[Event "Bird's Opening : Complete Guide [EN]: Leningrad Bird : Theory"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/Se4v5P7u/AmgPvSFr"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A03"] [Opening "Bird Opening: Dutch Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Aurghnost"] [UTCDate "2019.06.18"] [UTCTime "12:36:02"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Se4v5P7u/AmgPvSFr"] [Orientation "white"] 1. f4 { [%csl Gf4,Ge4,Rd5][%cal Gf4e5,Ge2e4,Rd7d5] } 1... d5 { After this, we can already see the respective plans of both sides. Indeed, the pawn d5 shows that the blacks will predominate in the center (with c5 or e5) while whites will initially establish a small center and then in some variants (including the Leningrad variant), take the center by e4 (played as soon as possible). } { [%csl Rd5,Ye5,Yc5][%cal Rd7d5,Yc7c5,Ye7e5] } 2. Nf3 c5 3. g3 { This move enters in the Leningrad variant of the Bird. There are however more flexible move that allow the choice between several variants including the Leningrad variant, the Antoshin variant or the Classic variant. One of the advantages of the Bird is its great flexibility (except in variants such as Stonewall). } (3. d3 g6 4. c3 Nc6 5. Qc2 (5. g3 { Leningrad Variation }) 5... Bg7 6. e4 dxe4 7. dxe4 { Antoshin Variation }) (3. e3 g6 4. d3 { Classical Variation } (4. d4 { Stonewall Variation }) (4. b3 { Queenside Fianchetto Variation })) 3... Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 (4... Nf6 5. d3 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nxe5 7. fxe5 Ng4 8. O-O g6 9. Nc3 d4 10. Bxb7 Rb8 11. Bc6+ Bd7 12. Bxd7+ Qxd7 13. Ne4 Nxe5 14. Nxc5 Qd5 15. Nb3) 5. O-O Bg7 6. d3 { Whites as well as blacks have already started their preparations for the control of squares e5 and e4. However, preventing the push of the e pawn for one of the two camps is a possible task at the cost of large positional sacrifices. The plan of each camp will therefore only slow down the enemy's push or deal only with his own. } 6... Nf6 { Temporarily give up the e5 push to temporarily prevent whites from once again executing their plan. } 7. c3 { Limit the range of the Bishop g7. Possible too was the Helicoptere attack : } (7. c4 d4 8. Na3 O-O 9. Rb1 Re8 10. Bd2 a5 11. Nb5 e5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. fxe5 Rxe5 14. Bf4 Re7 15. Bd6 Ng4 16. Bxc5 Rd7 17. e4 Ne3 18. Qf3 b6 (18... Nxf1 19. Rxf1 Ra6 20. Bh3 Rf6 21. Qg2 Rxf1+ 22. Qxf1 Qg5 23. Bb6 Qe3+ 24. Kh1 Rd8 25. Bxd8 Bxh3 26. Qxh3 Qe1+ 27. Kg2 Qe2+ 28. Kg1 Qe3+ 29. Kf1 Qxd3+ 30. Kg1 Qe3+ 31. Kf1 Qc1+ 32. Kg2 Qxb2+ 33. Kg1 d3 { and Whites will must give the bishop or the Knight for the d3 pawn. It's a total equality. }) 19. Ba3 Nxf1 20. Rxf1 $14 { with a very nice attack }) (7. Nc3 d4 8. Na4 b6 9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. Bxa8 Neg4 11. Bc6+ Kf8 $15 { Whites have quality, but white pieces are very poorly placed and have few opportunities for pleasant development. The position is uncertain, but the Blacks are freer. }) 7... O-O 8. Na3 { Expects after e4 dxe4 to settle in c4 or b5. } 8... Qc7 { Emphasizes the pressure on e5. Possible also is: } (8... Qb6 9. Qb3 Qc7 10. Nb5 Qd8 11. Na3 Rb8 12. Nc2) 9. Qe1 b6 10. e4 dxe4 (10... Qd7 11. e5 Ng4 12. Qe2 h5 13. Ng5 e6 14. h3 Nh6 15. g4 hxg4 16. hxg4 { With a nice position for whites. }) 11. dxe4 { The game enters a key phase, in a position that happens quite frequently in the Leningrad games. Blacks can either play e5 or try to annoy Whites with Fa6. } 11... e5 (11... Ba6 12. c4 Rad8 13. e5 Ng4 14. h3 Nh6 15. g4 { (h3 and g4 are commons moves) } 15... f5 16. g5 Nf7 17. Nb5 Bxb5 18. cxb5 Nb4 19. Qe2 e6 20. Be3 Nd5 (20... Nd3 21. Ne1 Nb4 22. Nc2 Nd3 23. b3 h6 24. Rad1 Nxf4 25. Bxf4 hxg5 26. Bh2)) 12. Nb5 Qb8 (12... Qe7 13. fxe5 Ng4 14. Bg5 Qb7 15. Nd6 Qd7 $14) (12... Qb7 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Nd6 Qd7 15. fxe5 $10) 13. f5! { A thematic move after e5. The objective is not for now the attack of black castle because fxg6 leads nowhere. The move simply serves to block the center and to make the threat of an attack on the Black castle. } (13. fxe5 Ng4 14. Bf4 { leaves an isolated pawn in e4. }) 13... a6 (13... gxf5 14. exf5 { is not possible because of the weakening of the Black King wing. }) 14. Na3 b5 (14... h6 15. Nc4 a5 16. Ncxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Bf4 Qe8 19. e5 Nd5 20. Bxd5 Bxf5 21. Bxa8 Qxa8) 15. Bg5 c4 16. Rd1 Ra7 17. Nc2 Rd7 18. Rxd7 Bxd7 *