1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6

I like Benjamin’s “Two Knights Sicilian” set-up, which he discusses in a series of articles at the Jeremy Silman website.

a) 3… d5?! 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5+ Nc6 (5… Bd7? 6. Qe2+) 6. O-O

b) 3… Nc6 4. Bb5 (4. g3 d5!)

 

4. g3

Charbonneau has had good results after 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 b5!? (5… Qc7 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. O-O Bc5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Na4 Be7 11. c4 d6 12. Be3 Rb8 13. Qe2 c5 14. Rad1 O-O 15. b3 Nd7 16. f4 Bb7 17. Rfe1 Bc6 18. Nc3 Rfd8 19. Qd3 Qb7 20. Nd5! exd5 21. exd5 Bb5 22. cxb5 (22. a4!?) 22… axb5= 0-1 Acher,M-Charbonneau,P/Oropesa del Mar 1999 (39)) 6. Bd3 (6. g3 Bb7 7. Bg2 Nf6 8. O-O!?) 6… d6 7. a4 b4 8. Na2 Nf6 9. Bd2 e5 10. Nf5 d5 11. Ng3 Nc6 12. Bg5 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Be7 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 15. Be4 Qxd1+ 16. Rxd1 Bd7 17. Be3 f5 18. Bd5 f4 19. Bb6 Rb8 20. a5 Bd8 21. Bxd8 Nxd8 22. O-O Ke7 23. Rfe1 f6 24. Re4 Nc6 25. Bxc6 Bxc6 26. Rxb4 Rbd8 27. Re1 Rhg8 28. g3 fxg3 29. hxg3 Rd2 30. Rh4 Rgd8 31. Nb4 Bf3 32. Kf1 h5 33. Rf4 Bb7 34. Rc4 Ke6 35. Rc7 Bf3 36. Rc3 Bb7 37. Nd3 Kf5 38. Re3 Rd1+ 39. Ke2 Ra1 40. Rc5 Be4 41. b3 Rd6 42. f4 Bxd3+ 43. cxd3 Kg4 44. fxe5 Ra2+ 45. Ke1 fxe5 46. Rcxe5 Rc6 47. R5e4+ Kg5 48. Rc4 Rf6 49. Re5+ Kg6 50. Rce4 Rff2 51. Re6+ Kg5 52. R6e5+ Kg6 53. Re2 Rfxe2+ 54. Rxe2 Rxa5 55. d4?! (55. Re4!) 55… Kf5 56. Kf2 Rb5 57. Re3 Rd5= Tiviakov,S-Charbonneau,P/Montreal 2007

 

4… Nc6

a) More forcing is 4… b5 5. Bg2 (Benjamin has not done as well after opening things up with 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 b4! 7. Na4 Bb7 8. Bg2 Nf6 9. Bg5?! (9. O-O!) 9… Be7 10. O-O Qa5! 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Nb3 (12. c3!?) 12… Qxa4 13. Nc5 Qc6 14. Nxb7 Be5 15. Nd6+ Qxd6 16. Qxd6 Bxd6 17. e5 Bxe5 18. Bxa8 Bxb2 19. Rab1 Bc3 20. a3 a5 21. axb4 axb4 0-1 Benjamin,J-Serper,G/Salt Lake City 1999 (46)) 5… Bb7 6. d3 which brings us to a Benjamin specialty, as discussed at the Jeremy Silman site. 6… d6 7. Ng5!? Benjamin’s patent — clearing the f-pawn to advance and inviting Black to weaken his kingside after 7… h6 8. Nh3 Ne7 (8… Be7) 9. O-O g6 10. d4!? Nd7 11. Be3 Bg7 12. Qd2 cxd4 13. Bxd4 Ne5 14. f4 Nc4 15. Qf2 Bxd4 16. Qxd4 Qb6 17. Qxb6 Nxb6 18. Nd1 Rc8 1/2-1/2, Benjamin,J-Smirin,I/Philadelphia 2001 (44)

b) 4… d5?! 5. exd5 exd5 6. d4 Nf6 7. Bg2 Bg4 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 Nc6 11. Qd3 Nb4 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Nxd5 Qxb2 14. Nxb4 Qxb4 15. Ng5 g6 16. Rab1 Bf5 17. Be4 Rad8 18. Rxb4 Rxd3 19. Rxb7 Rd2 20. Rc7 Bb6 21. Rc6 Bd8 22. Bxf5 Bxg5 23. Bd3 a5 24. Ra6 Bd8 25. Re1 Kg7 26. Kf1 h5 27. h4 Kh6 28. Rb1 Be7 29. Rxa5 Bf6 30. Rd5 Rd8 31. Rxd8 Bxd8 32. Kg2 f5 33. Kf3 Bc7 34. Ke3 Ba5 35. a3 1-0 Benjamin,J-Manik,M/Philadelphia 1993

