Caro-Kann Gurgenidze
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6!?
Overwhelmingly more popular is 3...dxe4, but the text has been played by Garry Kasparov, and is a speciality of Gata Kamsky. It scores a very good 50% in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database - two percentage points more than the mainline.
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| How should White respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
4.e5!?
Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1 agree this is best, although more popular are 4.h3 and especially 4.Nf3.
4...h5!?
Black's score rises to 51% after this.
5.Nf3 Nh6 6.Bf4 Bg4!?
This apparent novelty, albeit in an obscure position, is the top choice of the engines.
7.Be2!?
The engines strongly dislike this, much preferring 7.h3 and 7.Bd3.
7...e6 8.Qd2 Nf5 9.h3!? Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nh4 11.Ke2!?
The engines do not like this.
11...Nd7 12.g3 Nxf3
The engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge after 12...Nf5!?
13.Kxf3 a6!?
This may be too slow. The engines suggest playing on the kingside with 13...Bg7 or 13...h4.
14.Kg2 c5 15.Ne2
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
15...cxd4
Gaining space with 15...c4?! is very much disliked by the engines, presumably because, by taking pressure off the centre, Black leaves White more-or-less a free hand on the kingside.
16.Nxd4 Rc8 17.c3 Be7 18.Rae1?
White is at least slightly better after 18.h4, according to the engines.
18...g5 19.Be3 Nxe5
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| Black has won a pawn, but White has compensation worth about a half-pawn, according to the engines |
*****
*****
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20.Qe2 Nc6 21.Rhf1 Nxd4!? 22.Bxd4 Bf6!? 23.Bxf6 Qxf6
Black has simplified the position, but the consequence is White's remaining pieces are better coordinated than Black's, and the black king is less safe than White's.
24.f4 Rc4!?
The engines suggest 24...Rc6 or 24...gxf4 25.Rxf4 Qg7, in each case claiming equality.
25.fxg5 Qxg5 26.Qf3
White may have a slight pull after 26.Rxf7!
26...Rc7 27.h4 Qg6 28.Qxd5
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| Now White has levelled the material, how would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
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*****
Black has an extra pawn-island, but Black is to move and that conveys an initiative, which the engines reckon is enough for equality.
28...Rg8 29.Qe5 Rd7 30.Rf2 Qd3?!
Safer is seeking an exchange of queens with 30...Qg7.
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
31.Re3
Promising is 31.Qb8+ Rd8 32.Qc7, eg 32...Qg6 33.Re3 Rd7 34.Qe5, although there is no immediate win of material.
31...Qd5+ 32.Re4 Qxe5 33.Rxe5
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| How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending? |
*****
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Black has an extra pawn-island, but has the only protected passer. The engines reckon the game is completely equal.
33...Rd3 34.Rf3 Rxf3!?
34...Rd2+ looks a simpler way to draw, assuming Black is happy with that, but the engines agree the text is fine too.
35.Kxf3 Rh8 36.Rg5 Rh7!?
36...Ke7 avoids giving up the back rank.
37.c4
37.Rg8+ Kd7 38.Ke4 may be enough for a tiny pull, although Stockfish16.1 reckons the game is still equal (Dragon1 awards White a slight edge).
37...f6 38.Ra5 e5 39.Rd5 Ke7 ½–½
The final position is completely equal, according to the engines.
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