The Cambridge Springs Krzysztof Panczyk and Jacek IIczuk (e)AI~IBIITI First published in the UK by Gambit Publications Ltd 2002 Copyright © Krzysztof Panczyk and Jacek Ilczuk 2002 The right of Krzysztof Panczyk and J acek Ilczuk to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a sim ilar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. A copy of the British Library Cataloguing in Publication data is available from the British Library. ISBN 1 901983684 DISTRIBUTION: Worldwide (except USA): Central Books Ltd, 99 Wallis Rd, London E9 5LN. Tel +44 (0)20 8986 4854 Fax +44 (0)20 8533 5821. E-mail: [email protected] USA: BHB International, Inc., 302 West North 2nd Street, Seneca, SC 29678, USA. For all other enquiries (including a full list of all Gambit Chess titles) please con tact the publishers, Gambit Publications Ltd, P.O. Box 32640, London W14 OJN. E-mail: [email protected] Or visit the GAMBIT web site at http://www.gambitbooks.com Edited by Graham Burgess Typeset by John Nunn Printed in Great Britain by The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wilts. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Gambit Publications Ltd Managing Director: GM Murray Chandler Chess Director: GM John Nunn Editorial Director: FM Graham Burgess German Editor: WFM Petra Nunn Contents Symbols 4 Introduction 5 I Rare 7th Moves for White 10 2 7 i.xf6 20 3 7 cxd5: Introduction and Minor Lines 38 4 7 cxd5 lDxd5 including 8 'ii'd2 1D7b6 53 5 7 cxd5 lDxd5 8 'ilVd2 i.b4 68 6 7 lDd2: Introduction and Minor Lines 82 7 71Dd2 dxc4 90 8 7 lDd2 i.b4: Minor Lines 107 9 7 lDd2 i.b4: Main Line (8 'iVc2 0-0) 132 10 White Avoids the Cambridge Springs: Minor Lines 162 II White Avoids the Cambridge Springs: Exchange Variation with i.g5 177 Index of Variations 191 Symbols + check Wcht world team championship ++ double check Ech European championship # checkmate Echt European team championship !! brilliant move ECC European Clubs Cup good move Ct candidates event !? interesting move IZ interzonal event ?! dubious move Z zonal event ? bad move OL olympiad ?? blunder jr junior event +- White is winning worn women's event ± White is much better rpd rapidplay game ;t White is slightly better tt team tournament = equal position sim game from simultaneous display 00 unclear position corr. correspondence game + Black is slightly better adv advanced chess (man + machine) Black is much better 1-0 the game ends in a win for White =+= -+ Black is winning 112-112 the game ends in a draw Ch championship 0-1 the game ends in a win for Black Cht team championship (n) nth match game Wch world championship (D) see next diagram Introduction Historical Outline liJf6 4 ..tg5 c6 5 e3 ~a5 6 .txf6 gxf6 7 a3 liJd7 8 c5 e5 Reggio-Pillsbury, Monte Carlo 1903; 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 liJc3 lZJf6 4 ..tg5 c6 5 e3 ~a5 6..txf6 w gxf6 7 a3 liJd7 8 lZJf3 dxc4 9 ..txc4 liJb6 10 ..td3liJd5 Pillsbury-Janowski, Budapest 1896. The tournament held in Cambridge Springs 1904 was a turning-point for the system since several games were played between top-level players ofthe day. Ever since this tournament, which was held in a spa town in Pennsylvania, the variation has appeared frequently in The Cambridge Springs Variation (1 tournament practice. In the subsequent d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 liJc3 liJf6 4 ..tg5 liJbd7 years it became quite popular, and was 5 lZJf3 c6 6 e3 ..wa5) appeared on the used by such players as Teichmann, chess scene at the end of the 19th cen Mieses, Alapin, Rubinstein, Przepiorka, tury, the first time in the game Hodges Em. Lasker, Chigorin, Marshall, Reti, Em.Lasker, New York simul 1892, Capablanca, Schlechter and Tarrasch. where the opening went 1 liJf3 d5 2 d4 Its period of greatest popularity was lZJf6 3 c4 e6 4 ..tg5 liJbd7 5 e3 c6 6 the 1920s and 1930s, when it occurred liJc3 ~a5 7 ..txf6 gxf6 8 a3 dxc4 9 in a number of world championship ..txc4 ~h5. Then the variation was matches. Alekhine used it in his match sporadically played in later tourna against Capablanca in 1927, both play ment practice, for instance in the games ers tried it in the match Alekhine-Bog Burn-Schiffers, Berlin 1897, and Wal oljubow in 1929, and in the later