1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Bb4This is a sharp variation that produces
positions closer to the Winaver line.5.e5...This is the main line: white
accepts weak pawns in c2-c3 in order to weaken the dark squares on the
kingside.5.exd5Qxd56.Bxf6gxf65.a3Bxc3+6.bxc3dxe47.Qe2Qd58.Bxf6gxf65.Ne2dxe46.a3Be77.Bxf6Bxf68.Nxe4O-O9.Qd3b65....h66.Be3!?...This is an interesting possibility. White's idea is to play
against the knight e4 which lacks of square. The play is now characterized by a
wild fight in the first moves. White will often ends up with weak pawns in c5
and e5, and will try to get the initiative while black tries to capture them. I
decide to make it my favorite variation, because the lines with Bd2 often
become too schematic, with fixed pawn structure and easy play for black.6.Bd2Bxc37.bxc3Ne48.Qg4g6This looks like a further weakness, but
black hopes to castle queenside and to have only f7 to defend.(8...Kf8)9.Bd3(9.Bc1!?Nxc310.Bd3c511.dxc5Qa512.Bd2Qa413.h3h514.Qf3Ne4)Nxd210.Kxd2[%draw arrow,g1,g4] [%draw arrow,g4,f4] The main position
of the variation. Ideally white would like to have the queen in f4 and the
knight in g4, exploiting the dark squares. Black, on the other hand, has a very
solid structure.c511.Nf3(11.h4This move is possible, in connection with Nf3-Nh2-Ng4, but not
with Rh3.Nc612.Rh3(12.Nf3c413.Be2Bd714.Qf4[%draw arrow,f3,h2] is playable.)c4∓[%draw arrow,f7,f5] and black is already better. White
pieces are clusmy on the kingside, and black always has the threat of f5.13.Bf1Bd714.h5g515.f4This idea is wrong because of f5f5∓)Nc6A critical position. Theory recommends to open the center by
taking on c5. Indeed, if black is given the chance to close the position then
he can quietely manouver in his field.(11...c4If black's idea is to close the position it seems logic to
do it now.12.Be2(12.Bxg6Rg8)Bd7and this is another important position, let us say main
one for the closed variation. Respect to the Winaver line, here white does not
have the bad bishop, and the queen is already well located in g4. Black,
however, has a more solid structure with no weak points.13.Qf4f4 is the best square for the queen.Nc6(13...Ba4This seems too slow as white can immediately bring its
knight in g4.14.h4Qa5(14...Nc615.Nh2Qc716.Ng4f5(16...O-O-O17.Nxh6f6⩱)17.Nf6+Ke7)15.Nh2Nc616.Ng4O-O-O17.Nxh6Rxh618.Qxh6Nxd4∓)14.h4Qe715.Nh2O-O-O16.Ng4h5(16...Qf817.a4Ne7Very closed position in which finding a plan is not easy.18.a5Nf519.a6b620.Ne3Ne721.g4Kb822.h5Bc8)17.Nf6Qa318.g4hxg419.Bxg4b520.h5b421.Qe3gxh522.Bxh5⩲)(11...Bd712.dxc5Nc613.Qf4should transpose to the same kind of structure.)12.dxc5(12.Qf4)(12.h4Qa513.Qf4cxd4(13...c4)14.Nxd4Nxd415.Qxd4Bd716.Rhb1is another typical line.Qc5)Qa5(12...Qe713.Qf4Qxc5transposes)13.Qf4Always the best square for the queen.Qxc514.Nd4[%draw arrow,h1,b1] [%draw arrow,f4,f6] [%draw arrow,c6,a5] Against the
appearance,white king is quite safe on d2. In this position white ideas are to
develop an initiative on the queenside, along the b file (Rhb1 and doubling the
rooks), in order to distract black from the already weakned kingside. Black
often answer with Na5.Bd7(14...Nxd415.Qxd4(15.cxd4is not promising for white.Qa5+16.Ke2∞)Qc7!of course exchanging queens is not in black's plan.(15...Qxd416.cxd4This endgame should be slightly favourable for
white, due to the bad black bishop. Nevertheless, black structure is very
solid, while white has a weakness in c2. In practice, often white ends up
winning.Bd717.a4O-O-O18.a5Kb819.Rhb1Rc820.Ra2⩲)16.h4Bd717.Rab1∞)(14...a615.Rhb1)15.Rhb1(15.a4Rc8(15...Na5)16.Rhb1b617.Qf6(17.Nb5O-O18.Qxh6Nxe519.Rb4Qxf2+)(17.Rb5Qe7)Rg8(17...O-O18.Nb3(18.Bxg6?Nxe5(18...Nxd419.cxd4Qxd4+20.Bd3Bxa421.Rxa4Qxa422.Qxh6f523.Qxe6+(23.exf6Rf7=)Kg724.Qe7+Rf725.Qg5+Kh826.e6±)19.Qxe5Qxc3+20.Ke2fxg6-+)Qe719.Qxe7Nxe720.a5)18.Nb5)Na516.Nb3Nxb3+17.axb36.exf6hxg57.fxg7Rg88.h4gxh49.Qg4Qf610.Nf3Rxg711.Qxh4Qxh412.Rxh4=6....Ne47.Qg4...7.a3Nxc38.Qg4(8.Qd2?!Ba5!∓)Bf89.bxc3c510.dxc5Nc611.Nf3Qa512.Bd2Bd713.Bd3Qxc514.O-ONa57....g68.a3Bxc3+9.bxc3...At this point black has several plans: to take c3 and
try to defend the pawn passively; to strike in c5; to harrass the white queen
(h5)9....h510.Qf4...10.Qf3now white threatens c4c5(10...Nc611.c4)11.Bd3Nxc312.dxc5Nd713.Qf4Qc714.Qd4Ne4(14...Qxe515.Nf3Qxd416.Bxd4)15.Bb5O-O16.Bxd7Bxd717.f3Qa5+18.Qb4Qxb4+19.axb4Nc320.Ne2=10....g511.Qf3c512.Bd3Nxc313.dxc5...transposes to the line that starts with 9... c5, where the surprising move 16. Bb5!! is played!13....Nc614.Bd2Na414...d414...Nxe5