 ...11ab8 is also possible.
intending ... a6-a5 and ... .Il.a6.
Black seems to be able to
improve his position much more
Excellent play by Spassky. The easily than White and lhat is the
effect of the passed pawn on eS source of his advantage.

48
 Austrian A.I/ack

19 b4 -*.h620 h5! Fixed pawn weaknesses favour

the knights as both knights can
The h-pawn was a potential attack a certain point, whereas
wcakenss and so Cuartas only one bishop can defend.
exchanges it off!
Thus White goes after f5
20dxe5 21 dxe5 ~xe3 21 and should secure enough
~xe3 cS 23 hxg6 hxg6 24 ~h4 counterplay to draw.
~ 25 :gl :te8! 261lxg6
35 :d6
If 26 ~xg6 nc6! is a very 36:05+ ~e8
strong reply: 27 ~h4 Axe5+
28 ~f2 :ld5.

26 ': xe5+ 27 ~fl :e6

28 ltxe6 ~xe6 29 :gl :f8
30 :g6+ :t'6 31 l:R8 .te6 32 b3
-*.bS 33 ~e3

White still has a lot of work to

do beforc he can shepherd the
game towards a draw. Cuartas
manages the problem by going
on to the offensive. 37 tDe4

33..i.fI 34 ~g3 37 :c5+ ~d8 38 ~hfS!

l:txd3+ 39 ~e4 Ild7 40 %5
looks bctter to me, with more
potential fircpower coming
towards Black's king.

37..ltxd3+ 38 ~fl -*'17

39 ~xc5 i.d4+ 40 ~el l:c3
41 liJb7 -*.c6 42 ~d6+ ~d7
43 lL'Ic4 :b3

49
Austria" Anack

I remember it used to be a very Now I'd like to present a

long session at Lugano and
perhaps Spassky was getting
tired. 43 ....i.e4! is pretty difficult
to meet: 44 :g5 (44 :as :xc4
45 bxc4 b3 The fork on c3
decides! 46 :a3 b2 47 :b3
bl=.+-+) 44 ... l:lcl+ 45 ~e2
:c2+ 46 ~ La2
thought-provoking game where
White gets on top early against
6 ... b6, showing little relt-pecl for
the Black set-up. Forewarned is
foreanned: this is the type of
stuff Black should avoid!
PZarnlcki White
L.McShane Blade
IV Dos Hennanas Internet Final
2003

1 e4 g6 2 d4 J.g7 3 /l)c3 d6
4 (4 e6!? 5 ~f3 ~e7 6 J.d3 b6

Flexibility above all, although,

as already stated, I prefer 6 ...a6
while 6...liJd7!? is a decent
White isn't lost, but it's not waiting move too.
pretty either.

44 ~ .i.e4 45 :f7+ ~d8

46 llJge5 :lh 1+ 47 ~e2 lthl+
48~:h1+

Rather an interesting game,

where one feels that Black
should have made more of his
chances.

70-0

so
 Austrian Attack

7 "e2! is also incisive. White Compelling evidcnce that Black

keeps open the option of castling cannot simply potter around.
quecnside and he prepares c4-cS.
I guess he may also be thinking 7.lLld7 8 f3!
of Ad3-a6, should Black shape
up to castle long. 7... a5?! (But Zarnicki changes up a gear. It's
this is a horrible move and quite a strong move, putting the
unnecessary. Black should play question to the whole Black set-
either 7... a6 or; 7.JiJd7 with up.
typical play for this variation.)
8 eS .ta6 9 lLlbS -*.xbS 8exf5 9 exf5 lLlf6 10 -*'15
10 -*.xbS+ c6 11 -*.d3 dS 12 a4 0-0 11 li)e4!
lLld7 13 b3 0-0 14 .1a3 2:te8
IS 0-0 Wc7 16 g4 cS 17 c3 f8
18 c&hl :tecS 19 5!

The pressure mounts. Black's

move is forced.
1l lLlxe4 II -*.xe4 d5
13 u7 "se7 14 xd5 :b8
Whitc's play has been a model.
19...c4 20 bxc4 dxc4 21 e4 15 rxg6 bsg6 16 cl
li'\ds 22 .i.xdS exdS 23 e6 lLlf6 (fthis is the best that Black can
24 ext7+ Wxt7 25 lLle5 "g7 get then forget the whole thing!
26 gS lLle4 27 fxg6 hxg6 28 "g4
1;tc7 29 1i'e6+ ~h7 30 :f4 1-0 16-*..617 l%et 1i'd6 18"'3
P.Glod-lFischer, St Quentin c6 19 -*.c4 b5 20 -*.d3 -*.c8
Open. Elaneourt 2003. 211Oe5 -*.e6 22 cS!"cl
SI
Austrian Attack

26 :tab!

26 "'xc5 ':xc5 27 lbf4 bxc3

28 bxc3 i.xc3 29 ~xe6 fxe6
30 :abl gives an extra pawn but
this ending is difficult to win.

26 . bxc3 27 "uS lbc5

28 bxc3 .t{llbl 29 i.llbl ..i.xc:3
30 l'le4 .itf6 31 .i.d3 i.u2
McShane fights on valiantly. 32lbf4.S
He must try to create some dark-
squared pressure. The bishop on
g7 is the only piece that White
cannot contest.

23 dxcS

Zarnicki is very concerned

about his structure. no doubt the
legacy of incessant blitz chess at
the Internet Chess Club. Keep
Whereas this ending gives no
the pawn structure tight and run
advantage in material and is a
the other guy's flag out as the
complete draw with even Black
saying goes. 23 'iff2 was
for choice! My guess is that both
interesting: 23 ... cxd4 24 cxd4
players were glad to end this
1:fd8 25 J.e2! a6 (25 .....xd4
scrappy game.
26 1i'xd4lhd4 27 ~c6) 26 ~t3
:bc8 27 a4

23 'iVxcS+ 24 .Cl :fc:8

2Slt)xg6 b4 Among Grandmasters.
Krascnkow has shown a liking
White has to be a little careful for this messy line. He chooses
now. his opponents carefully and

52
 Austrian Attack

generally plays 4 ... c6 when he 7..0-0 8 .te3 .i.b7 9 1It'dl

either needs to win at all costs or lDd7 10 :.ad I tbf6
expects that White might
overreach.

C.Bohlke White
M.Kraseokow Black
Politiken Cup. Copenhagen
2003

1 e4 g6 2 d4 .tt:7 3 tLlc3 d6
4 f4 e6 5 Q\f3 liJe7 6 i.el With equality, in my view. and
a position where the better
player will win. White already
has a slightly awkward decision
to makc about the pawn on e4.

11 e5 lLig4 Il h3 ~J.e3
13 1It'1le3 tbfS 14.12

Unchallcnging. Black can be

happy now and gct on with his
plan unmolested. The fIrst task is
to hit e4.

6 b6 7 0-0

There was little danger that 14f6!

White would ca~t1e long and go
for the big attack; the bishop on Initiating dark-squared
e2 hardly lends itself to this counterplay, which makes
aggressive plan. perfect sense givcn that Black

53
Austrian Attack

has a bishop on g7 without an 19 Wg3 fuS 20 fuS 1t)K6

opponent.
Since 20... cS 21 c4 might well
IS g4 liJe7 16 Wb4 i.d3 open the game up in White's
17 i.xf3 dS llliJel favour.

21 c4 c6 21 cxdS cxd5 23 liJc3

11..gS!

Whereas 18...c6, generally D ...bS!

improving the position and
letting out Black's queen, was White has problems on f4 and
safe - here we have a much h4 and consequently concerning
sharper interpretation. The way the future safety of his king. He's
to win games against lesser tied down. So Black o)x.'Ds a
opposition is to continually give second front; impeccable
them problems to solve. Never positional play.
let them settle. I always tell my
students to imagine themselves 14 JLe2
as the opponent: which move
would they least like to have 24~xbS Wb6+
played against them'! I'm
guessing that 18 ... gS fits 14~ 25 Whl .626lhf8+
squarely into this category. l:xftl 27 i.d3 liJh4

54
 Austrian Attack

With the idea of ...:0.

28 .i.e2 Af4 29 "'d3 .tnS!?

It's a very tough ask to find this

idea several moves in advance.
3S ......xh3+ 36 ~gl and White
seems to have enough to oblige
Maybe not objectively best, Black to take a draw.
but almost certainly the move
that will win the game most 30.....n
quickly. Instead 29...c6 would
retain all of Black's positional
trumps and the game continues
with White grovelling. However
I'm guessing that Bohlke was
running into time-pressure and
so Krasenkow attacks him
directly.

30 dlle5?

He had to find 30 tOxdS! exdS

31 dxe5 with counterplay. For Whereas now White has
instance: 31.. ....f2 (31...d4 nothing.
32 'ifb3+ ~g7 33 "dS)
31 ..in lDo 32 ..i12 "'g3
34.e4
32 .xd5+ rf;g7 33 1ib7+ llf7
"g3 35 e6. 0-1

ss
Austrian Attack

To close this chapter, a game available. reserving options with

where Black takes the plunge the b-pawn.
and castles long. Sometimes you
may need to do this. 80-0 li)d7 9 .el

We have seen this before,

A.Gara White although White is telegraphing
M.Zielinska Black her intentions early enough for
Women's Bundesliga, Black to do something about it.
Germany 2004

I e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3 lOcl d6
4 f4 e6 5 li)f3 &De7 6 ~e3 a6 9 ... e5 is an interesting
71.d3 possibility here. How is the
Black position after IO e5 d5?

7 b6 Looks OK to me.

She obviously feels that the 10 bJ

immediate 7 ... b5 is too risky.
After 8 a4! b4 9 ltia2 a5 IO c3 10 eS is the testing move and
1 would tend to agree. White is then IO ... lL'It(tS (IO ... ~g4
opening up the position with II 1.d2 1.b7 12 h3) 11 tLJxdS
Black very undeveloped. li)xd5 12 .i.d2 J.b7 13 c4 ~e7
Perhaps, if you do not like 7 ... b6, White has grabbed space and
the temporizing 7 ... li)d7 is must be at least a liule better.

56
 Austrian Attad

IOi.b7 11 f5 after 15 ~ (15 ~I h6 16

.i.d2 gS 17.12 lbe7) I S...&e4
16 .i.xe4 f6! 17 .i.d2 (17 .i.xb7+
~xb7 18 .i.d2 "xfS) 17 ... lDe7
18 i.xb7+ ~xb7 19 fxg6 hxg6.

Il exfS .d7 13 flle6 fxe6

14~5

And I presume White was

expecting to be better here.
Zielinska wastes no time!
The crunch moment. Black
must get these moves right.
14 h6! 15 lbge4 lbfd5
16.g30-0-0!
11 pf5

11 ... exf5 is also possible:

12 exfS 1fd7 13 i.gS 0-0-0
14~~g8

Coming out of a cramped

position is a skilled operation,
but it's precisely this skill that
Black must develop if wishing to
.. .looks really poor for Black but play 4 ...c6 with any frequency
might not be so bad at all, given and success. Timing is of the
that he is about to recuperate utmost importance. Black
with ... h7-h6. White cannot players must be alert to any
demonstrate any clear advantage small changes in the position

57
Austrian Attack
which allow them to relieve their
cramp. A keen eye for active
counterplay is essential. In our
game it seems madness to allow
17 Iln. but Zielinska notices
that g2 is unprotected and this
enables her both to survive and
counterpunch at the same time.
17 :17 ~se3 18 .se3 :hg8!
19:'0 cS
White's centre disappears.
20 dsc5 dsc5 21 ~bl Jld4
21 .et :de8 23 "'4 .d8
23 ...:g6! was perhaps better.
14.r4
And in turn 24 .xh6 should
have been the response: soft spot on g2. 32 :el .e2!.
24...~13? (Black must settle for
24... ~S 25 ~xdS .xdS with
unclear play, but one cannot help
but feel that White stands better.)
25 III xfS ex13 26 ~6+ ~b8 27
:xb7-f Was 28 ~e8+-
14..e515.16
Again she refuses the bait.
25 .xh6 ~b8 26 .e6 bS.
2S ~b8 16 ~el
16c4!
An excellent move, bringing
the bishop on b7 to the front of
the stage.
17 ~sd4 1fsd4 18 fIxe7 :sc7
29 .se7 csd3 30 csd3 tfsd.1
31 1i'1e5+ ~.7 32 :17
The main problem is the very
32Wa8 33 l:tllb7 .0+ 0-1
511
 Austrian Atlack

SUlDDlary this work in your favour.

Opponents will go to the theory
I e4 g6 1 d4 1.,;1 3 ~ d6 books and find nothing.
4f4e6
2) Black is cramped. there's no
I think ifs time to summarise doubt about it, but his position
the ideas. good and bad, about
ha." potenlial. You have to be
4...e6.
patient to realise this potential.

3) White will shape up to castle

1) It's a virtually unknown
variation by comparison with
some of the other anti-Austrian
lines. If you study the games
above, you can hopefully make
on ODe side or the other and you
have to be ready with immediate
qucenside countcrplay. If he is
goins to go long. ...a7-a6 before
...b7-b6 seems the right way to
do this. If be goes short, maybe
...b7-b6 is the way and pcmaps
even ...c7-cS at the right
moment.
4) After 4...e6 a messy game is
guaranteed; nothing clear. A
good sense of timing for Black
would appear to be essential.

S9
 Quiet Systems

Intro

White has no need at all to try

to refute the Hippopotamus.
Many strong players will just
take the centre, develop flexibly
and ask Black to demonstrate
equality. There are many ways to
do this and so I have classified
these methods as 'quiet
systems'. I think what Black
needs against these ideas is a This would be the second time
good plan. He will have to come that Spassky ventured the Hippo
down off the fence at the right
in the match. He clearly
moment and strike back against
expected that Petrosian would
the centre, forcing some sort of
clarification or concession. We play calmly and not try to
begin with a famou... game. refute this provocative plan of
development.
T.Petrosian While
B.Spassky Black Thus Ulack could afford a few
Game 16, World Championship,
liberties, within reason ...
Moscow 1966

1 d4 g6 2 e4 .ig7 3 ttJO d6 S cl ttJd7 6 0-0 tLle7 7 lbbd2

4 iLe2 e6 h6 8 a4

60
 Quiet Systems

apart from egging his opponent

on. 11 ... b6 is another idea,
intending maybe ... e6-eS and
eventually ... f7-fS, although with
White's position so elastic,
Black has to very careful indeed
how he breaks out.

12 .i.d2

A typical example of a quiet 12 eS!? dS (I2 ... dxeS

White system. There's a no- 13 It)fxe5~) 13 lbe3 cS is rather
man's land on the fifth rank and unclear. White has some
so maybe White is now attacking chances on the
threatening to open hostilities kingside, for instance with
with 84-a5. 14lLlg4.

8...a6 12...f6!? 13 .e2 ~b8 14 ~bl

8....tb7 9 as! isn't desirable.

.17
9 lZel .i.b7 10 .i.d3 0-0
11 ~4 We8!?

Absolutely typical play in the

Hippo. Black readies himself for
the moment of truth.
Enigmatic. We don't quite
know what Spassky is up to, 15lLlgl?!

