Nowhere. This is ok for black. Not critical.
Yes the defence with ...h5 seems to be equal.
Logically speaking it is hard to grasp that 5...g6 would be a mistake and 5...a6 would be correct.
Logically speaking it is hard to grasp that 5...g6 would be a mistake and 5...a6 would be correct.
@impruuve I wonder what your opinion about 11...Ne5 12.Kb1 line is. This is the main reason why I started to play 11...Nxd4. (I examined all Re8, Nc4, a6, a5, b5 and everything is ... highly suspicious at best. I know the Carlsen's games from 2008 and I think there are reasons why he doesn't play this line anymore.)
@tpr Both Gawain Jones and Romain Edouard play the Topalov line regularly. I don't know about any very strong grandmaster who plays 11...Ne5 since 2009 when MVL defeated Kasimdzhanov.
@WildTiger yes Kasim has contributed a lot to this line. The advanced chess players are discussing this currently...
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