Miniatures in the Queen's Indian Defense: 4.g3

By Carsten Hansen

Miniatures in the Queen’s Indian: 4.g3 The subject of this book is the Fianchetto Variation of the Queen’s Indian Defense, which arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3. Its purpose is to entertain and educate you. The entertainment consists of 100 main games all of which are 25 moves or less. In addition to the main games, you will find miniatures included in the notes, along with many other complete games. The education part involves solving tactical puzzles, reasoning your way to the right move, spotting combinations and studying the theory associated with these lines. While the theoretical coverage may not necessarily be as deep as in opening monographs or repertoire books, there’s usually more than enough to give you a good understanding of the particular line, making it easier for you to incorporate it into your opening repertoire. We have also tried to include some key alternatives with analysis to give you an idea of other possibilities for both sides. As for the games, they are typically between players with a rating of at least 2350 and in fact are often stronger. However, we have made some exceptions to this guiding principle when a lower-rated player beats a player rated above the magical 2350 number. So that the performances of the players may be evaluated better, their ELO ratings have been included. The Queen’s Indian as a whole has been played consistently since its invention by Aron Nimzowitsch in the early years of the 20th century and it remains a very popular opening at all levels. While its foundation is solid, things can quickly become very sharp and heavy on theory, particularly when Black plays 4...Ba6. We hope you enjoy this second volume in the “Miniatures” series… Every chess player dreams of winning quickly and beautifully in his favorite opening. Carsten Hansen’s new “Miniatures” Series shows you how to do that, divided by opening! A novel and entertaining approach. But as they say – wait, there is more! It’s in the nature of chess that miniatures can only be won following mistakes by the opponent. The books can also show you which early mistakes to avoid so that you don’t lose quickly and beautifully in your favorite opening. Get the volumes with your openings and use them as preparation for your next tournament! – Grandmaster Lars Bo Hansen

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781941270486

Carsten Hansen

Carsten Hansen is an experienced coach as well as both a FIDE Master and a certified FIDE Trainer. He has authored 15 books all phases of the game but is recognized as an expert on the opening phase of the game.

Book preview

Ne4

Chapter 1

4…Ba6 5.Qc2 [E15]

While 5.Qc2 looks fairly harmless on the surface, it has become the topic of much theoretical discussion at the highest levels. The lines with 6…c5 7.d5 have been discussed at length because they are incredibly dangerous for Black unless he is well-prepared and even then the lines are tricky to navigate accurately. Of course, Black has alternatives if he wants to avoid these lines.

Game 1

Hrant Melkumyan (2469) – Andrey Grekh (2384)

Lvov 2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Be7 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.Nc3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bf4 0-0 10.0-0

10…Nbd7

Black has also tried 10…Na6, and after 11.Rac1 c5 12.Rfd1 Qc8 13.Be5!? (13.a3!?) 13…Rd8 (13…Ng4!? 14.Bh3 c4 15.Bf4 f5 is playable for Black and definitely better than the game continuation) 14.Ng5! h6? (14…g6 was necessary) 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.Nh3 Bxd4 18.Nf4 White had a winning initiative, Von Herman-Schilow, Germany 2007.

11.Rfd1 Rc8

Or 11…Ne4? 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxc7 Qe8 14.Ne5 Rc8 15.Bh3 (White is already clearly better and a pawn up) 15…f5 16.Qb3+ Kh8 17.Rac1 Nc5 18.dxc5 Rxc7 19.cxb6 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 axb6 21.Rc7 Ba6 22.Bf1 h6? 23.Rxe7!, and Black resigned, 1-0, Banchev-Dimitrov, Borovetz 2002; a miniature, but not well-played.

12.Ne5 c6

Black decides to go for solid. The more aggressive 12…c5 is met by 13.e3! cxd4 14.exd4, and now 14…Bb4 15.Qa4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Rxc3 17.Rdc1 Rxc1+ 18.Rxc1 is clearly better for White, e.g., 18…a6 19.Nxd7 Nxd7 20.Rc7 Bc8 21.Qc6 Nf6 22.Qxb6, and White is in complete control

13.e4 Re8 14.exd5 cxd5

How should White best continue?

14…Nxd5 is relatively better, but still favorable for White, e.g., 15.Bh3 N7f6!? 16.Bxc8 Qxc8 17.Bg5, and Black has some, if not full compensation for the exchange.

15.Qa4! Nf8

Or 15…a5 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Qxd7 Nxd7 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 Nf6 20.Bf3 Rc2 21.Rd2, and White is a good pawn up and has the bishop pair.

16.Qxa7 Ba8 17.Rac1

17.Bh3!? is possibly even stronger, e.g., 17…Qc7 18.Qxc7 Rxc7 19.Rdc1, and White has the extra pawn and the compensation.

17…Ng6

17…Rc7 18.Qa4 Ne6 19.Be3 was the relatively lesser evil, although White obviously is clearly better with an extra pawn and better placed pieces.