61
Quiet Systems

IS b4! e5 16 d5 seems betteropening. He fiddled around and

for White, but after 16 ...h6! and
didn't take action when he had
... (7-f5 to come, Black has the chance. However, it's quite
serious counterplay. another matter for Black to take
advantage of this because
IS_.eS!= 16 dxeS fuS 17 fJ Petrosian was such a master at
~ 18 llJe3 .e8! keeping his position free of
weakness. 24 tlJd3 is a good
Hitting a4. move, exchanging a passive
knight for an active one. Thus
19 ~c2 as Petrosian reduces his small
disadvantage.
Threatening to activate with
... ~a6. 24 lDxd3 2S .i.xd3 .i.b6
26 .ie4 'itg7 27 lIel tDg8
20 lDbJ .ie8!
Intending tilfO-h5-h4.
Preferring to centralize
instead. Obviously 20 ... ~a6!?

.n
was another important option.

21 lDn ~e6 22 .dl

23 Aal ~d7 24 lDd3!

28..txgH!

Another masterly decision.

The point is that White needs
some counterplay and he will do
It has been very clear that this by putting his knight on dS.
White got nothing out of the First there's the detail of

62
 Quiet Systems

cxchanging off his potentially 47 'iVc3! "'g6 48 ~t2!)

bad bishop. 45 l:xt2 Axt2 46 ~xf2 'iVxg4
47 g3 with White very slightly
28...11xg8 29 4'ldS .ixd2 for choice.
30 l:lxd2 i.e6 31 b4 'iff7 32 'iie2
It.7! 33 : . I l:lfR 43 'iVe3 ~b7 44 'ifdl :gg7
4S "'e3 ~g8 46 l:d2 ~b7
33 ... axb4!? 34 cxb4 :ga8 47 l:ldfl :18 48 .d2 :gf7
35 'iV<ll rj;g7. 49.e3

34 hS 11 8 3S 'ife3 nab8 Who would feel more

36 !to 'iVg7 37 'ifd3 %tf7 aggrieved at the end of this
contest'! White would bemoan
Not a lot going on here. It's no his placid opening play, whereas
surprise that the game concludes Black could reflect on the lack of
peacefully. success of his provocative
tactics. The draw is a vcry fair
38 'otgl :b18 39 ttJe3 gS result.
40 lldf2 hS 41 c4! ..-g642lDdS!

I talked earlier about a 'plan'

for Black. The potential of
Black's position is wcll
demonstrated by the following
game.

G.Souleidls While
T.Espig Black
42 ':g8 Bundesliga, Germany 2003

42 ... lLxd5 43 cxd5 g4?! 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .tg7 3 M d6

44 fxg4 rIxf2 (44 ... hxg4? 4 ttJO e6 S .te2 b6 6 .ie3 l:iJe7
45 l:xf7 lIxf7 46 l:txf7 'iVxf7 7 ..-d2 h6 8 0-0 .tb7

63
Quiet Systems

That was his point. Black

hastens to free up the e5 square.

Il ... exf4! 12 .td4 86 13 lilfJ

~eS

13 ... g5 14 i.c3 li)g6 15 ~d4

i.e5 16 lbfS lLlf4 gives some
counterplay, but I'm worried
about the black king.
White could hardly get more
classical than this. 7... h6 was 14 :tadl
interesting, because you now
begin to wonder how Black is
14 lbxe5 dxe5 15 .tc3 f5
ever going to get castled. It turns
(Black can consider 15 ... "d6
out that 7... h6 was played to
16 a4 f5 17 exfS gxf3 1R .i.h5+
prevent ~g5 and to prepare an
'ittd8) 16 ext'5 gxfS (l6 ...lLlxf5
ambitious attack. Black's plan is
...taI7, ... c6-e5 and then ... fI- 17 iLh5!) 17 i.h5+ 'it>d7
f5!. Unless White flDds a good
counter, his pieces will just be in
the way of the onrushing pawns.
9 :tfe I or 9 :tad I was called for.
Instead, White commits himself
slightly too early.

9 dS? eS 10 It)el lbd7 11 f4

... leads to a position difficult to

judge several mov~ beforehand.
There is the danger that Black's
king might scurry away and then
White will be left facing the
pawns. However. it seems that
18 d6! cxd6 19 lba4 lbd5

64
 Quiet Syslem.'i

20 l:lxf5 :ts 21 Jbts J.xfS 22

c4 is good for White.

14... ~xfJ+ 15 .i.xfJ .d7

16 h3 ~ 17 .i.&4 f5 18 exf5
pf5 19 .to ~ 10 .i.bl WbI
11 b3 :bKl

Breaking White's resistance.

Another decoy.

29~1

29 :Xg I .xd4 loses the

I would say that this position queen.
offers mutual chances in a very
unclcar middlegame. Perbaps
it's easier to sce ideas for Black
on the open g-fiIe linked with and White resigned in view of
occupation of eS. White tries to the line: 29 ...lOxo+ 30 l:lxO
manoeuvre his knight to e6. .xgl mate.

n ~1 1:[de8 13 ~ ~h4 0-1

Z4 e4.i.f6 15 ~bl _1716 :fl?
It seems that Spassky has
A big mistake convincingly retained a fondness for the
refuted by Black. After 26 ~ Hippo into retirement. Takc a
Whitc could keep good look at this recent exhibition
counterchanccs. game against one of the
most dangerous contemporary
16..i.xd4! 27 .sd4 l:el+! attacking players.

65
Quiet Systems

A.Shirov White Counterplay is needed on the

B.Spassky Black other side.
Senat Canal Web Grand Prix,
Paris 2000 7 .i.d3 b5 8 eS

I e4 g6 1 d4 .tg7 3 ttx3 d6 White starts the action before

4lt)f3 Black gets the time to Iwnber
forward with ... ltkl7, ... iLb7 and
Shirov is probably going to ...c7-cS!
play the popular set-up with
.i.e3, ji'd2 etc. Spassky moves to 8. j.b7 9 .d2 ~d7 10 elld6
intercept this, or, let us say, talk
Shirov out of it! With superior development
Shirov opens the position.
4e6 S h4 Logical, onc might think.

10 nd6 II dS eS 12 hS 5!
13lt)h4 me7 14 hllg6 (4

Not quite so quiet now. It's

funny, we can see S h4 as a
positional move, planning hS-h6,
cramping Black's position. So, But now White has it all to
as Black almost always answers prove. Not for the first time,
a2-a4 with ... a7-a6, the reply ... n-fS has provided much-
should be obvious: needed relief.

S h6 6 .i.e3 86 lSlt)e4

66
 Quiet Systems

15 lLlrs li)xfS 16 .i.xfS fxe3 away here. He's a piece ahead!

17 .xe3 b4 18 ~ lLlf6 just Quite correctly, Shirov tries to
leaves White a pit:Ce down. cause as much confusion as
possible, and pulls the game out
15lLlf6 16 llhl6+ of the flCe with Spao;sky short of
time.
16 .txf4 exf4 17 1Wxf4 0-0
18lLlxd6 "'c7!. 21 nel i.e5

16....i.xf6 17 ~xf4 exf4 21.. ....c7!

.'''d4lLlxd5
IS ....txb2 appears even
stronger: 19 .f7+ ~d7 20 .tfS+
We7 and there is little left for
While to cheer about.
22 .ie4 lLlf6 2J tt.'lfS "e7
24 .i1b7+ .xb7 25 g7 :hg8
26 %llh6 "'113 27 pt3 i.xb2
28 1le6 ~e7 29 :hd6! .i.xf6
30 :xt6

19 'lfe4-t Wf8 20 ()-(H) 1.g5+

21 ~bl lfk:3+.

19.....e7+ 20 ~n 0-0-0

JOJld7! J I :m

31 :g6 ~b6 32 f4 :f7 33 :g5

l:txfS 34 lhf5 lIxg7 also leads to
a draw.

31 :gxg7 32 tOxg7 :1g7

In his prime I am sure that 33 f4 ~c6 34 IS ~d5 35 :.8
Spassky would have put White :c7 36 :186 :xc2 37 ~g2

67
Quiet Systems

A fighting game! Of course 4~1J d6

37 ...~e5! would draw iD the He could play 4... h5 already. I
final position. e.g. 38 Ab6 :Xa2 guess. and after 5 .le3 .i.b7
39 :XbS+ ~f6. 6 .i.d3 there's the interesting
6 ...~ffi!?
5 .le2 ~fi
This will be a semi-Hippo. if
such a beast exists. Quile what
A.HDydlak White one calls the following recent
K.Urba. B/aele game , really could not Kay:
Polish Championship. 5...~7!! 6 0-0 cS (6... b6; 6 ... c6)
Plock 2000 7 .i.c4 c"d4 8 ht7+!? (8 ~d4
~gffi transposes to Ihe Sicilian.)
I e4 g6 2 d4 .i.17 3 fUel a6!? 8...'iPxf7 9 ~g5+ ~e8 10 ~
mc3 11 ~xd8 W"d8

I'll be talking aboul Ibis move
a Iinle laler on the book as a way
of dislurbing White's early lrain
of Ihoughl and perhaps 10 give
Black more chance 10 organise
immediate queen side counter-
play in lines where While plays
aD early J..el or 12-f4 I don'l
recommend I e4 a6 2 d4 g6
because of 3 c3!; Iberc ... a7-a6
can often turn out 10 be useless.
If Black can get his pieces out
he is bound 10 be in good shape.
12 bxc3 ~gffi 13 JZel lies 14 (4
( 14 cS catches my eye as the Ann
of move White should be
looking 10 play.) 14...a5 15 eS
~8 16 L3 lL6 17.d2 JL:6
18 c4 b6 19l:ad I l1xc4 20 c"d6
e"d6 21 .i.x.d6 J..d4+! 22 .xd4
:x.d4 23 lbd4 l:lf7 24 g4 .i.b7

68
 Quiet Systems

2S h3 .tc6 26 ~h2 ~c8 27 ~g3 that 8 eS dxeS 9 dxeS "xdl

~7 28 c4 ll)a6 29 ~h4 ~c5 10 l:xdl lDfd7 11 ~f4 lDc6
30 WgS iLa4 31 l:d2 Ac6 doesn't look convincing at all.
32 :d4 .i.a4 33 l:d2 i,h-Ih
V.Potkin-N.Kabanov, Moscow 8 ..tgS h6 9 .tf4lLle6
2004. Black's opening move-
order seems viable, as are many Another provocative movc.
others against White's non- White now has to consider the
eommittal, solid strategical play. consequences of 10 dS.

6~~7h3 IO'it'd2

7.tc3. But he decides not to enter into

any immediatc brawl by 10 d5
7e6!? liJe7 11 'ifd2 exdS 12 exd5 gS.

10~h7 11 :tadllLld7

Black's plan bccomes clearer.

12 ..thl e5!= 13 dxeS dxe5

14 :tfel f6 15 ee3 hS 16 .ie4
.ih6 17 WellLle7

This was the move that caught

my eye. Black disguises his
intentions. He may be leading up
10 either ... c7-cS (via ... b6,
... .tb7. ...tObd7), or ... e6-cS
(Iatcr). He may yet have other
plans dependent on what White
docs. Meanwhile, therc's no
!:lear way to exploit 7...c6. given 181'4

69
Quiet Systems

This looks a little excitable. 2l :gl 'tIfe8 23 l:td6 ~R6

Perhaps 18 a4, restraining Black, 24 :l.g6
was more appropriate.
Very committal. It's almost as
18e8 if Hnydiuk has forgolleo about
his king! But he sees a black
18 ... hxg4 19 bxg4 "e8 knight coming to f4 and does not
20 g5! like it at all. 24 b4 ~e6 25 .fI
~gf4 is messy, but should have
19 gxhS been preferred.

19 g5 fxg5 20 ~e5 ~xe5 14.:ilbg6 1S ~lleS .17

21 i.xe5 i.xh3.

19c6!? 26~d3?

White is not a computer 26 li)g4. blocking the g-file,

program with unlimited energy had to be played with unclear
and so Urban feels the time is consequences ufter 26 ... i.c 1.
right to unleash his own attack.
The alternative is 19... gxh5 20 16...i.l.h3 27 "'0 Ag4

.fl
.tg3 (20 i.OO lL\b6 21 i.xc8 28 'tVgl b5!?
"xc8 22 :g8+ 23 1.g3
'iVe6+) 20 ... ~5 2 J ~h2 b5. 28 ...~.Jxd3 gives the advantage
to Black: 29 Ilxd3 (29 i.xd3
10 hxg6+ .l.g6+ 11 ~hllOcs :ae8 30 e5+ ~h8 31 exf6?

70
 Quiet Systems

l:el+; 29 cxd3 :ad8~) 29 ... fS

White can play quietly against
30 ~e6 llae8 31 :d7 lile7 It
the Hippo. rejecting any contact
looks 10 me as though both for the time being and claim that
his command of four ranks vs
players were getting short of
time and Black complicates just
three gives him the advantage.
for the sake of it. This may well be true, but we
see a similar situation in many
29 ~xc5 bxc4 30 f3 .ioc8 openings such as the Hedgehog
31 nxc6 n.7 32 ."27+ :"27 and there Black does not suffer
33 ~dS ~b3 34 iLd6 :r.ff7 too badly. The pressing problem
JS~b2~n for Black here is precisely when
and how to engage White
because, unlike the Hedgehog,
he does not have a half-
open c-fiIe to work with. 3 1Dc3
a6!? is worth looking at more
closely.

0-1

36 i..c7?
I first saw the following game
in the trailblazing Modern
36 .ig3 :g6 37 ~xa6 leaves
Defence by Botterill and Keene.
Black struggling.
It's worth repeating here because
36 Jlg2+ 37 ~bl i..gS 38 (4it shows quite clearly that
~26 39 (5+ ~b5 40 i.xf6 Hippo-like structures can be
successfully handled by very
40 ~d7!. strong players, and also that
White cannot expect an
40 :h7 41 :'c7 :tu7 advantage 'as of right' by
42 tnxc7 .ixf6 43 tnd7 i..xb2 playing a series of normal
44 f6 nu2 45 f7 ]:{12 developing moves.

71
Quiet Systems

H.Ardiansjah White
B.Lanen Black
Olympiad. Siegen 1970
I e4 16 1 d4 .i.17 3 cl b6
.0
A) 11 ... lflxe4 12 fxg6 hxg6
13 lDxe4 .i.xe4 14 .i.xe4 IZ,xc4
15 .c7 16 ~f2! (16 lDg5
:xc3 17 .xaR .i.xd4) 16...:xc3
17 .xa8 "dB 18 :ad1t;

I repeat that Black should hang B) 11... Wd7 12 fxg6 hxg6

back with ... a7-a6 when White 13 lDg5 lIe7 14 h3 c5 15 dxcS
plays an early c3. dxcS 16 .tc4 ~6 17 1fb3 ~c5
18 lIadl lI~ 19 ~dD .eS
4lDt3 20 ~xe5 lIxe5 21 li)xf7! ~h7
(21 ... lIxti 22 .ixti+ .xti
4 .i.e3 .i.b7 5 ~d2 lDf6?! 23 lId8+ i.f8 24 :Xffi .xb3
(Larsen should have repeated the 25 lIfxf8++-) 22 ~xc5 .xcS
5... d6, ...ll)d7 and ...e5 idea used 23 .i.dS?? (23 lIf4! 1-)
against Ardiansjah.) 6 .i.d3 0-0 23 ... lDxd5 24 exd5 lIxfl +
7 f4 d6 8 ~h3 c5 (I think I would 25 ~fl c4 26 .a3 c3 27 bxc3
have seriously considered 8..cS .xe3 28 "xa7 .le8 29 .a4
9 0-0 cxd4 10 cxd4 ~6 here. .i.f6 30 "c2 .ta6+ 31 c4 .td4
The plan with ... eS looks 32 lId3 .i.xc4 0-1 Garcia
inappropriate with the white Martinez - B.Larsen. Olympiad.
f-pawn free to go.) 9 0-0 cxd4 Siegen 1970.
10 cxd4 lIe8 11 f5!
4 .i.b7 5 .ldJ d6 6 0-0 ~d7
7.4 e5!

