[Event "Grunfeld Defense - Russian System: Chapter 1"] [Date "2018.06.07"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D97"] [Opening "Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Prins Variation"] [StudyName "Grunfeld Defense - Russian System"] [ChapterName "Chapter 1"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/3I4izIDL/RNGG3Kwc"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/flohahn22"] [UTCDate "2018.06.07"] [UTCTime "06:54:40"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 { The move 5.Qb3 characterizes the Russian System in the Grunfeld Defense. White puts a lot of pressure on Black's d5-pawn and almost forces Black to play ...dxc4. Black does not want to play passive moves like ...e6 or ...c6 - that's not in the spirit of the Grunfeld Defense. } { [%csl Rd5][%cal Gc4d5,Gb3d5,Gc3d5] } 5... dxc4 { [%csl Rb3][%cal Gc4b3] } 6. Qxc4 O-O { Black brings him king to safety. Generally speaking, Black usually gets a huge lead in development in this variation as White's queen is exposed and he has to move with the queen several times. In return, White got one of Black's central pawns for a flank pawn and usually builds up an impressive center. } (6... Be6!? { A little-known tip to avoid all the theory: The move 6...Be6 is a relatively new move, played by the world's leading Grunfeld Defense expert Peter Svidler against Sergey Volkov in 2017. If you want to sidestep all the theory in the Russian System, this is an interesting try. You can play through the game to get a first idea of this line. } { [%cal Ge6c4] } 7. Qa4+ Bd7 8. Qb3 c5 9. d5 b5 10. e4 b4 11. e5 bxc3 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. bxc3 O-O 14. Bh6 Re8 15. Bc4 Bg4 16. Nd2 Nd7 17. h3 Rb8 18. Qa3 Bf5 19. O-O Ne5 20. Bf4 Rb7 21. Bxe5 Bxe5 22. f4 Bd6 23. g4 e6 24. gxf5 exd5 25. Ba6 c4 26. Qa4 Rb2 27. Nf3 Ree2 28. Qc6 Qe7 29. Qa8+ Bb8 30. Qxd5 Bxf4 31. Rfe1 Qe3+ 32. Kh1 Rh2+ { Volkov, Sergey1 - Svidler, P., 0-1, 70th ch-RUS 2017, https://lichess.org/ZwQ6ZKjt }) 7. e4 { Gaining space in the center. Now, Black has several moves at his disposal - all of them lead to well-known variations: 7...a6 - the Hungarian Variation which is a favorite by Super-GM Peter Svidler 7...Nc6 - the classical main move 7...Na6 - a move which Carlsen used against Anand in their World Championship Match in 2014 7...Bg4 - this was a famous line until the 1970s } 7... Na6 { Black's idea is to challenge the center with...c5 } { [%csl Bc5][%cal Gc7c5,Ya6c5] } (7... a6 { [%csl Rc4][%cal Gb7b5] } 8. Be2 b5 { Black starts counterplay on the queenside } { [%csl Rc4][%cal Gb5c4] } 9. Qb3 c5 { [%csl Rd4][%cal Gc5d4] } 10. dxc5 Be6 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Be3 Rc8 13. Rd1 b4 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Nxc5 16. O-O Nce4 17. Qd3 Qd6 18. g3 Rfd8 19. Bf4 Qxd5 20. Qxa6 Qa8 21. Qxa8 Rxa8 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Ne5 Nd5 24. Rd1 Rd6 25. Nxg6 Nxf4 26. Nxf4 Rxd1+ 27. Bxd1 Bxb2 28. Nd3 Bc3 29. Kg2 Kg7 30. f4 h6 31. g4 f5 32. gxf5 Nd6 33. Kf3 Kf6 34. Nf2 Kxf5 35. Ng4 Kg6 36. Bc2+ Kg7 37. Ne3 e6 38. Bb3 Nf5 39. Ke4 { Giri, A. - Grischuk, A., 1/2-1/2, Tbilisi FIDE GP 2015, https://lichess.org/RKVEXu0O }) (7... Nc6 8. Be2 Bg4 { Black brings all his pieces to ative squares. } { [%csl Rd4][%cal Gg4f3,Gc6d4,Gd8d4] } 9. d5 { [%csl Rc6][%cal Gc6a5] } 9... Na5 10. Qb4 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 c6 { [%csl Ra5][%cal Gd8a5,Gc6d5] }) (7... Bg4 { The old main line back in the 1960s and 1970s - Black immediately tries to eliminate a defender of the d4-pawn } { [%csl Rd4][%cal Gg4f3] } 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3 Nb6 10. Rd1 Nc6) 8. Be2 c5 { [%csl Rd4][%cal Gc5d4] } 9. d5 { White want's to keep his center. } (9. dxc5? Be6 { [%csl Rc4][%cal Ge6c4] } 10. Qb5 Rc8 { And Black is extremely active for a single pawn - a dream position for any Grunfeld Defense player } { [%csl Rc5][%cal Ga6c5,Gc8c5] }) 9... e6 { Black challanges the center once again. } { [%csl Rd5][%cal Ge6d5] } 10. O-O exd5 11. exd5 { This is a typical position which can arise from this variation of the Grunfeld. 16. It is essential to be familiar with the pawn structure in which White has an isolated, but passed d-pawn on d5. A White pawn on d5 or d6 can be very annoying for Black, but the good new is that Black can play around this pawn, keep it blockaded and then use the own pawn majority on the kingside or on the queenside – depending if Black exchanging his e-pawn or c-pawn. } 11... Re8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Be3 Bf5 14. Rad1 Ne4 15. Nxe4 Bxe4 16. Qc1 Qf6 17. Bxh6 Qxb2 18. Qxb2 Bxb2 19. Ng5 Bd4 20. Nxe4 Rxe4 21. Bf3 Re7 22. d6 Rd7 23. Bf4 Nb4 24. Rd2 Re8 25. Rc1 Re6 26. h4 Be5 27. Bxe5 Rxe5 28. Bxb7 Rxb7 29. d7 Nc6 30. d8=Q+ Nxd8 31. Rxd8+ Kg7 32. Rd2 { Anand, V. - Carlsen, M., 1/2-1/2, WCh 2014, https://lichess.org/7KeZ8rWs } *