18.Nxg6 hxg6 19.Na4 Rc6 20.Bc7 and with the b-pawn now dropping as well, Black threw in the towel. 1-0

Game 2

Maxim Rodshtein (2615) – Claude Landenbergue (2452)

European Team Ch (Heraklio) 2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Bg2 c5 7.d5 exd5 8.cxd5 Bxd5 9.Nc3 Bc6 10.e4 d6 11.Bf4 Nbd7

11…Nh5 will be covered in our next main game.

12.0-0-0 Be7

You would think that it is in Black’s interest to hang on to the d6-pawn. That would be correct if Black’s king were in a somewhat safer place. But with it being stuck in the center and White having completed his development, it is a far more dangerous undertaking. For that reason, 12…Qb8? is almost certainly not the right way.

How should White continue?

13.e5! Nh5 (or 13…Bxf3 14.exf6 Bxg2 15.Rhe1+ Kd8 16.fxg7 Bxg7 17.Nb5, and while Black is a piece up, his position is completely collapsing) 14.Rhe1 Nxf4 15.gxf4 d5 16.e6 (this is good, but the simpler 16.Nxd5! is even more effective: 16…Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Be7 18.Red1 Nf8 19.Nd4!, and it is over) 16…Qxf4+ 17.Kb1 Nf6? (17…0-0-0 18.exd7+ Bxd7 leaves White a piece up, but is the relative lesser evil for Black) 18.Ne5 Bb7 19.Bxd5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.exf7+ Kd8 22.Rxd5+, and Black resigned, 1-0, Mekhitarian-Bittencourt, Rio de Janeiro 2007. A little bonus miniature.

13.Rxd6 Bxd6 14.Bxd6 Nf8 15.Rd1 Ne6

Black doesn’t have time for 15…N6d7, e.g., 16.Nd5 Ne6

17.Nh4 (17.Bh3!, threatening Bxe6 followed by Nc7+, is even more effective) 17…g6 (obviously Nf5 is a nasty threat, but this leaves the dark squares fatally weakened) 18.Qc3 (18.Nf5 is in fact still possible – the threat is 19 Nc7+ Nxc7 20 Ng7 mate – 18…Bxd5 19.exd5, and Black is toast) 18…Rg8 19.Ne7 Qxe7 20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.Qd2 Nd4 22.Nf3, and White is winning, Williams-Hunt, Hinckley 2013.

16.Ne5 Qc8 17.Nd5 Bb5

How does White win the fastest?

18.Qb3 Qa6 19.Nc7+ 1-0

Game 3

Pavel Tregubov (2596) – Andrew Greet (2439)

Fuegen 2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bb7 8.Bg2 Bxd5 9.Nc3 Bc6 10.e4 d6 11.Bf4 Nh5

Black tries to slow down White’s initiative by exchanging one of White’s strong bishops. While this idea is liked by my computer, we will soon realize that White’s initiative is not easily contained.

12.0-0-0 Nxf4 13.gxf4 Be7

In another miniature in this line, Black tried 13…Qf6 which can’t possibly be recommended: Black is well behind in development, so let’s take the queen out to hunt pawns and then leave it where it is, vulnerable to attacks from White’s pieces: 14.Qd2 Nd7?! (14…Be7 and other moves by Black are all met by 15.e5, and after 15…dxe5 16.Nd5, things are getting problematic for Black) 15.e5 Qh6 16.Nd5 0-0-0 17.Ng5 (now it is evident that Black 13th move was probably not the wisest decision) 17…Qg6 18.Be4 Qh5 19.Nxb6+ Nxb6 20.Bxc6 Be7? 21.Qa5 Bxg5? 22.Qa6+, and Black resigned before he got mated, 1-0, Moranda-Pieniazek, Wroclaw 2013.

14.e5 0-0 15.h4

At the cost of a mere pawn, White has a massive initiative and things are looking decidedly unpleasant for Black. The threat, of course, is 16.Ng5.

15…Qc7

Black’s alternatives are focused around the theme of preventing White from playing Ng5; it turns out to be rather difficult to prevent:

15…f6 16.Ne4 (White could effectively finish Black off with 16.exf6! Bxf6 17.Ng5 g6 18.Nxh7! Bxc3 19.Qxg6+ Bg7 20.Bxc6 Nxc6 21.Rxd6, and White is winning rather easily) 16…d5 17.exf6 gxf6 (17…Bxf6 18.Nfg5 g6 19.h5 is also pretty miserable for Black) 18.Neg5 fxg5 19.hxg5 Rf7 20.Ne5 Qd6 (everything loses, but this expedites matters) 21.Rh6? (the most efficient win is 21.Nxc6 Nxc6 22.Bxd5 Qg6 23.Qxg6+ hxg6 24.Rh6, and it is over) 21…Qc7?? (Black could actually live to fight on with 21…Qxe5 22.fxe5 Bxg5+ 23.Kb1 Bxh6 which of course is still clearly better for White, but unlike the game continuation, it has the advantage of not losing immediately) 22.Nxf7 Qxf4+ 23.Kb1 Kxf7 24.Rxh7+, and Black had had enough, 1-0, Smirnov-Anisimov, St. Petersburg 2006.