 

5. Bg2 Nf6 6. O-O

6. e5? Ng4 7. Qe2 Qc7

 

6… d6

Apparently, Charbonneau was not keen for a repeat of 6… Qc7 7. d3 Be7 8. Ng5 h6 9. Nh3 b5 10. Bf4! (10. a4 b4 11. Nd5 exd5 12. exd5 O-O 13. dxc6 d5 14. Nf4 Qxc6 15. c4 bxc3 16. bxc3 Qd7 17. c4 Bb7 18. Rb1 Rab8 1-0 Benjamin,J-Bercys,S/San Diego 2004 (44)) 10… d6 11. e5 dxe5 12. Bxe5 Qb6 13. Ne4 Bb7 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Qh5 f5? 16. Neg5 hxg5 17. Qxh8+ Kd7 18. Qg7 and Black did not have enough for the Exchange in Benjamin – Charbonneau, World Open 2005 — but surely it would have been easier to find an improvement here than in the game line.

 

7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bd7

This is fa miliar Taimanov territory for Benjamin. White’s fianchetto system makes it difficult for Black to liberate his game by claiming space in the center by either d5 or e5 due to White’s control of light squares.

 

9. a4! Be7 10. Nb3 b6!?

Not the best attempt at improvement over a line that Benjamin has played before. The idea is to discourage White’s planned a5 advance. But the tactics on the long diagonal have to spell trouble. Benjamin has previously faced 10… O-O 11. a5 b6 12. axb6 Qxb6 13. Be3 Qc7 14. f4 Bc8 15. Nb5! Qb8 16. e5! Nd5 17. Bxd5 exd5 18. Nxd6 Bxd6 19. exd6 d4 20. Bxd4 Qxd6 21. Bc5 Qxd1 22. Rfxd1 Re8 23. Rd6 1-0 Benjamin,J-Foygel,I/Seattle 2002 (44).

 

11. f4! O-O!?

12. g4!

A classic attacking idea in this line. White’s King is nicely shielded by the Bishop at g2 so he can throw forward his kingside pawns at will.

Black appears to invite 12. e5!? perhaps with the intention of 12… dxe5 13. fxe5 Nxe5!? (13… Ne8 14. Qh5) 14. Bxa8 Qxa8 15. Qe2! Ng6 16. Be3 Ne4 17. Bxb6 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Rc8 when he may have sufficient compensation for the Exchange. Likely Chardonneau had prepared something along these lines.

 

12… g6?!

This move seems clearly weakening and cannot be correct, despite the intended Knight maneuver which follows. The fact that Black’s strategy is simply to hunker down in defense suggests that he saw no good options for more active counterplay at this point. White is tremendously better and must have already punctured Chardonneau’s preparations.

 

13. Qe2 Ne8 14. Be3 Ng7 15. Rad1 Qc7

White is faced with the “too many good options” dilemma. Which pawn to push first?

 

16. f5! Bf6 17. Bh6!?

Black is in severe trouble and likely already lost.

White already can win material by simply attacking on dark squares: 17. Qf2! Rab8 18. Bf4! Be5 (18… e5? 19. Bh6) (18… Ne8 19. Bh6 seems an impr oved version of the game line, though this might be Black’s best choice at this point) 19. f6! Ne8 20. Bh6

 

17… gxf5

Something like 17… Bxc3 18. bxc3 Rfc8 19. Qf2 Ne5 challenges White to find a win.

 

18. exf5 exf5? 19. Nd5! Qd8

Black’s position is busted and White sees no reason to try for more than simply winning material and mopping up.

 

20. gxf5! Bg5 21. Bxg5 Qxg5 22. Nxb6 Rad8

23. h4!

Or first 23. Nxd7 Rxd7 24. h4!

 

23… Qg3

White simply wins a piece if Black breaks the pin on the Bishop with 23… Qxh4 24. Nxd7 Rxd7 25. Bxc6 — but there is no way the Black Queen can keep up that pin….

 

24. Rd3! Qe5 25. Re3

Black resigns

 

1-0

[Michael Goeller]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 d5 5. e5 h5 6. Be3 Nh6

The Gurgenidze System is a classic solid choice for team play, against which it is very difficult for White to make progress.

7. Nf3 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 h4 10. Bd3 e6 11. Ne2 Nf5 12. Bf2 Nd7 13. Bxf5 gxf5 14. g4 hxg3 15. Qxg3 Qa5+ 16. c3 Bf8 17. Nc1 O-O-O

Black may even be slightly better here, since the pawn at h3 is as much a target as a potential advantage.