match brodt-Tarrasch, Vienna 1898. The sys in 1934 (but this time only Bogolju tem is sometimes named the Pillsbury bow). Euwe successfully played it once Variation. However, the diagram posi in his 1935 match against Alekhine. tion, which is regarded as the basic Then the popularity of the variation starting position of the Cambridge gradually decreased. However, this was Springs, never occurred in Pillsbury's not due to its objective value but rather games. He played only one game with the fact that White usually played the Black in a similar line, i.e. with ... ~a5 Exchange Variation. made a move earlier, and one similar Since the mid-1980s the Cambridge line with White: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 liJc3 Springs has appeared in tournament 6 THE CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS practice slightly more often but it is play 2 ... dxc4 (the Queen's Gambit Ac still a rare guest in duels between top cepted) in order to develop his bishop class players. We think that the reason on b7 (normally after ... a6 and ... bS) or may still be White's option of playing in some variations on g4. However, the the Exchange Variation. However, it is defect of this solution is that White possible for Black to reach a Cam obtains control over the centre and in bridge Springs via a Semi-Slav move some lines can play e4 (even on the 3rd order: I d4 dS 2 c4 e6 3 lbc3 c6 4 lbf3 move). Moreover, unlike other varia lbf6 (or one of several other move tions, White can take the c4-pawn in orders to reach this position), meeting one tempo (i.f1xc4, rather than, e.g., S i.gS with S ... lbbd7, though in this i.f1-d3xc4). Black can also try 2 ... c6 case he must also be ready to face S e3, intending in the future ... i.fS or ... i.g4, leading to Meran or Anti-Meran sys or ... dxc4 followed by ... bS and ... i.b7, tems. Also, if Black is willing to playa ... a6, ... cS (Slav, Semi-Slav). This con Nirnzo-Indian, he can use the move tinuation also has some drawbacks. The order 1 d4lbf6 2 c4 e6 3 lbf3 dS 4lbc3 point is that in most lines Black cannot lbbd7. If either of these move-orders is successfully develop his light-squared used, White can still play an Exchange bishop on fS or g4 without first playing Variation, but his king's knight is al ... dxc4 (again giving ground in the cen ready committed to f3, which reduces tre) or spending further time with ... a6 his options somewhat. because of the weakness of his b7- The greatest enthusiasts of the sys pawn, which may be attacked by ~3. tem were Bogoljubow and Spielmann, The move ... c6 also takes the c6-square while in the modem era Smagin plays away from the b8-knight. it regularly, and it can also be seen in Both lines mentioned are naturally games by such players as Kasparov, playable and have been used many Ivanchuk, Yusupov, M.Gurevich, 011 times by top-class players across the and Smyslov. decades. Nevertheless, the main con The Cambridge Springs provides rich tinuation is still 2 ... e6. This move, scope for tactical possibilities as well as though, restricts the c8-bishop's possi subtle strategic manoeuvres. Therefore bilities on the c8-h3 diagonal. Only if we encourage all chess-players to incor White plays cxdS unsolicited (the Ex porate it into their opening repertoire. change Variation) does the problem of the light-squared bishop disappear. Strategic and Tactical Ideas In most variations of the Queen's Gambit Declined, Black seeks to solve The main strategic problem in the these queenside development problems Queen's Gambit for Black is how to de in one way or another. The most ener velop his queenside pieces, especially getic is ... cS (the Tarrasch Variation). In the light-squared bishop. After 1 d4 dS order to achieve anything White must 2 c4 White threatens to take over the exchange pawns in the centre by cxdS, whole centre by playing cxdS. Black opening up the c8-h3 diagonal. More has several ways to respond. He can over, at the cost of an isolated dS-pawn, INTRODUCTION 7 Black obtains active play and influence over the e4-square and the half-open c-tile. Unfortunately, since the world B championship match Karpov-Kaspa rov, Moscow 1984/5 this variation has experienced a serious crisis. The