White now obtains a

dangcrous attack.

72
 Quiet Systems

I must say that I do like this 14 ~c2?!

plan. Let's sketch out what Black
is up to: 14 lDo f5 15 dxeS .!DxeS
16 ll)xeS dxe5 17 f4 was more
I) Hc's hoping that White will active. What happens in this
block the centre when he will game is a case of the 'strong
then get to work preparing player' syndrome. White gets
...n-fS. talked out of the best
continuation because he is
2) If White leaves the centre as afraid to enter into unclear
it is, Black has counterplay complications. Instead, he
against d4 and e4. shuffies around and Larsen takes
over the position. How many
3) It's not at all easy to find the times have we seen this situation
right squares for White's pieces. in our own games?
He may have more space but to
find the best way to use it is 14dS! IS f4 exd4 16 cxd4 c4
lough. The proof will come 17 i.e2 .!Df6
soon as we see an experienced
international player running out Thematically laking over the
of ideas! central light squares.

8 aSlt)e7 9 86

Inflexible. Either 9 :e 1 or
9 ll)bd2 was better.

9. i.c8 10 i.gS h6 11 .i.e3

0-012 1i'd2 ..th7 13 ~cl cS!

White is planning f4 and so

Black creales immediate
counterplay. 18lDc3?!

73
Quiet Systems

I am well aware that 18 e5

allows the black knight to take
up a dominating position but this
was surely the right course of
action. Is White's position so bad
after 18 ...~e4 19.e I ?

18. dxe4 19 i..xc4 ~fS

10 :adJ i.d7 11 i..e1 :c8
16':xc3!

A nice exchange sacrifice

highlighting the defects in
White's position:

1) The remote knight on a3.

2) The bad bishop on c3.

3) The potentially open white

The computers indicate equal, king.
but over the board very few
would take White here. Black is 17 bxc3 1It'xc3 18 ~bl "as
much better.
Another pawn is going down
11g4 the drain.

22 d5 i..a4! 23 ~xa4 :xc2 19 .g2 Ae8 30 *hl ~d5

24 .xc2 ~xe3 25 -"'3 ~n 31 'ila'ilxa6 31 IS gdS 33 pB
26 i.xfl Wd6 27 g3 :e8. bS 34 :g1 .r6 3S tLla3 i.f8
36 ~c2 b4 37 ll"n as 38 li'Ie I
22 .li'Id613 h3 li'Ic4 24 Axc4 .4 39 ~gli.d6+ 40 ~hl : _
:1C4 15 .el .c8 16 ~a3 41.cllbgl

74
 Quiet Systems

One can argue that the talented

player can get away with a great
deal against a lesser opponent
and to a certain extent this is
true. Why, this game is proof
positive! But I am convinced
that the overall plan that Larsen
displayed here (double
fianchetto ... d6, ....!Dd7, ... e5), is
very playablc against anyone
and may well put the opponent This is the introductory move.
on the baek foot. Black intends ... f7-f6 and
. .. lLlh6-f7 and later he will
0-1 expand in the centre with either
... f6-f5! or ... e7-e5. Note the
timing of 6 ...lLlh6. Suttles waited
We have seen that the Classical until White castled thus
and quieter systems allow Black rendering h2-h4 unplayable. But
to devclop more or less as I'll try to show 6 a4 t[)h6 is also
he chooses within limitations. possible. allowing the dangerous
Let's take a look at an obscure 7 h4. is a very good square for
n
seheme devised by Canadian the knight in sueh positions,
Grandmaster Duncan Suttles, cutting out t[)g5 by White,
which as far as I know is
indirectly defending e6 as
unrefuted to this day.
a result. This is the closest
yet to Thompson's original
D.Janosevh: White Hippopotamus concept. Of
D.Suttles Black course Black is showing
Belgrade 1969 discretion because White's
attacking possibilities have been
1 c4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3 t[)f3 d6 limited by his quieter approach.
4 lbc3 c6 5 i.e2 t[)d7 6 0-0
lDb6!? 7 ~gS?!

75
Quiet Systems
Although a GM. Janosevic
does not seem to understand
what Black is trying to do.
7 ~gS presents Suttles with a
valuable tempo! 7 :el .c7
(7 ... f6 8 dS fi)f1 9 lDd4
highlights a possible drawback
to Black's set-up. One must
watch the e6 square very
carefully indeed!)
8 a4 0-0 (S ...eS seems very
reasonable; as does 8 ...aS) 9 h3
~h8 to ~c4 eS Il dxcS dxeS
12 ~e3 f5 13 ~gS
A) 13 ... lt'if7! looks better:
14 J..e7 (14 exfS gxfS 15 J.e7
:eS 16 It'ig5 fi)xg5 17 J..xgS
fi)f6) 14...l:te8 15 fi)g5 (15 J..a3
It'ib6 16 .A.b3 J..c6 17 ~xe6
':xe6 18 .e2 :d8) 15 ...~g5
16 ~xgSlO:5;
B) 13 ... f4 14 .i.e7 :e8 15 1i'd6 an excellent opportunity to win
76
.xd6 16 jlxd6 .i.f6 17 :'cdl
riJg7 IS a5 lj)fl 19 iloa3 g5
20 1Id2 tnf8 21 a6 b~ was
perhaps a little better for
White in E.Jimenez-D.Suttles,
lnterzonal. Palrna de Mallorca
1970. Meanwhile 7 .i.d2?! Hc
wants to play .c I evading
... It'ig4. 7... eS 8 dxeS dxeS 9 b3
P. Motwa n i - K. B i sc h 0 rc.
Groningen 1980 and now the
immediate 9...e7 (9 ... f6!,!
10 "C I li)f7) 10 "C 1 It'ig8
11 l:td I fi)gf6 is reasonable for
Black. although he has not been
able to carry out his main idea.
7 f6 8 ~e3 0-09 dS
9fS?!
One can only say that such
situations present the vast
majority of Black players with
 Quiet Systems

Ihe game. White is having to Suttles was always quite

make critical decisions all the undogmatic. If a move had to be
lime and he may well go wrong played. so be it! The point of
(as Janosevic does here). 10....i.xd4 is to try to shut down
Objectively. Rlack's whole idea White's-light squared bishop and
looks dubious to me. but it is pan create an outpost on eS for a
of the rich 'Hippo' complex and knight.
deserves to be included in this
book. Instead 9 ...tOn 10 If'Id4 11 ilxd4
~b8 11 'Wd2 cS 12 If)e6 .itxe6
13 dxe6 1t'x:5 14 f4 is poor for 11 ~xd4 cS 12 .i.e3 f4 13 ~d2
Black. But 9...cS! 10 h3 5 is the tOeS 14 .cl gS.
way to go if Black want to play
...CS. lie cut" the knight out of 11 f4 1l du6 bxc6
d4.

10 tOci4

10 dxc6! bxc6 11 ~4 ~S
12 tOxc6 tOxc6 13 .dS+ tOf7
14 "xc6 .id7 IS "dS .c7
gives Black compensation; how
much is difficult to say.
13 .i.c4+?!
10.i.xd4!
13 .c4+

A) 13 ... ~g7 14 .xc6 fxc3

IS .xa8 Wb6 (IS ... exf2+
16 ~hl) 16.d5 ext2+ 17 ~hl
"xb2 18 -"3;

B) 13 ... tOf7 14 1i'xc6 :b8

15 .lcl 0

77
Quiet Systems

When given the opportunity to

do so, Black hits very hard; in
fact he keeps pounding away
until Janoscvic falls ovcr!

lZ 'ifb4 Ile8 13 b3 ltJe5

24 M 1Ih6

... may or may not be OK for

Black; the point is that it is
frightening for White to face at
the board. (15 ... lL'Ib6!? 16 'ifb5
~5 17 'ifb3+ ~h8) 16 gill
lLJde5 17 "a4 .i.h3 18 Ad 1.

13.. ~f7 14 i.xf4

White has been suitably Something has got to give

confused. but 14 i.cl ~b6 around the white king.
IS i.b3 i.a6 16:e I cS is quite
OK for Black. 15 :d5 l;)14 26 ~l(14 .txg4

14...e5 With the idea of ... ~3.

Obviously, Black now has 17 b4 nul 18 :rdl ':e8 29 e5

scrious counterplay.
IS 1Ifxd6 e:xf4 16 :adl "g5
16... f3 looks very dangerous.
29 nd8+ %IfS! 30 ltxcH .txc8
31 1!t'c4+ <it'h8 32 1Ifd4+ 1Ig7
33 .xg7+ G;x.g7 34 Ilc I i.e6
35 :C7+ llf7

17 i.xf7+ %lxf7 18 .xc(; fJ 29....A.e6 30 lld8+ nxd8

19 13 li)b6 20 lDd5 i.d7 31 Ilxd8+ <it>g7 31
21 "d6ll)c4 33 ~n "15
5 "cl ....
78
 Quiet Systems

A nice square, threatening The move-order ha-; heen

simultaneously ...'ifh3 and tweaked a little, but the early a4
...""1+. White cannot stop both. is in my vicw a better way for
White to play. Black's plans to
34 l%d6"'1+ 0-1 expand on the queenside with
... b7-b5 arc halted! Of course,
I cannot state that this White could have no inkling at
particular idea is I00010 sound this stage that Black is going to
but it is certainly an interesting put his knight on h6 come what
addition to Black's annoury in may.
the classical Modem. A murky
position was all that a talented 6.itJh6!? 7 h4
player like Sunles needed to try
and win the game and crucially,
to enjoy the game of chess.
That's what it's ultimately all
about.

S.Hutchlngs White
I.Hakkl Black
Olympiad, Buenos Aires 1978

I e4 g6 2 d4 .i.g7 3 ~t3 d6
4 lOt3 c6 S a41tJd7 6 .id
This has to be the critical test.
Other moves will simply
transpose to what has gone
before. Can Black survive after
7 h4 ? It will be a rough ridc and
he has to react in the centre as
quickly as possible.

7c7 8 bS eS 9 hlg6 hlg6

10 dieS

79
Quiet Systems

10 a5 sees White playing on 12.i.e3 tOc6 13 'ilt'd2 tOg4!

both flanks. Perhaps this is a 14 1I"h8+
little too ambitious. and after
10... exd4 11 tOxd4 it)e5 12 a6 The only other try was
bxa6 13 .i.xa6 "'6 Black has 14 0-0-0. Then 1 like taking off
good counterplay. the bishop: 14...tOxd 15 1!fxc3
'fIe7 16 lihh8+ .txh8 17 nhl
i.g718:h7~!

So ... very direct. Has While

achieved anything special? I am 19 g3 Wg8 and Hlack repels
not surc. Hc has no real threats boarders.
other than to develop and hope
that his pieces find better squares 14... J.xh8 15 0-0-0 t;)xe3
than Black. The fate of the 16 'W'u3 ~f6! 17 "'h6 'iVe7
knight on h6 will be the critical 18 "'h7
element, although Black appears
to be able to play ... lOh6-g4 White has to be quick because
when necessary. Black is simply playing ....i.d7
and 0-0-0 with an edge. thanks to
11 ...it)f8! thc two bishops.

The knight wi 11 come to e6. 18...i.d7 19 "'&8+ "1'8

keeping an eye on d4 and f4. 20 .,,1'8+ it)"f8

80

I think we can safely evaluate
this position as equal. Long-tenn
I like the bishop on t~ as long as
Black can deal with the idea of
two whitc knights ganging up on
eS.
21 ~bl .114 22 ~bd2 ~e7
23 i..e2 ~e6
Very comfortable play.
24 b3 ~f4 25 .1n l:lh8
26 ~c4 i.xtJ 27 pfJ b6 28 b4
~e6 29 cl i.IS+ 30 Citb1 f6
lA_lA
81
Quiet Systems
Summary
There seems absolutely no
reason why Black should not
employ the Hippopotamus
against White's classical system,
or any quieter system of
development for that matter.
White must keep a small edge if
there is any justice in the game
of chess but it is not the type of
advantage which can bc easily
increased or even detected! We
have seen very strong players
fail to come to tenns with the
problems that Black is posing.
As usual, it's a murky struggle
with all to play for. If that's the
way you like to play chess with
the Black pieces, there's nothing
to be afraid of here.
 Systems with an early .ie3
or .ig5
Intro
There are certain White
systems against which Black
must show at least an element of
respect in his play. I place lines
where White develops his
queen's bishop early ftrmly into
that category. The point is that
White's play will usually be very
direct, involving ~h6 some-
where, with a quick kingside
attack to follow, and Black
cannot hang back. He has to seek
counterplay immediately. As a
parallel I mention the Yugoslav
Attack in the Dragon. One
wasted move there by Black and
he's dead. The situation is not
quite as serious in the Modem
but you know what I mean. I'll
try lo identify those variations
where the Hippo strategy is
viable. Typically they will
82
involve lines where White has
answered ... a7-a6 with al-a4 or
where castling long for White is
unattractive. When White can
still castle long and push his
kingside pawns, I advocate
... b7-b5 as quickly as possible to
distract him from his standard
attacking plan. Any delay there
is fatal for Black.
If the time, the circumstances
and the position on the board are
right, even the very best players
in the world can be attracted by 11
Hippo formation.
J.Gallagher While
R.Ponomariov Black
lliel2000
1 e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3 ttJc3 d6
4 ~c3 a6 5 W'd2 lLld7 6 a4 b6
 SY.'items with an ear(y Jl.eJ or i.g5

This is about the only time I 13 -*.hS lDf6 14 .tllg6 fxg6

would recommend a 'three row' M.Rogovoi-N.Nikolaev, Petroff
system. White has commiued Memorial 2000;
himself with a4.
H i.d3 ..tb7 9 0-0 h6 10 h3
7li'lf3 tOe7 1I /i)e2 lDf6 12 lDg3 dS
13 exdS lDfxdS with count~
Or 7 f3 cS 8 dS ~gf6 9 Jl.h6 play, P.Kamik-Y.Ianov, Policka
.A.xh6 1() t1rxh6 eS 11 ~ge2lDg8 1996.
12 "d2 liJe7 13 "'6 ~g8=
Z .Gyi mesi - I. I bragimov, 1 h6!? 9 h3
Pyramiden-Franken Cup 2000.
9 Adl liJe7 10 0-0 .tb7 I)
7e6!? Afel ~f6 12 dS cS 13 h3 lDhS
14 g4 li'lf6 IS .e2 gS
W.Rosen-G.Chepukaitis. World
Seniors 1999. Black plans
...lDg6-f4.

