Review by Nagesh Havanur
Opening Encyclopaedia 2025 Part II
In the first part of the review, I dealt with the treatment of Open Games in this Opening Encyclopaedia 2025. Here I shall deal with the treatment of Semi-Open Games. In practice the Sicilian continues to be the favourite choice for many GMs. If you check the opening surveys here, you would find quite a few offbeat lines. My attention was particularly drawn to Krisztian Szabo’s analysis of the Sicilian O’Kelly Variation.
After 1. e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6!? White can aim for a kind of Maroczy Bind position with 3.c4 This is fine. As for 3.d4, it may be met by 3…cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5!. Now the knight cannot go to b5 as in the Sveshnikov or Kalashnikov Variation and would be obliged to retreat to b3, e2 or f3. At the end of his analysis Krisztian Szabo is sceptical about Black finding counterplay. Here a little improvement is possible.
During the 1970s the Velimorovic Attack was considered dangerous. Now it has become a kind of theoretical draw on account of extensive practice in correspondence play. It is no longer in vogue. Apparently that is the reason why it is not mentioned in the Opening Encyclopaedia here. It is still good to know. Here is a glimpse of the variation from a correspondence game.
On the other hand the Scheveningen is a problem area on account of the Keres Attack with 6.g4. I think, both ChessBase Magazine and the next Edition of the Opening Encyclopaedia should deal with the line.
This brings me to the treatment of Bb5 systems against the Sicilian. In general White “threatens” to exchange his bishop for the Black knight on c6 and follow up with f2-f4. The doubled pawns on c-file resulting after this exchange are often a cause for concern for the Sicilian player. It is possible for Black to avoid this when possible and allow it when necessary. Here is a road map.
Now let us see a new line in a different opening. “ If you love careful and quiet play, you go for the Caro-Kann. You may not win, at least you won’t lose.” Once upon a time that used to be the Received Wisdom. Now it is no longer so. It was Botvinnik who gave the Caro-Kann an aggressive character. He surprised Smyslov with the Caro-Kann in the first game of1958 Return Match and won. He did it again in the with Tal in the 1960 World Championship Match with mixed results.
It was in the Return Match 1961 that his Caro-Kann met a fiery trial. Tal pressed with the Advance Variation and followed up with a march of the pawns on the kingside. The whole idea then appeared outlandish and unsound. As we shall see here, it has stood the test of time. Botvinnik’s example was followed by Petrosian and Karpov who included the Caro-Kann in their arsenal. However, they were not too successful with their latter-day opponents. After initial setbacks Fischer scored over Petrosian. So did Kasparov over Karpov. This brings us to the present.
The Caro-Kann Advance Variation with 3.e5 c5 4.h4 has long since been neutralized with 4…h5 stopping White’s pawn advance. It’s the other line, 4…h6!? receives some serious critical attention by Lars Schandorff. At the end of his analysis he remains doubtful about Black’s chances in this line. Perhaps there is a silver lining here. Let us take a look.
Another variation in the Caro-Kann deserves attention. It appeared in CBM 225 after the release of this Opening Encyclopaedia. Balács Csonka offers an analysis of this remarkable line in the magazine. According to him quite a few players, Jorden Van Foreest, Dmitrij Kollars and Valentina Gunina among others have contributed to the theory of the opening. I have kept it easy and simple for readers not familiar with theory.
One defence that receives relatively less attention in this Encyclopaedia is the Pirc Defence. This compact and resilient system deserves its place under the sun. It would help aspiring players if its potential is revealed to them by the experts on ChessBase. The other system, Modern Defence is provocative and not without risks. Black playa 1…g6 followed by …Bg7 as in the Pirc. However, he does not develop the king’s knight on f6 immediately. Instead he keeps the options open. With due respect to Tiger Hillarp Persson who did much to advance this system I still remain sceptical about it all. As such, there is not much material on this system in the Encyclopaedia. So let us leave it alone.
I have similar reservations on the Scandinavian Defence also is not without dangers. After 1.e4 d5 2.exd5, Black has to expose the queen to dangers with 2…Qxd5 or gambit the pawn with 2…Nf6. As of now I am not convinced by either line. The Encyclopaedia also does not have much to offer by way of recent developments in this system.
Opening theory is constantly evolving. One way of finding more about it is to check out reviews of ChessBase Magazine. Opening surveys from the issues of this DVD magazine are collected and published in the Opening Encyclopaedia. In the next part of this review I shall deal with the Closed Games. Watch this space.
Links
https://en.chessbase.com/post/opening-encyclopaedia-review-nagesh-havanur-p1
https://en.chessbase.com/post/opening-encyclopaedia-2024-review-nagesh-havanur
https://en.chessbase.com/post/opening-encyclopaedia-2024-review-nagesh-havanur-2
Understanding Big DataBase 2022: Playing against e4
Further Reading
How to Open a Chess Game (RHM Press 1974)
Chess Opening Essentials Vol. 1: The Complete 1.e4 (New in Chess 2007)
Mastering the Chess Openings Vols. 1-4 by John Watson (Gambit 2006-2010)