18. a4 Qa6 19. Qd3 Qb6 20. b4 Be7 21. a5 Qb5?!

There is no reason to allow any weakening of his position — though he may think that the backward White c-pawn on an open file compensates.

21… Qc7 22. a6?! b5

22. Ke2 Rh7 23. Qxb5 cxb5 24. Nd3 Rdh8 25. Rag1 Nf8 26. Rg3! Ng6 27. Be3 Rh4 28. Rf3 Kd7 29. Bd2 Kc6 30. Be1 R4h7 31. Ke3 Rh6 32. Bf2 Bd8 33. Rg3 b6 34. axb6 axb6 35. Rf3 Be7 36. Ne1 Ra8 37. Nc2 Ra2 38. Kd2 Kb7 39. Kc1 Ra8 40. Kb2 Rah8 41. Be3 Rh4 42. Ne1 R4h5 43. Nd3 Bh4 44. Kb3 R5h6 45. Rh2 Ne7

White has done well to make progress, but now gets stymied. Necessary now or soon is Bf2.

46. Rg2 Ng6 47. Ra2 Ne7 48. Bg1 Rg6 49. Bh2 Rhg8 50. Re3 Rg2 51. Ree2 Rxe2 52. Rxe2 Rg6 53. Kc2 Rg8 54. Nc1 Kc6 55. Kd3 Kd7 56. Ra2 Kc6 57. Ke3 Kb7 58. Kf3 Be1 59. Rc2 Ng6 60. Ke2 Bh4 61. Nb3 Ra8 62. Nd2 Be7 63. Nf3 Rh8 64. Ng1 Rc8 65. Kd3 Ra8 66. Bg3 Rg8 67. Bh2 Nxf4+ 68. Ke3 Ng2+ 69. Ke2 Nh4 70. Kd3 Ra8 71. Bg3 Ng6 72. Nf3 Ra1 73. Rh2 Ra3 74. Rb2 Ra1 75. Ke3 Bf8 76. Rh2 Bh6+ 77. Kd3 Rf1 78. Ke2 Rc1 79. Kd3 Bf4 80. Bxf4 Nxf4+ 81. Kd2 Rf1 82. Ng5 Ra1 83. Ke3 Nh5 84. Nxf7 Rg1 85. Nd8+ Kc8 86. Nxe6 Rg3+ 87. Kd2 Kd7 88. Nf8+ Ke7 89. Nh7 Rg7 90. Nf6 Nxf6 91. exf6+ Kxf6 92. Re2 Rg3 93. Re5 Rxh3 94. Rxd5 Rh2+ 95. Kd3 Rh3+ 96. Kc2 Kg5 97. Rxb5 Rh6 98. c4 Kf4 99. c5 bxc5 100. dxc5 Ke5 101. Kb3 Kd5 102. Rb8 Rf6 103. Rd8+ Kc6 104. Kc4 f4 105. b5+ Kc7 106. Rh8 f3 107. Rh7+ Kc8

108. Rh8+

108. Rh1 f2 109. Rf1 Kc7=

108… Kd7 109. Rh7+ Kc8 110. Rh1 f2 111. Rf1 Rf5 112. b6 Kb7 113. Kb5 Rf6 114. c6+

Game drawn by mutual agreement

1/2-1/2

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 Nc5

13… Ne5?! 14. Qg3 b4 15. Nce2 Nc6 16. fxe6 fxe6 17. Bh3 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Qc4 19. Kb1 e5 20. Nf5 Bxf5 21. exf5 Ra7 22. f6 gxf6 23. gxf6 Bf8 24. Qf3 Rc7 25. Rhf1 e4 26. Qf2 Kf7 27. Rd4 Qc5 28. Bf5 d5 29. Qd2 Bd6 30. Rxd5 Qc4 31. Qd1 Rd8 32. Rd4 Qc5 33. Bxe4 a5 34. Rd5 1-0 Ljubojevic,L-Kokkoris,H/Athens 1970.

 

14. f6 gxf6 15. gxf6 Bf8

White has done very well from this position.