9~c7 100-0 -*.b7 11 Are]

Now White must start thinking

for himself and given
Gallagher's tendancy to get into
time-trouble we can see a further
reason for Black's choice of
opening.

l.i.e4 1115
8 .le2 .lb7 9 h3 h6 10 0-0 Where 10 go from here with
tOe7 11 Aad I g5 12 llJh2 ~g6 Black? Ponomariov decides to

83
Systems with an early i.e3 or i.g5

play a risky-looking move, 140-0 15 .i.d3

continuing the game plan of
running down Gallagher's clock. IS as dS 16 exdS bS! 17 ~d3
I would guess 11 ... ~f8 is ~xdS ISlL\xdS i.xd5 19 c3 t"5;
bizarre, but a serious option. Thc IS i.c2 cS 16 :ad I 1fc7.
position is closed and Black runs
his king to h7, freeing up the 15...c5
l:lh8. If White gets impatient he
may well find the position
blowing up in his face: 12 dS eS
13 as bS 14.i.a2 fs.

16 dxc5?!

Missing his chancc to play

16 dS, which was the only
possibility of gaining an
11 ... ~f6 is also a possibility.
advantage. Finkel then gives the
so Black is not short of moves.
following line as bcttcr for
White: 16 d5! lLIe5 17 ~f1 :J.e8
12 ~b2 ~g6 13 ~n
(Here, I think 17...d7 18 JZadI

~f4 IS ~g3;t) 14 ~b3

1S ~2 cxdS 16 iLxdS ~xdS
.to
13 dS!? ~deS (B ... cS 14 ~n exdS 19 exdS ttae8 is un
improvement. The point is to use
the n~ morc aggressively, e.g.

17 .xdS 0-0 18 lL\g3;t 20 t4$ gxf4 21 ~xf4 ~h7 with

possibly ...:88 10 follow.)
13 ~f6 14 4'lg3 18 nad I cxdS 19 exdS 1!t'd7
20 f4;t Finkel. The problem with
14 dS 'Wc7 IS ~g3 g4 16 i.f1. 16 dxcS?! is clear: White cedes

84
 Syslem.\' with an ear~v iLe3 or ~g5

the centre. Perhaps Gallagher 28 ttJxe4 ~xe4 29 ttJg3 ~g6

thought he could restrain the 30 "'e2
centre pawns or even pick them
otT coming forward. It doesn't 30 b3 cxb3 31 cxb3 iLc2
work out for him. 32 "'c2 i.xb3 33 'tIt'eR+ lth7
34 .1d3+ ~g6+
16... hu5 17 lladl 'ili'c7
18 .e2 dS 30...d3 31 cxd3 cxd3 32 'ife8+
'itth7 33 iLe3 "dS-+ 34 iLd2
Why not take the opportunity .ixb2 35 O?! i.e5! 36 ttJe4
to expand in the centre? .ixe4 37 fu4 'ifd4+ 38 ~h 1
"'fl! 0-1
19 exd5 exd5 20 iLcl litae8
21 'ii'd2 ttJb4! 22 l1xe8 Ibe8 A.Greet While
23 :el nxel+ 24 'ihel c4! S.Conquest Black
25.in d4 British Championship,
Douglas 2005
Driving White back.
1 d4 g6 2 e4 .1g7 3 ttJc3 d6
4 i.e3 86 5 ~f3

26ttJce2

26 ~e4 ~e4 27 ttJxe4 lie5

28 D CS 29 iLxc4+ ;,i{hR 30 1i'b4 It seems to me that many,
.axe4 31 fxe4 "'g3-+ Finkel. many players arc churning out
this stuff expecting an opening
26......c5 27 'ifdl ~e4 advantage.

liS
Systeml' with an early i..e3 or i.g5

S. ~7 6 i..c4

A classical development of this

piece,

6e6

A) 9 111d2 h6! An absolutely

key move, preventing both i.gS.
disrupting, and ..th6 at any
stage. 10 ~e 1 lOdf6 Denying
White fl-f4 and egging him
forward in the centre. 11 f3
Of course! Black shuts down (11 dS eS 12 h3lOe7 I3lOd3 gS)
the bishop. 11.. .dS 12 exdS exdS 13 .i.b3
~7 14 ~21Of5 15 .i.f4 g5 16
7 84 b6 8 0..0 ~7
.ic5 0-0 17 c3 U.l>irr-L.Thicdc.
I suppose there are various Gennany 2004 and now 17 ...llc8
scenarios where Black might gives Black a perfectly playable
benefit from leaving his bishop position.
on c8. I'm thinking of a variation
where White plays d4-d5, Black B) 9 ncl 9...li'\gf6 10 ~t~ 0-0
...e6-eS in response and then the 11 .if} Ilc8 12 .tgl cS 13 .ixd6
bishop is in pole position to cxd4 14 fud4 lOcs 1 darcsay
support ... f7-f5! But such lines both players were happy with
are rare; White doesn't hurry to this result; it certainly looks that
close the centre, 8 ... i..b7 is of way!
course natural and probably
makes little difference at this 9 'ilfd2 h6 10 h3 lLb7 11 Ilfel
stage: tLlf6

86
 Systems with an early .i.eJ or ~5

Why not? Black takes the

initiative.

14 bq4 fug4 15 .i.g3 ~R6

16~1

I was commentating live at the

8riililh Championships on the
game and it became clear at this
point that Greet dido't have the
faintest idea what to do. White
has amngcd his pieces in the
usual pretty picture but what 16...b5!
next? Seeing this and other
similar games ifs clear to me A strong move and distinctly
that White has real problems annoying for Greet who finds
placing his bishops correctly himself on the back foot with the
against the Hippo; this is the key white pieces after only 16
opening problem to solve. moves! What advice can one
offer apart from try to sit tight!
12 .t.r4 as 13 .i.bl
17 : .. 1
13 .ig3 would have al least
saved a little time, but you could 17 ~g4 bxg4 18 :adl :h7!
not say that the position is at all gives Black all the chances.
clear: 13 ...~g6 14 dS eS IS as
b5 16 .t.d3ltlhS (16... g4 17 hxg4
.ic8!) 17 .i.b2 ~f4.
This one was a shock to the
1314 audience; a move which nobody

87
Systems with an early i.e3 or i.g5

could understand and particular- 22 .th2 ~b6 23

ly when Black has a very -..5 ~f6 25 . 0 <3;,7 26 -..3
.f3
~b7 24

promising alternative: 17 ... h4!

18 ~xg4 (18 i.xd6 ~x f2! Greet recognises that all he can
19 "xf'2 cxd6 20 :n "c7~) do is refrain from weakening his
18 ... hxg3 19 fxg3 c5!=F White position and wait for Black.
creaks on the dark squares.
26..:.g8 27 d5 e5

27 ... i.c8 28 dxe6 .t.xe6

18 ~g4 hxg4 19 i.e2 i.h6 29 he6 "xe6 is not quite as
201Vd3 .g5 demonstrates that accurate. With the exchange of
Black is still fully in charge of queens comes relief for White.
the initiative.
28 ll)e3 i.lle3 29 fn3
18g5 19 ~f3 We7 20 ~h2
Sacrificing the exchange to try
~f621 ~n h4
and get a bit of counterpJay.
29 Le3 .t.e8!

Vast amounts of time were .. .Ieaves the queen with no

being eaten up over these moves;
clear evidence that Hippo
positions arc sometimes difficult
to pJay. White has problems: his
king is in the firing line!
squares. After 29 .xc3 lf~g4
30 1!i'h3 (30 "0 ~c8) Greet
probably found 30 ... J.c~ un-
attractive. Hc's worse, he's
defending and he's got no time.

KK
 Systems with an ear{v i.e3 or i.g5

29....ic8 30 .13 .tg4 31 ..n G.Todorovic While

.i.xdl 32lt'llldl a5 B.Damljanovic Black
Yugoslav Championship.
I dare~ay with more time Tivat 1995
Conquest would have settled for
32 ... ~e4 33 ~xa6 _g5+ 1 e4 g6 2 d4 iLg7 3 li'Ic.'l d6
4~g5
33 li'Ifl <km 34 .te2 I1g7
35 -*.13 ed7 36 b3 h3

Pointed. My own preference is

The concentration of force for a7-a6 as quickly as possible
against the white king is here but Damljanovic shows that
considerable. In every respect Black can adopt a Hippo-like
36... h3 is the correct move. formation.

37 g3 It'lh4 38 .cl 4 h6

3ft .i.h I ~e7 39 lLlxh.3 lLlg6 Well. why not?

40 .ig2 Ilgh7-+
38 lLlllf3+ 39 'i1sf3 :th6
40 c4 'itJe7 41 ~n lLlg4
42 ~xg4 :xg4 43 ~c2 lU6
44 ..... :gg6 45 nn _g4+
46 ~d3 :xfl 47 'lxn lU6
48 'ilfe2:0 49 .el f5 0-1
5.ie3
5 .i.h4 strands the bishop a
little offside and. as usual in such
situations, a quick ...c7-c5 solves
Black's problems: 5...~f6 6 ~e2
eS! 7 cS Or the black queen

89
Systems with an early i.e3 or .i.g5

comes to b6 or as, with effect. 10.d2 eS 11 dxeS dxeS

7...~ 8 dxc5 Itlf4 9.i.g3 dxe5 12 ()-() a6 13 :Cd I .i.b7
10 .xd8+ ~d8 II ()-()-()+ .i.d7
12 J.O ~6= W.Un7.icker-
M.Botvinnik. Moscow 1956.

7 ...bS 8 eSi

8 ... ~bd7 9 .id b6!?

... would he typically fiddly by

Black. White has only a nominal
advantage: 14 .d6 (14 .lc4 nd8
15 .e2 b5 16 axbS cxbS 17 .idS
()-() 14...xd6 15 l:lxd6 .t.ffi
16l1d3 as~

11 .d2 ~h7 12 l:tfdl l:tb8

keeps either of the Black plans
Would you call this a Hippo'! mentioned earlier on the boil.
It's the closest I could find.
Black has two ways to gain
further countcrplay as far as I
A move which stands or falls
can sec. He can aim for a quick
on Black's ability to cope with
... c7-c5 as per the game, or he
1tlc4.
may play .. ':b8, ...a6 and then
... b6-b5 although my instinct 11 dieS dieS 13 1tX4 .1.61
tells me it will be difficult to
time this right. But not 13 ... l:td8 14 Wd6
.xd6 I 5 ~d6 .trs 16 ~xc8
10 o.e l:tdxc8 17 as

90
 Sysll!m.~ with an ear(v .i.e3 or J..g5

14'1t'd2 Damljanovic coped pretty well

with the opening problems and
Black has equalized. All these
fianchetto positions require a
14. Jlad8! sense of good timing; I must
make this point again and again.
Patience and knowing when to
shift gears are the vital skills
needed.

22 .. J:ld4!?

23 "'0 bS 24 ub5 cxbS

Sbarply seen. Black has 25 .id3 l%b4
counterplay against c4.
2S ... J:d4 26 'tIt'b7 with
IS .i.xh6 countcrplay.

15 "'cl cJ;h7-=
26 ~fe1 as!

IS ..~cS 16 'irel .i.xc4

17 i.xc4 lld4 18 b3

18 J.d3 ~"d3 19 cxd3 i.xh6

20 .xh6 l1xd3-";

18 JLxg7 ~xg7 19 .id3 ~xd3

20 cxd3 J:fd8 21 :adl 'iVd6-
Belov.
If you wondered who's playing
18 lOcxe4 19 JLxg7 ~xg7 on for the win it is certainly
20 lLixe4 :lxe4= Black. He has the possibility of

9)
System... with an ear(l' .J.eJ or ll,g5

creating an outside pa...sed pawn 38 ...:bJ+ I(K)ks like the tK.~1

and every single piece of his is way to shepherd the pawn up the
on a dark square, rendering board: 39 cbh2 (39 ~f2 lIb2+
White's bishop ineffective. 40 cJtf1 :tb3 41 ~f4 al 42 ~e5
a2) 39 ... :al Black's play
27 'iVe3 'iVxe3 28 ltxe3 e4 lowards the end of this game is
29 .1e2 J:lc8 30 :'dl :'cS 31 f3 way below par; pcrhap~ he was
short of time.
31 i.d I taJ5 32 :'e 1 ll)c3+
39 ~h2 :'c4 40 ~bJ J:lb4
31 4! 32 bn4 bn4 33 fxe4 41 c;l?h2 gS 42 .i.c6 nf4 43 .i.d7
il)xe4 34 J:ld7 :'xd+ :'d4 44 .1c6

Black should really go on to

winnow. 44 ... f5?!

35 :.7 :c3 36 Ibc3 iLlxc3 An odd move, exposing the

37 .J.g4 ~f8 black pawns. Much better was
44 .. Jilc4 45 .id7 *87 46 .ic8
37 ... ~f6! is more active: :f4 and lllack's advantage
38 .td7 ..t.>g5 39 Ac8 f6 40 :g7 persist...
a3 41 l:xg6+ ~f5 42 .1fl lIb2-+
(42 ...12 43 g4+). 45 :.5 f4

38 .id7 :d4 45 ...:f4 46 g3 :12+ 47 ;'g1.

92
 Systems with an early.t.eJ or ~j

59....bJ

461bgS? a3 47 :as &2-+ S9 ...lL:S+ 60 ~e6 (60 ~g4

:C3) 6O...AxhS 61 :XaJ :hl'"
46~1
60 ~ :13+ 61 ~15 IIb3
Seller is 46.. .Ad3. 61 ~14 :c3 63 15 :b3 64 ~f4
:c3 65 h6+ ~"7 66 ~e5 :bJ
47 :s&5 a3 48 :85= lZd3 67 WeN :n
68 ~e4 lid 69 ~f4
49 .t.D fOe3 lZd3 70 ~5 :&3+
49...~f2 50 h4 ne3 5 I hS Ac I 70 ...:'c3? 71 :.7+ ~h8
52 g4 fxg3+ S3 ~xg3;t; 72 ~g6 lIg3+ 73 ~ti+-

5Oh411cJ51 h5~n+S1Wh3 71 ~ ebb6 71 Wf7+ ~b7

~Z 53 ~4liBD 54ldJ ~ 73 fi :e3 74 WfB :bJ 75 n al
SS~~ 76 :Sal J:b8+ 77 ~e7 :b7+
78 We6 :b6+ 79 ~e7 Ih-I,h

4 ...h6 is by no means the most

exciting or effective way 10
proceed against 4 .lgS, but it i.'
playable for Black. I don 'I really
sec any other way 10 gel a decent
Hippo-like opening position.

Suddenly it is Black who has

10 struggle 10 draw. So LII nol to leave you high and
dry I'll finish wilh a couple of
5S.Wh6 56 ~ :c4+ 57 f4 brief, recent examples where
:c3 51 :86+ ~7 59 ~ While does not play 84 and
Black gets going on the
59 ~g5 Jlg3+ 60 ~f5 :b3. queenside with I'uccess.