Tartakower Variation embodies another idea: ... b6 followed by ... i.b7 (or ... i.e6 if White plays an early cxd5). Further examples may be ... dxc4 fol- lowed by ... ttJd5 preparing ... e5 open- ing the c8-h3 diagonal or ... c5 followed hy ... b6 or ... a6 and ... b5 (the Orthodox S• •. ttJxg5 9 ttJxg5 dxc4 10 i.xc4 Variation), or exchanging off the king's 'ii'xg5 and Black has won a piece. knight by ... ttJe4 followed by similar ideas (Lasker Variation). In all these Another famous blunder when White cases Black stands on the border be opts to transpose to an Exchange Varia tween an equal position and a small ad tion is 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 ttJc3 ttJC6 4 vantage for White in most lines, often i.g5 ttJbd7 5 cxd5 exd5 6 ttJxd5?? without any chances to fight for vic (D). tory. On the other hand, such lines as the Semi-Slav (especially the Botvinnik System) and the Vienna Variation lead B to very complicated play and have been analysed in great detail, in some varia tions beyond the 30th move. The play ers are required to play the whole game in a heightened state of tension. Every decision is critical and the play is very forcing. This is accompanied by the risk that one powerful novelty in a criti cal line might make the whole system worthless. 6. .• ttJxdS 7 bdS i.b4+ S 'ii'd2 ~dS and again White has shed a piece. The Cambridge Springs is a coun terattack on the queenside. Black plans A typical way for White to go astray ... i.b4 and ... ttJe4 attacking the c3- in the Cambridge Springs is 1 d4 d5 2 knight, which cannot be defended by c4 e6 3 ttJc3 ttJC6 4 i.g5 ttJbd7 5 ttJf3 White's dark-squared bishop. Here is c6 6 e3 'ii'a5 7 i.xf6 ttJxf6 S a3 ttJe4 9 one typical trap: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 ttJc3 ':'cl ttJxc3 (D). ttJC64 i.g5 ttJbd7 5 ttJC3 c6 6 e3 'iVa5 7 10 ':'xc3? i.xa3, Krstev-Mihajlov 'iVc2 ttJe4 S i.d3?? (D). ski, Skopje 1998. 8 THE CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS and energetic move seems to be 7 cxd5 (Chapters 3-5) intending to take advan tage of Black's early queen move, of w ten by sacrificing a pawn. It appeals to those who prefer active, forcing play. After this move Black must make a very important decision. After 7 ... cxdS Black is very passive, while 7 ... exd5 results in an Exchange Variation where the black queen is committed to the a5- square. With accurate play, White can show the queen to be misplaced. That In many lines Black experiences some leaves two knight moves; 7 ... 4Je4 and problems developing his c8-bishop, but 7 ... 4Jxd5. The former is a spirited gam often he gains the bishop-pair or even a bit that leads to sharp play and requires pawn in return for this inconvenience. an accurate response from White, but The play can then become very inter ultimately does not appear to be ade esting. quate for Black. 7 ... 4Jxd5 is the main The main practical drawback of the line, and its assessment is critical for Cambridge Springs is that in order to the overall assessment of the Cam reach it, Black gives White the option of bridge Springs. After White's standard playing an Exchange Variation where reply 8 'iVd2, the current status of the Black's queen's knight is committed to theory suggests to us that the older d7. 8 ... 4J7b6 (Chapter 4) is more reliable than the more popular 8 ... i.b4 (Chap 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 4Jc3 4Jf6 4 i.g5 ter 5). 4Jbd7 54Jf3 c6 6 e3 'iVa5 (D) Nowadays 7 cxd5 yields precedence to 74Jd2. In this way, White avoids the risk of a pawn sacrifice and lessens the effect of Black's pin on the a5-e 1 diag- w 0nal: Black's active ideas ... dxc4 and ... 4Je4 are both parried. White's aim is to stabilize the position and secure a modest spatial plus upon which he can build in the middlegame. However, the knight retreat also has its weak points: it does nothing to enhance White's development, leaves the g5-bishop un defended, and gives Black ideas in volving ... e5. In many cases, even if In this basic position White can un White does obtain his small advantage, dertake various measures against the it is very difficult to make any progress pin. The most principled, consistent since Black has no weaknesses and is