 

16. Bh3 h5

After this move, Black is one tempo shy of castling queenside and gets in trouble. Perhaps better:

16… Bd7!? 17. Qh5 (17. e5!? d5 18. Nxd5! exd5 19. Qxd5 O-O-O? (19… Rd8 20. Bxd7+ Rxd7 21. Qa8+ Rd8 22. Qf3) 20. Qa8+? (20. Nc6! Re8 21. Ne7+ Bxe7 22. Qa8+ Qb8 23. Bxd7+ Nxd7 24. Qxa6+ Kc7 25. Rxd7+ Kxd7 26. Rd1+ Kc7 27. fxe7) 20… Qb8 21. Qxb8+? Kxb8 22. Nc6+ Bxc6 23. Rxd8+ Kc7 24. Rc8+ Kb7 25. Rg1?? Bh6+ 0-1 Larsen,T-Stam,B/Bergen 2002 (36)) 17… O-O-O?! (17… b4!) 18. Qxf7 Bh6+ 19. Kb1 Rdf8 20. Qh5 (20. Qe7! Re8 21. Nxe6 Bxe6 22. Bxe6+ Nxe6 23. Qxd6 Qxd6 24. Rxd6 Nc7) 20… Rxf6 21. e5! dxe5 22. Nxe6 Bxe6 23. Nd5 Qf7 (23… Qg7 24. Nxf6 Qxf6 25. Rd5) 24. Qxe5 Bxh3 25. Nxf6 Na4 26. Rd6 Bg7 27. Rhd1 Qb7 28. Qh5 Bg2 29. Qg4+ Kb8 30. Nd7+ Ka8 31. Qxg7 Rc8 32. Qxh7 Be4 33. Rf1 Qc6 34. Rh1 1-0 Parma,B-Bogdanovic,R/Titovo Uzice 1966.

 

17. Rhe1 Bd7

17… Bb7?! 18. Nd5 exd5 19. exd5+ Kd8 20. Qe2

 

18. Nd5!? exd5

White also does well after 18… Qb7?! 19. Ne7!? a5 20. Qg3 Nxe4 21. Qg2 d5 22. Bxe6!! fxe6 23. Qg6+ Kd8 24. Rxe4! Qb6 25. Qf7 Bh6+ 26. Kb1 Ra6 27. Rxe6 Bxe6 28. Ndc6+ Qxc6 29. Nxc6+ Rxc6 30. Qb7 Rc7 31. Qb8+ Bc8 32. Rxd5+ Rd7 33. Qb6+ Ke8 34. Qc6 Kd8 35. Rxd7+ Bxd7 36. Qa8+ Bc8 37. Qxa5+ Kd7 38. Qxb5+ Ke6 39. Qc4+ Kf5 40. f7 Be6 41. Qd3+ Kg5 42. h4+ 1-0 Schmidt Schaeffer,S-Striebich,R/Baden 1991.

 

19. exd5+ Kd8 20. Bxd7 Qxd7 21. Ne6+! Kc8

Black may well survive after 21… fxe6 22. dxe6 Qb7 23. e7+ Bxe7 24. fxe7+ Kc7

 

22. Nxc5 dxc5 23. d6 Ra7

23… Kb8!? 24. Re5

 

24. Qd5 c4 25. Qc5+ Kb8 26. Kb1 Rb7 27. Rd5 h4 28. a3 h3 29. Qd4 Rg8

30. Re7!! Qd8 31. Qe5 b4 32. axb4 Rxb4 33. Rd1

33. d7+!

 

33… Rb5 34. Re8 Rxe5 35. Rxd8+ Kb7 36. d7

Black resigns

 

1-0

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Be3 c6 9. d5 c5 10. Ne1 Kh8 11. Nd3 Ng8 12. Qd2 Nb6 13. b3 f5 14. exf5 gxf5 15. f4 e4 16. Nf2 Qf6 17. Rac1 Bd7 18. Kh1 Qg6 19. Rg1 Nh6 20. Qd1

20… Ng4!? 21. Bxg4 fxg4 22. Nfxe4 Rae8 23. Re1 Rxe4 24. Nxe4 Qxe4 25. Bxc5 Qxf4 26. Be3 Qf7 27. Bd4

Ju likely calculated to here and assumed he would be doing well based on the material situation. But White retains a strong positional plus. Ju now over-reaches.

27… g3?

27… Bxd4 28. Qxd4+ Qg7 29. Qe3

28. Rc3! Be5? 29. Rf3 Qg7 30. Rxg3 Bxd4

Desperately, Ju tries to organize his lucky fortress, as he did in another game, but without success.

31. Rxg7 Bxg7 32. Rf1 Re8 33. Qh5 Re7 34. h4 Be8 35. Qg5 Re5 36. Qd8! Nd7 37. b4 Kg8 38. Kh2 h5 39. Qc8 Re4 40. Kh3 Nb6 41. Qd8 Nxc4 42. Rf5 Kh7 43. Rg5 Bg6?

43… Bh6!?

44. Rxg6! Kxg6 45. Qg5+

Black resigns since he will lose the Rook next move to 46.Qf5+.

1-0