93
System.v with an early .le3 or Ag5

A.Kizov White
G.Ardelean Black
Montenegro Open.
Sozina 2004

I d4 g6 1 e4 .tg7 3 ttlo d6
4 ttlc3 .6 S .te3 ttlr6 6 Wfdl

Absolutely critical. Yet our

game will show that Black can
deal with this plan. 10 h4 is
comfortably met by 10... b4 and
Black is defending: 11 ~e2
.txc4 12 .txe4 lDxe4 t 3 'It'xb4
ttld7 14 hS rtbS 15 "'a3 ttldf6
16 hxg6 bxg6

This is the straightforward 10...dxeS!

scheme of development which
more and more White players
are turning to. The idea of
.th6xg7 gives the While
position some bite. The comes
e4-eS or some direct assault
involving h2-h4.
6bS
10 ... ttlg8 also appears
possible, but why go backwards
when you don't need to? 11 "c3
.txn 12 gxO lbd7 13 h4 cS
14 f4 exd4 15 1fxd4 ""6
16 'lfxb6 ~xb6- B.Jarac~
M.Socko, Dl:wir~yno 2004.
Black has nullified the attack.

Black simply has to gel on 11 du5 ~rd7

with it
Black's idea is to fix the pawn
7 .i.dJ .tb7 8 .th6 0-0 on eS and in the long-tenn to try
9 .lxg7 cilxg7 10 cS and win it!

94
 Sy.'tlems with an early .i.e3 or .ig5

16 1Id2 llJcs 17 .i.xc6 .ixc6

18 :hdl

121We3

Ki:loV is expecting to castle

long and gain some advantage .. .looks like White is keeping a
by pinning Black on the d-file. small edge. Black should block
With the black pieces jumbled the file: 18 ...b4 19 lDe2 .i.dS!
up he then intends to sound the 20 ~f4 c6 21 ~b 1 :fd8 22 Ild4
charge with b2-h4. It doesn't a5=
turn out that way. I think that
Black can deal with other moves 16.~b617 ~f4
relatively comfortably: 12 .ie4
~xc4 13 lilxe4 ~b6 14 .e2 Traditional play in this line.
.dS 15 0-0 (IS lOc3 'ffe6 White funnels his knights across
16 0-0-0 lOc6) IS ...lilc6=; to the kingside. Yet, almost out
12 .f4 .ixf3 13 .xf3 c6 of nowhere, Ardelean is able to
14 1Ve3 'iWb6 15 .xb6 ~b6 whip up a counterattack.
16 0-0-0 liJ8d7 17 f4 f6=
17...lilc4! 18 "cl??
12e6
He can't believe Black actually
Creating a square for the queen
has a threat and goes wrong right
on e7. away! This is a very common
mistake when you think you
13 i.e4 lilc6 14 8-0-0 .e7 arc in total control. 18 .e2!
15 b4 h5 J6li.:le2 :ad8.

95
Systems with an early .i.e3 or .i.g5

18...tDb4! here would be a crime. He has to

start the action.
White is suddenly in desperate
trouble on a2. 6 bS! 7 f3 .i.b7 8 b4 b6

191i'el .i.xe4 201i'xe4ltJxa2+

21 ~bl 'ifb4!

9 g4

Many. many of your opponents

22 "d4 l1ad8 will play this way. They just
push the kingside pawns forward
There is no ongoing way to to gain space and dissuade Black
defend b2. from a later 0-0. The Modem
defender should not feel
0-1
uncomfortable facing this
aggression. He must juggle the
P.Baki White obligations of flcx.ible defence
V.Ianov Black and the preparation of
Gyorgy Marx. Opt:n. Paks 2005 counterplay, but that is the
intellectual challenge after
1 c4 d6 2 d4 g6 3 lLlc3 .i.g7 1... g6. If you cannot cope with
4 ii.e3 a6 S "d2 tDd7 6 0-0-0 this pressure. don't play the
Modem! After'} d5 h5 10 tDh3
White is shaping up for the big cS 11 dxc6 .i.xc6 12 tDd5 lLlgf6
onc. To play slowly with Black 13 lLlxf6+ .i.xf6 14 lLlg5 :c8

96
 System... with an ear~v i.e3 or i.g5

An casy idea to remember.

Black prepares ...c7-cS, with his
rook in the right place.

10 gS hxgS 11 .i.xg5 cS

Black. has very satisfactory

countcrplay on the c file. He has
a good version of the Dragon.
White has no breakthrough in
sight and the knight on gS is
simply misplaced. IS ~d4 'ilc7
16 .i.xf6 ~xf6 17 i.d3 lQd7
18 f4ll\cS 19 f5 gxf5 20 exfS f6 The second key move.
21 ~ ~c6 22 fxc6 ~dR! It's a turbo-charged Hippo.
23 nhgl 'iVb6 24 "'f4 i.e8 unrecognisable from the original
2S .g3 ~c6 26 :tge 1 Q;c7 beast.
27 .g7 Ilce8 28 ~g6 :bg8
29 'ii'h7 .J:.h8 30 .g7 :hg8 12 duS tiJus 13 .i.h3 b4!
31 1rh7 In-In V.Koziak- 14 ttJels b3!!
N.Bezold. Neuhausen 2004.

9':c8!

Baki certainly didn't expect

this one. All the good things

97
Systems with an early L3 or J.g5

about Black's position come into 20'tib6 21 Wfe2 l%b4 22 .i.cl

play now. White may already be ~r6
lost.

15~bl

The variations are easy if

While moves his queen. IS 1i'e 1
.txd5 16 exd5 bxa2 17 ~d2
l:tbS-+; 15 We3 bxa2 16 ~d2
.txb2 17 .i.xcs .txeS!-+

Black might even castle in a

minute...

23lLlbJ

... unless White plays this one.

25 .cl
23 J:tbxb4 24 lie 1 lLle4
.cS 0-1

White woke up and counted

IS.,fue4 the pieces. A brilliant, short
game by fonov.
Not that this isn'l easy to
understand. All of White's Summary
kingside advances arc rendered
irrelevant. This chapter has been very
brief, because there are only a
16 fs.e4 bxc2+ 17 c,!tal few circumstances where the
cxdl=W+ 18 .xdll1c419 .tg2 Hippo approach functions
.txdS 20 exdS properly. You are advised to be
more direct, as our last two
20.xd511e2! examples show.

98
 A Hero of the Hippo
Where did Doris Spassky gel
bis enthusiasm tor the I1ippo?
Possibly from Dr Max Ujtelky,
whose iconoclastic intcrpretation
of I ... g6 earned him the right to
pat his name behind the defence
before the thought of the
&Modem' camc into being.
Ujtelky wasn't always
successful with l...g6. but he
blazed the trail for the next
peration with his wacky ideas.
R.Spassky White
M.Ujtelky Black
Chigorin Memorial, Sochi 1964
I e4 g6 2 d4 J.g7 3 ~c3 a6
99
It was very bold to play in this
way against the universal
Spa'\sky. However. why not see
how the genius deals with a
weird idea. Ujtelky would not
worry too much about losing;
he wanted experimentation.
originality and to learn
something about chess. Later in
his career Ujtelky would settle
on 3... e6 as his favourite move.
following up with ...4'Je7 and
... d7-d5. a hybrid French if you
like. To my knowledge this is a
totally unexplored area. even
today.
4 ~t3 d6 S .i.c4 e6 6 .i.gS tOe7
7 114 h6 8 i.e3 b6 9 0-0 ~7
lOltel
White has arranged his pieces
in apple-pie order, but is it a case
of all dressed up and nowhere to
go'!
A Hero of the Hippo

... e6-eS where neccssary. We

would see Spassky cmploy a
similar idea against Pctrosian.

I .. .ir.. Ad8 IS h4!

The weight of Black's position

is drifting away from the
kingside and so White starts to
apply the pressure there:.
100-8
Is_.~m 16 .tb31'617 ~bl e5
I think the main reason Black
kccps his bishop on cS is that he
wants to play ...e6-cS and if
White then blocks the centre
with eIS, the bishop is in a
good spot to support ... O-5!
This is a positional point worth
remembering.
11 .d2 ~h7 12 :.dl ~b7
13 .e2 .cS?!

Yct Black's position is hulding

and even hitting back! Onc of
White"s main challenges against
the Hippo is tu place hill bishups
correctly. l'm nut sure that
Spassky got it right here. ,om
equally sun: that Boris was
impressed by Black Os invcntion
and the way in which lJjtelky got
An odd-looking move. a playable game.
B ...eS is also possible, eyeing
84 and preparing ... d6-eIS or 18 .td ~

100
 A Hero of the Hippo

18...exd4 19 ~xd4 cS! 20 ~f3 26 b4! ~xa4 (26 ... .i.xh4

t5! was the way lo go here, with 27 tte5+! .i.tYl 28 'ii'h5) 27 'iih5
Black's pieces opening up for l:ti18 28 .i.xa4
Ktion. Possibly Ujtelky didn't
do &hili hecauliC White had one 23 exfS :txfS 24 ~cl :b5??
extra rook in the centre. A
chance missed! 24 ...1Oc6 25 i.xf5 gxfS
26 ~c4 lbf4 27 i.xf4 J.xf4
19 d Ilf1l20 ~1 f5 28 ...O; 24 ......g8 25 llk4 ~f4
26 .i.xf4 i.xf4 27 1txe7+
Risky. Black's pieces are loose (27 .i.xfS lbxfS) 27 ...:tti
OD the e file ... 28.e2

21 ds:e5 dxe5 25 "'xbS 1~

One can imagine Spassky

pondering this gamc, and
eventually deciding that he could
play 1... g6 better tban this guy.
It was a question of the detail.
Strong players are very receptive
to new ideas.

Ujtelky's record with the

Hippo was mixed. All his games
22 ~l.eS! were interesting.
... and Spassky finds a beautiful
G.Forintos White
way to exploit tbis. Instead
M.Ujtelky Black
22 .i.c2 fxc4 23 .i.xc4 .i.xe4
Chigorin Memorial, Sochi 1964
24 "xe4 lbc5 25 "c2 .g4::;
1 d4 g6 2 e4 i.g7 3 lbc3 a6
4 a4 b6

22 ... lDc5 23 .i.c2 .i.xe5 Preventing the cramping a4-

24 exf5 i.f6 2S fxg6+ ~g7 a5.

101
A Hero of the Hippo
5 .i.c4 e6 6lDgeZ
It looks like White intends to
play f4-5.
6._d6 7 0-0 lDe7 8 .tbJ
Sidestepping ...d6-dS.
8..0-0
Once again he leaves his
bishop on cS.
9 ~J cS
With f4-f5 on the horizon, it is that, otherwise Black just gel8
important to create a central a massive kingside attack.
diversion.
10 d5 e5
Now the bishop on cS is in a
perfect position 10 support
... 17-CS.
102
11 ~cel ~7
Ifs clear that 11 ... t3
... was an alternative. I guess
Forintos was planning 12 f4 atler
and then 12..lQd7 13 c4 fxe4
14 ~xe4 lDf6 leads to
approximately level play. In
keeping with the messy image of
his opening. Ujtelky refuses to
clarify matters.
12 iLc4 J:b8 13 .d3 lIaB!?
14 cl .c7 15 Ae3 "'7
J have to prefer IS ... CS now.
with a very acceptable po!;ition
for Rlack. White's queen and his
knight on g3 seem mi!;placcd to
me.
16 :83 b6 17 "d2 ltb7
18.cl

This is an odd game, with a lot
of strange manoeuvering going
on. Forintos does not exactly
know what to do and in these
cases frustrating the opponent's
plan is a good idea, while at the At last!
same lime not weakening one's
own position. Does 18 "'c2
reaJ1y prevent 18... f5 ? I'm not
sure ...
Why not ]8 .. fS 19 cxfS gxfS
20 f4 c4 21 :dllOf6
103
A Hero of the Hippo
I would be very happy to take
Black here.
19 :b3 lOr6 20 : . I lOg4
2J ..tell rs
II f3 1Of6 23 e:lfS lOsfS
24 "'d3 ..td7 2S ion6 "'sdS
26 1fxdS lLlxdS 27 ..td3 !iJc7
28 c4 ..te6 29 tiJe4 :rd8
30ltbaJ dS
What happened to the white
centre? I played Forintos several
times and it was obvious he had
a problem with his clock. In
some ways he was like a lesser
Reshevsky; endlessly inventive
and a great fighter, brilliant in
time trouble, but not the most
practical player in the world.
Maybe this is why Black delayed
action for so long and White too
for that matter!
A Hero of Ihe Hippo

31 cxd5 .txd5 32 ~d .te6 Most practical players that I

33 ~b5lt)lb5 34 axb5 know would have played 46 ~f2
very quickly. This has to be
34 .ixb5 ~4 is very good for right; White must force the pace
Black. and get his bishop out of the pin.
By leaving the black pawn on c4,
34 c4 35 .to It)d4 36:c1 Forintos invites a problem.
It)xb5 37:'6 46 ... :d2+ 47 ~gl I1xb2
48 ..txc4 .ixe4 49 };{xc4 .ih6
37 l:e3 :bc8+ 50 ~fl.

37...lOd6 38 .ie3 li'Ille4 46..tb6 47 Wfl :!cl! 48 Itd

39 fIe4 Ildc8! 40 :xb6 :xb6
41 .txb6 Ilb8 42 .ic7 :'e8 48 lhcl .txcl 49 i.a3 c3 is
43 .id6 h5 game over.

48.id2 49l:a3 lid 50 :.7+

~g8 51 :.8+ ~g7

A prelude.

52 :.7+ .in! 53 .i.e2 ..tcl

Now White will rue the missed

opportunity to simplify.

44 Ad?! 54 .tal cl 0-1

44 lla 1 l:d8 45 :a6 .tg8 46

~f2 was without doubt a better Overall. a good game by
way to proceed. The game move Ujtelky, who outplayed Forintos
gets the white rook in a mess. initially with his obscure
opening and after that by sheer
44.lId8 45 .i.c5 l:dl 46:d persistence!

104
 A Hero of the /lippo

S.Wagman White 6 ~f3 l1'.e7 7 .te2 b6 8 0-0

M.Ujtelky Black .tb7 9 "eJ ~d7 10);tal
Reggio Emilia 1965

I e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3 lbc3 d6
4f4a6

He would rather play 'itb4, but

he's waiting for Black to castle
first. Ujtclky does not oblige.
I'm sure White has designs of
The popularity of 4 ... a6 has
:a3-h3 too if he can clear the
fluctuated over the years with
third rank. This all assumes
current thinking weighted in
Black does nothing.
favour of White. 4 ... a6 was not
invented by Ujtelky, but he soon
JO dS
puts his own special slant on this
exciting variation. In general
Black's plan consists of moves
such as ... b5, ....tb7, ... ~d7 and
a quick ... c7-c5! Kotov won
games using precisely this
method. Wagman moves to stop
it.

S a4 e6!?

5...~6! is an effective move Putting his own personal stamp

here. Black goes his own way. on the game.

105
A Hero of/he Hippo

11 exd5 Black, with ... .:.aeX lO follow. So

Wagman lashes out.
Now, if I I c5 then II...c5! and
Black is in reasonable shape. 13.. f6

1l ...exd5 12 f5

14 fxg6?

