Foreign ground

IM Malcolm Pein September 1, 2023

ENTICING the opponent into an unfamiliar position is one of the main objectives of opening play in this era of detailed computer preparation.
Producing a completely original position is even better.
At the FIDE World Cup, I thought it would be hard to beat Arjun Erigaisi’s theoretical novelty on move eight against Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in the quarter-final.

On the final day, in the match for third place, Fabiano Caruana forced his opponent onto unfamiliar ground after only three moves in a Rapid tie-breaker and was quickly rewarded. 

N Abasov – F Caruana
FIDE World Cup (3), Baku
Trompowsky 25+10

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Nc6 3.e3 e5 4.d5 Ne7



(4...Nb8 5.Nc3 d6 6.e4 Be7 was perfectly playable; Caruana clearly wanted to imbalance the game from the outset)



5.Bxf6 gxf6 6.c4
(6.d6 cxd6 7.c4 was worthy of serious consideration or 6.Ne2 d6 7.Ng3 f5 8.Nh5 threatens mate in one, and if 8...Ng6 9.Bb5+ is extremely annoying. Black could try 6.Ne2 d6 7.Ng3 a6 8.Nh5 Ng8, which looks ridiculous, but he successfully unravels with 9.Nc3 f5 10.g3 Nf6 11.Bg2 Nxh5 12.Qxh5 Bg7)
6...d6 7.Nc3 f5 8.h4



(8.Nge2 Bh6 9.g3 was more thematic or 8.Nge2 h5!? 9.h4 Ng6 10.Ng3 Nxh4 11.c5 Be7 12.Bb5+ Kf8 is good and 12.Nxh5 e4 is hard to assess)
8...Bg7 9.h5 0–0 10.Bd3 (10.h6 Bh8 11.Nge2 gives White some prospects on the kingside, now Black takes the initiative)
10...c6 11.Qd2 cxd5 12.cxd5 Bd7 13.Nge2 Rc8
(13...Bh6! 14.g3 Kh8 computer)
14.Ng3? e4!



(Black’s play on the dark squares and queenside soon gives him a big advantage).

15.Bc2 b5 16.Bb3 Qa5 17.Rc1 h6 18.0–0 Rc5
(Going after the d5-pawn, now if 19.a3 Rb8 followed by b5–b4 or 19.Ncxe4 Qxd2 20.Nxd2 Bxb2 21.Rxc5 dxc5 22.d6 Nc8 is also good for Black)
19.f3? Be5 20.Qf2

(20.Qe1 Qb6 21.fxe4 f4! 22.Nge2 b4 23.Na4 Rxc1 24.Nxb6 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 axb6 wins)

20...exf3 21.Qxf3
(If 21.gxf3 b4 22.Nce2 Bxb2 23.Rxc5 Qxc5 24.Nd4 Bxd4 25.exd4 Qc3 is very strong)
21...Qb4 22.Rc2 a5 23.Rcf2 Rxc3 24.Nxf5 Nxf5 25.bxc3



Black to play and after 25.bxc3:

©Telegraph Media Group Limited 2023