12.. 0-0! Simply doesn't work. White

has to try 14 i.. f4 tbxfS 15 ..idJ
The moment of truth. Black ne8 16 ~2 with a small amount
knows he will come under of compensation. although
attack, but he figures that the hardly enough if the defencc is
:a3 and the lDc3 arc not ideal up to scnllch.
and meanwhile he has ... c7-c5 at
his disposal. It's a judgement call 14.. fxg5 15 gxh7+ ~b8
and a good one I think. 16ltJxg5

13 ~g5 16 'ii'd2 tne6 17 h3 g4 I R hxg4

lDf6 is winning for Black.
13 fxg6 fxg6 14 .i.g5 lbf6
leaves White with the dilemma 16.. :it'e8
about how to improve his
position further. For instance, if 16 ... Axd4+ was good too:
15 .i.d3 'fi'd6 16 a5 b5 17 "'e5 17 o;t>hl :xfl+ I~ 'a'xf1 (18
"'d7 is positionally OK for .txfl "'e8 19 ..td3 ~e5 20 _g3

106
 A Hero of tire Hippo

ll)xd3 21 "'xd3 i.f6 22 ll)e6 20 g4.ie6 21 ~f6 "'e7 22 110

~5-+) 18...f8 19 ll)e6 "'xfl + ltJd7
20 .txfl i.e5-+
Deep Fritz demonstrates that
17 lhf8+ It)d8 18 "'f2ltJeg6 22 ... i.xg4 wins rather easily:
23 ll)(7+ (23 ~xg4 'ii'xg5)
23 ....xt7 24ll)xg4 "'d7-+

23 lLlxd7 .xgS 24 &5 lLluS

White runs out of heart and out

of pieces.

0-1

To finish, an extraordinary
19l1)ce4! effort where Ujtelky goads one
of the most feared attacking
Ingenious.
players of all.
19.i.c8!

And a cool response. The idea R.Nezhmetdinov White

is that if 19 ... dxe4 20 tDt7 + M.UJtelky Black
'.trxh7 21 lbg5+ ~h8 22 :b3+ Chigorin Memorial, Sochi 1964

1 e4 g6 2 d4 .ig7 3 ll)c3 d6
4 .ic4 e6

It helps to have a bishop on c4.

5 ll)f3 ll)e7 6 h4 h6

Note the reaction. Black

answers 7 h5 with g5. Whilst
.
... IS
.
a wmner.
, that might still be good for

107
A Hero of the Hippo

White, most players would not Black continues his

want to commit themselves this manoeuvring, although in this
early. case a6 needed to he defended.
Ujtelky asks NC7.hmetdinov
7 .i.f4 a6 8 .e2 lLld7 'What is your idea?'

Here, he could certainly try 16 .i.b3 1617 ne1 'itf718.let

S...bS 9 .i.d3 lLlbc6 with ideas c6
of ...lLlb4, ...lLlxd3 and ....tb7.
Maybe I'm the wrong type of
guy to play this slow stuff...

9 a4 b6 10 Ildl .i.b7

How should you classify a

position like this'! Black is
keeping White at bay. I
personally find Black's play too
passive in this game.

19 lLlcI2 dS 20 a5
Very pretty by White and
where to go from here'! 20 exdS cxd5 21 h5 gS leaves
nothing clear at all.
11 ~fI!?
20 bS 21 lLlo Wc7 22 .td2
He is baffled by the lack of .tc8 23lLla2 ~h7 24lLlb4 :lheR
contact. 25 ~d..1 ~f8 26 .tf4

1I li\f8 12 c;t>gl .c8 13 i.b3 I think White missed a chance

1t'd7 14 1Ib3 IldR IS .tc4 .cR here: 26 eS CS 27 :g3 ttxi7

108
 A Hero of the Hippo

28 .i.b4. The threat of a kingside he is the exchange down. Having

altack combined with White's
ability to stop ... c6-cS makes the
black position unattractive. For
instance: 28 ....i.~ 29 .d2 ~g8
30 ..td6 .txd6 31 exd6 .xd6
32 t;\feS+
said that, White has to find the
right way to break in. How about
preparing g2-g4!
36 ~ I?!
Time-trouble perhaps? 36 00
could be played.

28 .e3 ~g8 29 li.)cs ~7 36....i.nS 37 dxeS .ICS

30 ~d7 jlxd7 31 c3. with the 38 ~ 739 .id cS
idea of .i.c2 and g4, was to be
considered. Black is right back in the
game.
:a
18.1Ib6 29 1 ~h7?

29 .. .Ild7. ~nS 43 .cI

40 b4 ~ 41 .83 c4 42 ~c:S
bS 44 l:g3 ~7

30 ..t.S 7 31 .i.xd81bd8
32 Wd2 .tb7 33 .as :ta8
J4 lL\c5 .i.e8 35 cl ~f8

4S~Ie6??

He just lost it psychologically.

Unable to pierce the black pawn
The manoeuvres continue. He front. Nezhmetdinov goes
seems not 10 care onc whit that haywire with an unsound piece

109
A Hero of the Hippo

sacrifice. And having provoked .cS

S9 'iVellDd4 60:f6+ <7\fe6
the mistake. Ujtelky's subscqu- 61:aS 1IVb6 62 h6 ~d6 63 b7
ent play is faultless. cl 64 :.1 cl 6S nI' nh8 66 .7

4S ~n6 46 'ii'h6 ~dfB

47 .txtS gxtS 48 l:el .i.d7
49 .xhS+ ~e7 50 .d5

White has left himself with no

planS.

SO...'ii?d6 SI hS as 52 .e5+
~c6 S3 l:dl ~c7 54 :.1 ""8
SS buS b4!
The contrast between the
spread-out white position and
Black's perfectly centralised
formation is extraordinary.

66.....,,2 67 :th6 ~e2+

68 ~h2 d=. 69 l:xd ttJul
70 s .i.c6 71 6 'i'e5+
72 g3 ~b3 73 r4

Suddenly it is While who has 73 a8=. La8 74 "xa8 .i.xa8

some very serious defending to 7S h8=.1fxh8 76 lhh8 Ac6
do.
77 f4 might have lasted longer.
but the d pawn must win.
56 cxb4

56 h6 b3 57 h7 ~7 58 ':g6+ 73 .....,2+ 74 ~b3 ~bc5

.d6 61 .f7
ltle6 59 Le6+ .txe6 60 .xe6+ 75
~g5 62 .g7 ~e4
.8=.
0-1

wins. Which queen shall we take

first? Either capture wins
56....xb4 57 An ~e6 58.6 quickly.

110
 Friends of the Hippo

Intro I.Serplk While

P.Dlatny Black
So far we've examined a more US Open. Los Angeles 2003
or less conventional 'Modern'
move order that enables Black to 1 e4 b6!?
reach his Hippo' position.
However. there's absolutely no
reason why Black should
mechanically trot out 1... g6,
2... J.g7 and 3...d6 as his first
three moves! In this chapter I'm
going to take a look at some very
strange ways 10 start the game.
some of which admittedly
appear ludicrous. But the idea is The Queen's Fianchetto
to throw White off-balance and Defence has a very poor
talk him out of playing some of reputation, quite unjustified in
the more aggressive attacking my opinion. There's a wealth of
systems associated with Black's interesting chess waiting to be
kingside fianchetto. I see the discovered here. For reasons of
Hippo as a very elastic and space, I can only touch on
reactive way to play. Let's this subject here and refer
stretch the black position into a to Hippo/Double Fianchetto
slightly different shape! positions. We saw my game

111
Friends of the Hippo

against Shaw in the introduction White tries to blow Black

to this book; now let's look at away.
further examples.
4f5!
2 d4 .ib7 3 ~d3

Most White players go

3 .id3 automatically, doubtless
expecting 3... e6 and we are
beginning to achieve our aim
already. White has committed
his bishop, and Black bas extra
options against an early f2-f4,
which Blatny is now going to
sbow us.
But this is the excellent reply
3g6!
whieh quite takes the initiative
away from White. Innovator
Blalny will demonslntle lbe
potenlial of Black's fourth
move.

s1lfe2

Now that we have lured the
bishop to d3, the Double
Fianchetto or Hippopotamus
system becomes much more
acceptable.
4 f4
Capturing on f5 sometimcs
works but not herc. Black can
take the rook, e.g. 5 exfS .ixg2
6 fxg6lOf6 7 gxh7 .ig7 8 .ig6+
c;t;f8 9 ll'Io .i.xh 1-+; 5 It'Jd2 is a
reasonable alternative to the text
move.
I suggest 5...lbf6 6 "e2 llX:6
7 c3 fxe4 8 lOxe4 e6 9 lOo .ig7

112
 Friends of the Hippo

and Black's posItIon isn't too 9.113 Ag7

bad. In particular, he doesn't
need to mechanically castle short 9...00 is an alternative.
e.g. 10 h4!1 (10 ~xf6t "xf6 11
~S -.w I! 12 g3 .c7 13 .A.e4 IO~e5
~8 14 ~xb7lt)xb7 15"e4 c6
Looks stronger than it is.
11 Axe4 .f6
16 ~e3 ~d6c..;) 10... ~xe4
12 hS 0-0-0.
IOO-O!
She4

This is the main difference

between the orthodox Modem
move-order and our little
deviation. Black gets to destroy
the white centre.

6 ~se4 .tle4 7 1i'lle4 ~c6

8li'1f3 ~r6=

Typically enterprising. Black

offers a pawn sacrifice which, if
accepted, gives him a tremend-
ous initiative. White can shatter
the pawn structure and decline
the present but thcn the black
pieces becomc very active.

11 ~sc6

There's nothing wrong with Grabbing either pawn cannot

Black's position here. If he be recommended: 11 .c4+ e6
wishcs, hc can hold up the 12 ~xc6 dxc6 13 1Wxe6+
f-pawn with ... e7-e6 and the (13 .xc6 .xd4 14 ~3 l:ae8
white bishop on cl is poor. with an initiative) 13 ... c,t>bS

113
Friends of the Hippo
14 0-0 .xd4+ 15 ~hl ~e4
again with an initiative.
1l dIlC6 12 0-0 "d7 13 cl cS as analysis shows: 16 ~l c6
Blatny has clearly decided to
go after his opponent. Chess
logic would suggest that he is
correct. Black is ahead in
development so he must attack
now.
14 .c4+~d5
Probably Black can keep
equality after 14...d5, for
instance 15 .xd5 t ~xd5
16 dxc5 bxc5 17 ~ e5 18 fxe5
lhfl+ 19 ~xfl .i.xe5 20 'itgl
l:tb8 Activity compensates for
structure. But that's hardly what
Blatny is all about - he wants to
win.
15 dxcS cS! 16 fn5
114
The game is opening up and
thc white queenside is looking
on. Serpik faces a few problems,
17 cxb6 axb6 18 fxe5 b5 19 "c2
l:lxfl + 20 Wlxfl .i.xe5 21 ctx2
l:lf8 White's still a pawn up but
Black is tremendously active.
16 Ad 1 c6 17 fxc5 .i.xe5 18 .i.h6
l:lrs 19 cxb6 axb6 20 b3 b5
21 .e2 .a7+ 22 'it'hl 1i'f2!
23 .xt2 lht2
This I don't like for White at
all. Black has retained the
initiative and he is getting his
material back with interest. The
point is that White has to defend
very accurately indeed just to
stay on the board - nol everyone
is up to the task.
16.l:l10 + 17 .xn :f8
18.e2 .e7 19 ~l
 Friends of the Hippo

After 19 cxb6 .i.xeS threatens M.H..... White

....i.xh2+. N.G.prlndalbvili Black
Oubai Open 2002
19..i.u5 20 .cC I e4 b6 2 d4 .i.b7 3 .tdJ 16
He just doesn't sce it! .. ~t3

20....i.d4+!! Many of your opponents will

settle for .. ~f3 and this is a very
sensible move. White does not
attempt to annihilate Black.
settling instead for simple.
effective central control and
steady development. Yet Black
can feel satisfied too, having
avoided many of White's more
mClslve lines of play.
Gaprindashvili drags her
opponent into the swamp, where
Quite crushing. Mate on the the Hippopotamus feels quite at
back rank is suddenly forced. home.
Coolness is needed to play the
Modem Defence at the best of .....J.a7 5 0.0 d6 6 cl e6!?
times and we must carry that
7 .t.as ~7 8 ~bd2 ~7
quality over to our little
variation. We mu...t take an eye
for the main chance with us too.
But the signs arc that a lot of
White players will fail to come
10 terms with the new problems
that we are posing.

0-1

liS
Friends of the Hippo

Three rows - that's all Black 1l ...che5 12 dxe5 g5

bas. White is allowed to set up
his pieces more or less as he An ex-world champion never
pleases and Black will react loses a scnse of timing.
accordingly. Gaprindasbvili is wily; she
notices that Whitc can be
9 :el b6! 10 -*.114 0-0 provoked.

Hussan should have settled for

13 J.g3 ~fS 14 .tLe4 .txe4
IS l:xe4 ~S 16 1:te2 IOxgl
17 hxg3.d5

11 eS

White feels that he has to go

somewhere and starts the action.
He should have continued lo
build up although it is tough to
get a purchase on the elastic
black position. I give some ideas ... but Black is in good shape.
without providing a defmitive The sacrifice on gS is very
assessment. 11 a4 a6 12 ~4 dubious.
~f6 13 .c2 g5 14 1.83 ~5;
11 ~ a6 12 .e2 .cS 13l:ad1 13... bxgS 14 IOxgS ~fS
d5 14 exd5 ~d5 15 ~gl .e7 IS"'S J.b6!

.e8
16 ~e3 ~xe3 17 .xc3 cS;
11 .e2 a6 12 :ad 1 13 ee3
cS. Black is pitching in all of
Excellent defence. g5 hangs
and White is forced to continue
these lines. s8l:rificing.

116
 Friends of the Hippo

16liJIe6 fIe6 17 "g6+ The boot is suddenly on the

other foot. The black pieces run
The attack can be parried. rampant:
17 .i.xfS wins the bishop on h6
but White is running out of 24 lLln Ae8 25 :Ie3 :Ie6
attackers: 17 .. Jlxf5 18 Wxh6 26 Adel .gS 27 f3 Ag6
.e7 19 Ae3 :'g5! 20 liJfJ ..txfJ
21 llxf3 ~xe5+ Nice manoeuvre!

'" g 7
17...... 18 wxe6+
\lilt
...
""
f7 28 "'12 .i.d6 29 h4 .f6 30 b4
19 ~c4 .i.f4 31 :'d3lbdeS 0-1

19 .i.xfS lLlffl 20 .c4 .xd2 A capture on f3 follows. So

21 lIadl 1ig5-+ how about 1... b6, with the
intention of talking White out of
19.lLlh6 20 'ifg6 ~ immediate attack. This might
well be one of Black's very best
20 ... lbffl was even more move orders. I don't think that
effective: one can play this idea half-
heartedly. Black must be
21 .i.xf7+ lbxf7 22 .c2 .i.xe5 prepared for an obscure, unusual
23 lbc4 Wh4. struggle and to play flat out for
the win. There are no half-
21 .i.In ttJIn 22 .c2 .i.xeS measures. In our featured game
2311adl Wh4! Gaprindashvili was happy to

117
Friends of the Hippo

give White a nominal opening Spassky is very fond of this

edge, but denied him any move order. By encouraging
simplification or clarity. That is White's bishop to go to d3 he
the overall game plan.
figures that he cuts out some
tricky lines. The overall idea is
We are about to sce a
masterpiece by Boris Spassky. to go into a Hippopotamus
Black very instructively tinkers system but he plays ... d6, ...~7
with his opening move-order, before ... 87-g6. Note how
trying to fmd the optimal way to effective this refinement is in
reach a Hippo position. this game. Black never need play
....i.flI-g7 and U!les the g-file
A.Kogaa While later for attack! Developing the
B.Spauky Black queenside first isn't the only
Corsica 1997 way, as the following ex.ample
shows. again with Spassky at the
I e4 b6
helm. 4 ... g6 S 0-0 ~g7 6 c3 d6
Yes, I know this isn't strictly 7~~78~g3
part of my brief but it is a very
grey area and we soon tnmspose
to a Hippo.

1 cM .i.b7 3 .i.d3 e6 4 ~l d6

Perhaps White should have

played 12-(4 here. 8 ...hS!?
(8 ...lO:7 9 f4 0-0 10 1I'e2 a6
11100 cS!

118
 Friends o.fthe lIippo

6..g67 IS?!

... demonstrates how Black

COUDterplay might come about.)
9 h3 It)gffi 10 :el 0-0 11 ~O
~h7 (Before .lgS ties him
down.) 12 .le3 eS 13 "d2 .e7
14 ~gS li'lxg5 15 .txgS "'e8
16 .tc2 lOf6 17 :adl lOh7
18 .th6 'fIe7 19 dxe5~ Xie Jun-
B.Spassky, Tallinn 1998. White
is a little better with the pawn on
hS looking out of place.
He really wants to punish
Spassky for messing around, but
it's here that the advantage of
delaying ... .1g7 comes to the
fore and 7 f5 is revealed as
premature aggression.
7.gxlS! 8 exlS e5! 9 ~g3
lOgf6

5 0-0 lOcI7 6 f4

Kogan is in a belligerent
mood. Spas sky reacts coolly.
6 c3 ~gf6 7 ~ cS 8 :el .le7
9 a3 .c7 10 b4 0-0 11 .tb2
:fd8 12 Q\g3 .till 13 :c
1 :ac8
14.e2 as 15 h3 g6 16 "e3 .tg7
17 ~O "'8 18 :bl .a8
19 .i.cl .ta6 20 b5 .i.b7 Black suddenly has an extra
Y.Shabanov-N.Gaprindashvili, central pawn which conveniently
Satka 2004. covers the e-fiIe and threatens to

119
Friends of the Hippo

move forward at the earliest

opportunity.

10 M
(17 .6
B) 16 ~5 ~d7! 17 lLd!
.i.g5 18 &g5 .xg5
19 .xg5 lbg5+) 17 ... ~c8
18&f6.xf6+;

Kogan doesn't really know C) 16 ~h5 16....tg5 17 ~h 1

what to do and lurches on with cH.
his attack'.
Maybe flicking in 14 as b5
10esd4 nltlce4 .te7 12 .4 was called for and then 15 "c2
with a difficult game to assess. It
Further indication that White is must never be forgotten that
at a loss. The advance of the Black is a pawn up!
rook's pawn is easily parried.
l4...lOes 15 .ih6 ~d7!
12a6! 13 Ael Ag8!

Connecting the rooks and

14~h5
queen as well as getting the king
to safety. Such original play is
Black defends comfortably
typical of Spa.~sky at his hest.
after 14 1.g5. For instance:
14...li.)e5 15 .txffi ~xt~ 16ltlhxf6+ il.xf617 ....5 :g4

A) 16 ~f6+ ."f6 17 Ae4 With the simple plan of ... fie7

0-0-0 18 "e2 l:tde8 19 .ixb7+ and ...:ag8 and a massive attack
Wxb7 20 as b5+; to follow.

120
 Friends of tile Hippo

1I A.dl D.B.Uey White

L.Day Black
Kogan is running out of time Toronto 1989
md moves. If he retreats his
1 e4 e62 d4 86
bishop the black attack builds
rapidly: 18 J.d2 'fIe7 19 as
:agS 20 lQg3 1.O!+

The St George Defence, or onc

of Mike Basman's saner
creations. Yet as we have seen,
with Black pushing his pawns up
to the third rank in literally any
order, this may be yet another
Now White is lost.
way to get a Hippo position.
Which systems does this
19lQxf6+ "xf6 20 1.g5 lbh5
particular move-order dissuade
21 J.xr6 IlgI II J.xe5 lbg2+ White from playing - that is the
13 ~ dxe5 24 l:txe5 l:thxh2 key question? Nonnally White
25 .ib5+ 'ifl'd6 goes for 3lQO.

He was hoping for 2S ... axbS 3lQIJ

26 %lxd4+ J.dS (26 ... ~c8??
27 l:te8 mate) 27 :texdS+ and at
least the game continues.
0-1
I suppose 3 f4 would be
answered by 3... b5, as would
3 lL)c3 b5. If 3 lL)d2 d5!
transposes to a known line of the

121
Friends of the Hippo

French Tarrasch. So White has ...is well playable here: 8 ~3

plenty to think about. .tg7 9 .tg5 tOe7; 8 ..tgS f6 9
.te3 fi)h6 10 ~3 llm
3,b6!? 4 .i.d3 ..tb7 5 0-0 d6

... or 8 as bS 9 c4 c6!? 10 li:lbd2

And we are on our way. .ig7. and in both cases White
has his usual advantage but with
6 "e2 ltld7 7 a4 .te7!? no especially clear way forward.

Day handles the opening in a Sli:lbdl ~6 9 &4

typically original manner. Could
one call this a Pseudo-Hippo'! I 9 as bS 10 c3 cS.
guess Black is thinking of
striking at White's centre with
... c7-cS at the right moment.
Nevertheless 7... g6

9.tLlxe4!

An effective equalizer.

122
 Friends of the Hippo

10 .ixe4 d5 11 .i.d3 dxc4

12 .i.u4 0-0 13 .i.r4 lLlf6
14 :adl iOd5 15 .i.g3 .i.d6
16lLleS 1Ife8 17 Area

A strange moment to agree a

draw, because White is quite a
bit better.

However the main point of

17~b8!?
showing this brief game is to
There was nothing wrong with highlight an almost new
17 ...xa4 18 lh I "e8 19 .txa6 defensive Black system. That is
rare indeed these days .
..txa6 20 lha61.xa6 21 .xa6 f6
22 lLln (22 lLld3 .c6+)
Possibly the order of moves
22 ....hg3 23 bxg3 1Ifd7=
employed in this coming game
stretches the Hippo system to the
18 LI IS
limit.
Ambitious.

19 f3 r4 10 .i.fl ....S 11 .i.d3

M.Hebden While
M 22 .i.xe3 rse] 23 "se3 e5 E.Brlcard Black
24 cl csd4 25 csd4 .i.b4 Montpellier 1988
26 ltedl .i.e7 27 .ie4 .i.g5
18.el .i.xe4 29 .xe4 1 e4 e61 d4 d6

123
Friends of the Hippo

4 ...~7 with thc idca of ...c7-c5,

or hc might play any of 4 ... g6,
4... b6, 4 ... ~e7. Possibly the
order of moves employed in this
coming gamc strctchcs thc
Hippo system to the limit - you
get the picture.

4 bS S .i.d3 J.b7 6 0-0

What would your reaction be
as White if you were faced with
this opening? I could not resist a
chuckle. Then the feeling that I
really would likc to punish this
rubbish! And finally the horrible
thought of my friends taunting
me should I lose! So ... a mixed
bag and precisely the reaction
Black is looking for. I doubt ...e6
and ... d6 is going to become Hebden has obviously decided
popular at Super Grandmaster to play sensibly and stick to
level. but within the contcxt of basics which is how most of thc
psychological warfare and at thc strongest players will react. He
same time talking White out of refuses to be provoked. relying
his favourite attacking system. on extra space and ea~e oC
it's no worse than any other way developmcnt to sce him through.
of reaching a Hippopotamus. One would nonnally expect
Just looks it... White to be slightly better in
such a position.
3Ma64~fJ
6.~7 7:el cS
After 4 a4 Black has many
move~. Continuing the theme of Bricard reveals his plan. One
the game he could consider could easily argue that this is not

124
 Friends of the Hippo

a Hippo but what exactly Black begins to play for the

is a Hippo? One for the initiative! The natural 11 ....i.g7
philosophers. could also have been considered:
12 ~h6 (12 ~xe6 fxe6
8a3 13 .xc6+ .eIT) 12 ... 0-0
13 .ixg7 ~g7 14 :adl 1tb6
It's a little too early to go (I4 ...c7!? IS .xe6 .xc3
prophylactic. and I trunk we can 16
criticize 8 a3 as 'too quiet'. 8 d5
.xffi+ ~f6 17 bxc3 :ac8=)

is morc incisive, and then the 11 ~f3 b6 IJ J.dl .ia7

best I can see for Black is 14~b4 o.e-
8... ~gffi when 9 dxe6 (9 a4 b4
10 dxe6 fxe6 11 ~b I .ie7
12 ~gS ~fll; 9 J.gS 1.e7=)
9... fxc6 10 ~gS ee7 doesn't
seem loo bad for him.

8.cxd4 9 ~1d4 ~

Ifs all working out rather well

for Bricard. The pawn on d6 is
easily defended and he can play
on the c-fiIe in time-honoured
Sicilian fashion. However
Hebden. like few others, knows
how to keep the game on the
And so a Sicilian, with White boil, and sets Black an
uicked into a2-aJ and :n -e I. immediate problem.
Black should be equal here. The
move order has been a success! 15 a4 .le8?

An unnecessary sacrifice.

125
Friends of the Hippo

15 ... b4 16 liJa2 (16 llJd5 llJxd5 27 <3Jhl ltb8 28 llJxc8 l:fxcH

17 exd5 llJc5! 18 ~c4 ~c8 19 29 bxa6 :c6 with compensation .
g3 g5 20 llJO 5+) 16 ... llJc5!
was the prescribed method, with 25 ..ib7 26 llJc7 litb8
ample play for Black. 27 :acl dS 28 ~aS dxe4
29 dxe4 Wr6
16 axbS! ttJc5 17 'ii'f3llJb7

17 ... .ig4 18 Wc3 llJxd3

19 'ii'xd3 axb5 20 l:xa8 1Wxa8
21llJxb5

18 'ii'g3 llJxd3 19 cxd3 ~f6

20 1Wf3llJb7 21 g3! liJg5 22 1We2
~b7 23llJdS f5 24 f3?!

The computers take the

material: 24 i.a5 1Wd7 25 ~b6 30 lIedl
'lVb7 26lDxa8 "xa8 27 f3
This is a typical open
tournament game with many ups
and downs. To me it looks as
though Black was in time trouble
and that Hebden was rushing.
From what 1 know ofthc players
this seems the likely scenario.
White can consider 30 .ib4 lIfT
31 .i.c5 reintroducing the bishop
into play.
Black must prove it.

24._f4 2S b6 30 fxg3 31 hJ:g3 ~J:f3+

32 t;)J:f3 _xlJ 33 .113 %W3
25 ~a5 'ffd7 26 lDb6 .a7 34 llJe6 :r6 35 :c7

126
 Friends of the Hippo

But this is good enough! Yct another strange and

unusual opening. This time
3S Jtxe6 81ack will generally angle for a
Philidor-like position with a
36 :dd7 would be the next quick ...e7-eS. Why is this not
move. Such opening play more popular? Probably because
indicates that there are still White's f-pawn is free to move,
IDlCharted areas to be explored. an option I think White should
take (3 f4!).
Black's designs may only be
outwardly modest; in reality he 3 tOo
plans to win the game by very
cunning means. 3 tOe3 g64 f4! J.g7 goes into
an Austrian Attack, admittedly in
1-0 an unusual guise. Hardly anyone
played 4 ...llJd7 before. 5 tEJo
cS!? 6 fxeS (6 .te3 c6 7 dxeS
dxeS 8 fxeS .as; 6 dxeS dxcS
A.HelmaOD While 7 J.c4 c6!? 8 tEJgS lLlh6
C.Boettcher Block 9 i.xf7+! tOxf7 10 tJc6 'iVh4+
Gcrman Internet Blitz 11 g3 'fIe7 12 tEJc7+ ~d8 13
Candidates playchess 2005 tL'Ixa8 bS) 6 ...dxeS 7 dxeS tEJxeS
8 .xd8+ ~xd8 9 J.f4. This is
1 e4 d6 Z d4 tOd7!? Dot strictly a Hippo; perhaps a

127
Friends of the Hippo

distant cousin, but it has some He's keen on a later ... n-f5.
relevance to our discussion. The 9 ... b6!'? 10 a4 a6 11 :le 1 .i.b7 is
whole point of the Modem a logical way to play the
Defence is to be as adaptable as position.
possible. Black tries to gauge his
opponent's intentions and then
react accordingly. One might use
1... d6, 2... lOd7 as a confusing
tactic, but on seeing an early
t2-f4, it becomes necessary to
dispense with slow play and hit
out!

3.. g6 4 .ie3 .i.g7 5 d

What should White to do hL'Tc?
This is a blitz game and the If he continues to makc slow,
notes will be brief. Whitc seems strengthening moves, Black can
to be mixing his systems. choose between a plan with
...1OhS, ...f6, ...lOf4, piling up
5..e5
on the e4 pawn or maybe even
...~h8 (h7), ... lOg8 and ... 17-fS.
If White blocks the centre, Black
simply arranges ... 17-fS in
comfort. Finally White can take
on eS, but this does not seem
frightening at all.

10 .c2 .c7 11 :adl cS

12 lIrel :b8 13 84 b6 14 dxeS
dxe51S j,b3 i.b7 16""1 :rd8
Black's position is fine already. 17 i.d ll'IfB 18 li)c4 lLlhS
19 Jhd8 lIxd810 lldl :Iba
6 ~c4 l;)gf6 7 lObd2 h6 8 h3
0-090-0 c;t>h7 20 ...lId7.

128

21 ~d6 ..tc6 22 b4 exb4
23 exb4 &6 24 bS .i..8 2S ~c4
~hr4 26 ~fxeS ~e2+
26 ...g5! 27 tLlg4 (27 g3
i.xe5 28 tLlxe5 .xe5 29 gxf4
tLlxt<$) 27 ... h5+
27 c;t>n tLlc3
28 'tIcl?
28 lld7 should be played.
28 ...~xd) 29 "'xd) :d8
30 "0 ~gS 31 i.xgS "'xgS
32 ~xf7 'iVcl + 33 ~e2 'fi'xc2+
34 'ite3 :d3+ 0-1
I have thought about thc idca
of a double fianchetto system
couplcd with ... c7-e5 mysclf. To
make this work properly Black
129
Friends of the Hippo
should ideally play ... e7-e5 in
one move and could have had
such a position in this gamc. So
the move-order adopted here is
very intcrcsting. might turn into
a Hippo, but need not do so.
S.Karadarevic While
M.Cvetkovic Black
Spring Open. Bclgrade 2005
) e4 e6 2 d4 tLle7!?
No expense is spared in this
book to gct you to the cutting
edge of opening theory. If Black
wants to fiddle about, then fiddle
about he will and there is
nothing that Whitc can do about
it apart from giving him a sound
thrashing. Obviously 1... 00 and
2 ... tLlc7 is yet another weird
and wondcrful system. Adolf
Anderssen used to go for a quick
... f7-f5! in using this move order
Friends of the Hippo

and actually won some games 10~f6 11 eSlt)d7 1214?!

with it! I will stay in Hippo
country and keep an open mind.

3c3

3 ~f3 c6 4 i.d3 b6 5 0-0 g6

6 i.f4 .1g7 7 .1d6 b6 8 eS .1b7
9 ~c3 ~c8 10 .1a3 looked
awful for Black in Z.Nenezic-
M.Cvetkovic, Belgrade 2005.
Luckily for us, our hero went
back to the drawing board and A very poor move in a
came up with an improvement.
practical sense. Now Black can
3 c6 4 i.d3 b6 S f4 dS! 6 ~tJ look to castle long.
16 7 0-0 .117 8 :lel c&l7
9 ~bd2 b6 12._b5 13 ~S

He sbould bite his tongue and

block with 13 gS.

13 .. bxI4 14 _xR4 ~f5

IS .hf5 gxfS 16 _12 llJf8+
17 ~ .e7 18 c4 ..tb719 cxdS
cxdS 20 .1d2 8-0-O!

The contours of a Hippo-like

structure take shape.

10 t;)fI

It becomes obvious quite

quickly tbat Wbite hasn't tbe
foggiest idea of what to do.
130
 F,.iend~ of Ihe Hippo

The Hippo ideas are all there: 30 (xg5 Ibe7 31 :x:7 "'8
321Wc3?
1) Preposterous pawn play in
the opening. 32 .f2 .... .h3
33 ~f4 :xb2 34
S!; 32 lhn 1Ixh2
is the best
2) Slow manoeuvres, eneour- defence. but difficult to fmd.
aging White to go wrong.
32 Jbh2-+ 33 lbb7 Wxb7
3) A flexible attitude to 34 .e7+ 'it;a6 35 We6 IIb1+
ca...t1ing. 36 ~f2 'ifh4+ 37 ~e3 .l:g5+
38 'itd3 :Id I + 39 Wcl .dl+
4) The ability to change gears 40 Wb3 .d3+ 41 M .e4+
in the middle of the game and to 42 .le4+ dxe4+ 43 Wxc4 lId2
go on to the attack at speed. 44 b4 (4 45 tOe4 lid 46 tOg5
b5+ 47 Wd3 ':e3+ 48 Wdl :1:a3
21 .3 ~b8 II i.b4 .d7 49 dS f6 SO dxe6 fle5 0-1
23 :t.ct ~g6 24 .12 ':h4!
25 J.d6+ ~.8 26 lIe7
~2 l:td7 28 :eel
.ea.13
i.b6 29
27
I admire players who not only
play chess for fun, but look for
29 :'xd7 .xd7 30 IIc7 .a4+ new ways forward. This is not
easy to do, especially in the year
2005, and so the vast majority of
people take the easy option of
following what is in the books.

We have taken a tour of some

19..hg5
29 ... tOxf4! 30 lhd7 'ilxd7
31 ~xf4 J.xgS 32 l:tc7 Axf4!-+
very odd ideas and all of them
are playable as far as I can
see so long as one keeps the
mind uncluttered. The idea of
individuality in chess, moving
away from a results-orientated
approach towards a more
experimental method is very

131
Friends of the Hippo

much in evidence here. have seen in this chapter are

Paradoxically, games such as we keeping chess alive!

132
 Closing Summary
We all have different reasons
for playing chess. The majority
of us play for pleasure.
enjoyment and an intellectual
challenge. Winning is of great
imponance hut it is not
everything. Onc has to try to put
one's own individual stamp on
every game that one plays; to me
that towers over all other
133
motives. That is the main point.
I hope you have enjoyed our
small investigation into the
Hippopotamus system of
defence and that you will
consider playing it yourself from
time to time, in whatever form.
There is plenty of scope for
originality here.
 Index of Games
(numbers refer to pages)

Ardiansyah-Lacsen 72 Janosevic-Thompson 6
Bakcr-Davies 44 Jansa-Joksic 17
Bailey-Day 121 Karasarevic-Cvetkovic 129
Baki-Ianov 96 Kizov-Ardelean 94
Barc7.ay-lvkov 21 Kogan-Spassky 118
!iaum-Davies 41 Kotronias-Hebert 38
Bohlke-Krasenkow 53 Nezhmetdinov-Ujtelky 107
Brenke-Hickl 29 Petrosian-Spassky 60
Christianscn-Wohl 33 Ragozin-Thompson 5
Cuartas-Spassky 47 Serpik-Blatny III
Forintos-Ujtelky 101 Shaw-Martin 12
Gallaghcr-Ponomariov 82 Shirov-Spa.~sky 66
Gara-Zielinska 56 Souleidis-Espig 63
Greet-Conquest 85 Spassky-Ujtelky 99
Hebden-Bricard 123 Spoclman-Hort 10
Helmann-Bocttchcr 127 Todorovic-Damljanovic 89
Hnydiuk-Urban 6R Tregubov-Lupu 25
Hussan-Gaprindashvili 115 Wagman-Ujtelky 105
Hutchings-Hakki 79 Zamicki-McShanc 50
Janosevic-Suttles 75

135
 Index of Variations
(numbers refer to pages)

1 d4 g6 2 c4 (6 3 ttJc3 ttJb6 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .i.g7 3 ~rJ d6

4 ~rJ lill7 5 ~(4 e6 6 e4 d6 4 ~c4 a6 5 0-0 e6 (S ... bS 6.i.b3
7 .i.d3 c6 8 0-0 .i.e7 5 e6 7 a4!) 6 .tg5 ~e7 7 1t'd2 b6
21
1 lLlrJ f6 2 e4liJh6 3 j.c4 ttJf7
1 d4 g6 2 ~rJ .ig7 3 e4 d6
4 0-0 e6 5 d4 d6 6 lbc3 c6 6
4 .ic4 a6 5 0-0 b5 6 ~b3 e6
7 a4 bX84 8 .i.xa4+ ~d7 9 .igS
1 e4 g6 2 d4 d6 3 .i.e3 .i.g7 liJe7 10 'iWd2 0-0 11 ~c3 It)b6
4 ~ 86 5 a4 b6!? 6 '1M2 .i.b7
12 .ib3 .tb7 25
7 ~c4 liJd7 8 ~rJ e6 9 0-0 b6!
10 nfet liJe7 11 l:adl 'itf8! 1 e4 g6 2 d4 d6 3 ~3 .ig7
12 .i.d3 ~g8 10 4 ~c4 86 S ~rJ e6 6 .tf4 b5
7.id3 .ib7 8 0-0 ~d7 9 l:el e5
1 e4 b6!? 2 d4 .tb7 3 ~3 e6 29
4 ltIrJ d6 5 .id3 liJd7 6 0-0 g6
1 e4 g6 2 d4 .tg7 3 ~3 d6
7 a4! ~g7? (7 ... a6! 8 as bS) 8 as
4 .ic4 86 5 lOrJ e6 6 a4 b6
12
7 0-0 liJd7 8 e5!? li'Je7 (8 ... dxeS
9 dS!) 9 exd6 cxd6 10 lOe4 33
1 e4 g6 2 d4 .tg7 3 lOc3 d6
4 .i.e3 ~7 5 li'JrJ a6 6 1t'd2 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .ig7 3 ltJc3 d6
h6!? 7 h3 e6 8 .id3 lOe7 4 (4 c6 5 ~rJ ttJe7 6 .i.e3 b6
9 0-0 g5?! (9 ... b6; 9... <it'f8!?) 7 'ft'd2 .ib7 8 0-0-0 ~d7
10.l:.8dl! 17 (8 ... a6!) 9 'ft'et!? 37

137
Index of Variations

1 e4 d6 2 d4 g6 J tiJc3 ~g7 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .i.g7 3 liXJ d6

4 f4 e6!? S tiJO ltJe7 6 .i.eJ ~d7 4 4)0 e6 S .i.e2 b6 6 .ie3 ~e7
7 Wd2 a6! a ~d3 bS (8 ... b6) 7 'ild2 b6 8 0-0 .tb7 9 d5? cS
9 0-0 ltJf6 10 :tael ltJg4 41 10 ltJelltJd7 11 f4 63

1 e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 J ltJc3 d6 1 e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 J ltJc3 d6

4 f4 e6 S ltJo ltJe7 6 .i.e2 ltJd7 4 4JO e6 5 b4 b6 6 .i.c3 a6
70-0 b6 a Wel ~b7 9 ~hl 0-0 7 ~d3 bS a eS .i.b7 9 "'d2 ~7
10 'iWb4 cS! 11 .i.eJ ltJf6! 44 10 exd6 cxd6ll d5 eS 12 hS fS!
66
I e4 d6 2 d4 g6 J ltJc3 .i.g7
4 f4 e6 S ltJO tOe7 6 .i.e3 a6 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .i.g7 J liX3 a6!?
7 .i.dJ bS a 0-0 0-0 9 'iVelltJbe6 4ltJO d6 5 ~e2 ~f6 (5 ... itJd7!'!)
10 'iWh4ltJb4! 47 6 0-0 0-0 7 hJ e6!? a i.gS h6
9 i.f4 ltJe6 68
1 e4 g6 2 d4 i.g7 3 It)c3 d6
4 f4 e6!? S ltJO ltJe7 6 ~d3 b6 I e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 3 cl b6
0-0 (7 ... a5?!; 7... liJd7) a 5! edS 4 ~O (4 i.e3 .i.b7 5 ltJd2)
9 edS lill"6 10 .i.gS 0-0 11 tiJe4! 4ib7 S ~d3 d6 6 0-0 ltJd7
50 7 a4 eS! 72

1 e4 g6 2 d4 i.g7 3 ltJcJ d6 1 e4 g6 2 d4 ~g7 J ltJo d6

4 f4 e6 S ltJo CiJe7 6 .i.e2 b6 4 c7\cl c6 S .ie2 COd7 6 0-0
7 0-0 0-0 a ~e3 .i.b7 9 Wd2 ltJh6!? 7 .i.gS'!! 7 :let f6 a .i.c3
tiJd7 10 l:ladlltJf6 53 0-0 9 dS 5?! (9 ...ltJC7) to ltJd4
~xd4! 75
I e4 g6 2 d4 .i.g7 J llJcJ d6
4 f4 e6 S lL\0 ltJe7 6 .ie3 a6 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .tg7 J It)f3 d6
7 ~d3 b6 (7 ... b5 8 a4!) a 0-0 4 ltJc3 e6 5 a4 ltJd7 6 .ie2
ltJd7 9 Wel 56 ~h6!? 7 h4 'fIe7 a hS eS 79

1 d4 g6 2 e4 ~g7 J ltJO d6 1 e4 g6 2 d4 i.g7 3 lik3 d6

4 ~e2 e6 5 c3 ltJd7 6 0-0 It)e7 4 .ie3 a6 5 'i!f'd2 ltJd7 6 a4 b6
7ltJbd2 b6 a a4 a6 9:let .i.b7 7 ltJO 7 f3 7... e6!? 8 ..tc4
10 .i.d3 0-0 IlltJe4 'ilea!? 60 (8 i.c2; 8 i.d3) a . b6!? 9 h3

1311
 Index of Variations

(9 lid I) 9..liJe7 10 0-0 .ib7 1 d4 g6 2 e4 iLg7 J lDc3 86

11 :fcl 82 4 a4 b6 S .ltc4 e6 6 lOgd d6
7 0-0 lDe7 8 .ib3 0-0 9 109) cS
1 d4 g6 1 e4 .ig7 3 llJc3 d6 ID dS cS J()I
4 .id a6! S 1Of3 lDd7 6 J.c4 e6
7 a4 b6 8 0-0 lOe7 (8 ... i.b7) I e4 g6 2 d4 J.g7 3 lDcJ d6
9 't!fd2 h6 10 h3 i.b7 II l:tfel 4 f4 a6 S a4 e6!? 6 lOf3 lOe7
lOr6 12 iLf4 gS 13 i.h2 7 .ie2 b6 8 0-0 .tb7 9 'ifc I lDd7
(13 iLg3) 13.g4 85 10:'3 dS 105

1 e4 g6 2 d4 i.g7 3 llJc3 d6 I e4 g6 2 d4 i.g7 3 llJc3 d6

4 .i.gS h6 S .ie3 (5 i.h4) 4 i.c4 e6 S lDf3 lDc7 6 h4 h6
s...lDf6 6 h3 c6 7 tL)f3 "'c7 7 i.f4 a6 8 "'e2 liJd7 (8 ...bS)
8 a4 lDbd7 9 i.e2 b6!? 10 0-0 9 a4 b6 ID l:dl i.b7 107
(10 'ii'd2 eS) 100-0 IIlDdl eS
I e4 b6!? 2 d4 .ib7 3 .id3 g6!
89
4 f4 fS! S "'d (5 exfS; 5 lDd2)
S..fxe4 6 i.xe4 i.xe4 7 'ii'xe4
1 d4 g6 2 e4 ~g7 3 lDf3 d6
llJc6 8 lDf3 lOr6 I I I
4 lOcl a6 S .id lDf6 6 'ifd2
bS 7 .i.d3 .i.b7 8 .i.h6 0-0 I e4 b6 2 d4 i.b7 3 .id3 g6
9 .ixg7 ckxg7 10 cS (10 h4 b4)
4 lDfJ i.g7 S 0-0 d6 6 cl e6!?
10d:s:eS! (l0 ... ~g8) 11 dxeS
7 i.gS lDe7 8 lDbd2 lOd7 9 l:te1
lOrd794 h6! ID iLh4 0-0 11 eS (11 a4)
11 .. dxeS 12 dxeS gS 115
I e4 d6 2 d4 g6 3 lDcJ J.g7
4 i.e3 a6 S "'dl liJd7 6 0-0-0 I e4 b6 2 d4 .ib7 3 i.d3 e6
bS! 7 f3 i.b7 8 h4 h6 9 g4 (9 dS) 4lDe2 d6 (4 ... g6) S 0-0 ~d7 6 f4
9.l:tc8! 10 gS bxgS 11 .i.xgS cS g6 7 fS?! gxfS! 8 elfS cS! 9 ~g3
96 109(6118

1 e4 K6 2 d4 .ig7 3 liJc3 a6 I e4 e6 1 d4 a6 3 lDfJ b6!?

4 ~fJ d6 S i.c4 e6 6 .agS lDe7 4 .idJ i.b7 S 0-0 d6 6 'ife2
7 84 h6 8 i.d b6 9 0-0 lOd7 lOd7 7 a4 .i.e7!? (7 ... g6)
10 Ilel 0-0 99 8lDbd2iLlgf6 9 lDc4lDxe4! 121

139
Index of Variations

1 e4e62d4d63Wa6 4 ~e3 .i.g7 5 cl e5 6 .i.c4 /t:}Kf6

4 /t:}tJ b5 5 ~d3 -*.b7 6 o.e /t:}d7 7 ~bd2 b6 8 h3 0-0 9 0-0 ~h7
7 :el cS 8 a3 (8 dS) 10 .tJ g6 127
11 ~ e5 (11 .....tg7) 12 /t:}tJ 116
13 -*.d2 ~g7 14 /t:}h4 o.e 12J 1 e4 e6 2 d4 /t:}e7!? 3 cl e6
4 .i.d3 b6 5 (4 d5! 6 /t:}O g6
1 e4 d6 2 d4 /t:}d7!? 3 /t:}tJ 7 o.e -*.g7 8 litel /t:}d7 9 /t:}bd2
(3 /t:}c3 g6 4 f4! ..tg7) 3 ...g6 b6/JO

140