15…h6 16.Ng5!! (anyway!) 16…Bxg5 17.hxg5 Bxg2 18.Rhg1, and because of the threat of 19.gxh6, Black loses the bishop and is already lost.

16.Ng5

Also perfectly good is 16.Nd5! Bxd5 17.Ng5 g6 18.Bxd5 Nc6 19.Nxh7! (or 19.Nxf7 Rxf7 20.h5) 19…Kxh7 20.h5, and Black is done.

16…g6 17.Bd5

17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Nc6 transposes to 16.Nd5 above and is of course very attractive.

17…dxe5

How should White continue?

18.Nxh7

White’s other good move is 18.h5, e.g., 18…Bxg5 19.fxg5 Kg7 20.hxg6 fxg6.

Can you spot White’s quickest win?

21.f4! – the idea is 22.Rxh7+ Kxh7 23.Qh2+ Kg7 24.Qh6#.

18…Kxh7

Or 18…e4 19.Nxf8 Qxf4+ 20.Kb1 Kxf8 21.h5 g5 22.h6 Kg8 23.h7+ Kh8 24.Rh6, and things are obviously not going all that well for Black.

19.h5 Kg7 20.hxg6 fxg6

Also 20…f5 is rapidly downhill for Black: 21.Rh7+ Kf6 22.g7, and my computer claims mate in 6, but you don’t need to be a scientist to tell that things are over for Black.

21.Rdg1 Qd6? 22.fxe5 1-0

Game 4

Mats Sjoberg (2365) – Margeir Petursson (2550)

Vienna 1990

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 c5 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.dxc5 bxc5 8.0-0

This variation is quite harmless Black who has several adequate ways to continue.

8…Rc8

Black can also try:

8…Qb6 9.Bf4 Be7 10.Rd1 Rc8 11.b3 d6 12.Nc3 Nd4 13.Qd2 h6 (Black has already equalized at this point) 14.Rac1 Bb7 15.Nxd4?! cxd4 16.Na4 Qa6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7, and Black is doing rather well, Simic-Ostojic, Belgrade 1994.

8…Be7 is Black’s most played move in this position, and now: 9.e4 Rc8 10.e5 Ng4 11.Qe4 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Qe2 0-0 14.Nbd2 Bb7 15.b3 a5 16.Bb2 Qb6 17.Rab1 Qa7, and the chances were more or less even, although Black eventually ended up winning the game, Dubov-Jakovenko, Chita 2015.

9.Bf4 Be7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.b3 d5

This is an important position, White needs to make the right decision now or Black will seize the initiative.

12.cxd5?

12.Ne5 is playable, although Black doesn’t face any serious problems after 12…Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Nd7 14.Bb2 d4 with a comfortable position. 12.Nc3 was suggested in ChessBase Magazine by Swedish Grandmaster Schussler, and it was later tried: 12…Qa5 13.cxd5? (13.Qd2 d4 14.Na4 Qxd2 15.Bxd2 Nd7 is playable for White)

What is Black’s best move?

13…Nd4! 14.Nxd4 (14.Qb2?? is of course met by 14…Qxc3!) 14…cxd4 15.d6 Bd8 16.Rxd4 Qxc3 17.Qxc3 Rxc3, and White doesn’t have enough for the piece, Pham Chuong-Tran, Thailand 2005.

12…Nxd5 13.Qe4?!

Things are pretty rotten in White’s camp, e.g., 13.Na3 Bf6 14.Rac1 Ncb4, and White’s position is falling apart.

13…Bf6 14.Ne5

How should Black continue?

14…Nxf4!?

This is clearly the prettiest continuation, but there are other moves that are also very good and possibly more effective. You will get full score for any of these moves if you calculated your way forward:

14…Bxe5! 15.Bxe5 f5 16.Qa4 Bxe2 17.Rd2 Nxe5 18.Rxe2 Qf6, already a pawn up, Black will soon win even more material.

14…Nd4 15.Kh1 Bxe2, and Black is well on the way to winning.

15.Rxd8 Nxe2+ 16.Kh1?

White should have handed the queen back immediately with 16.Qxe2, although we would then have missed out on a pretty miniature: 16…Bxe2 17.Rxc8 Rxc8 18.Nxc6 Rxc6 19.Bxc6 Bxa1, and with an extra pawn and the bishop pair in hand, Black should win this endgame rather easily.

16…Rfxd8 17.Nxc6

Or 17.Na3 Nxe5, threatening…Nd3.

17…Rd1+ 18.Bf1 Rxf1+ 19.Kg2 Rg1+ 20.Kh3

What is Black’s most accurate win?

On 20.Kf3, Black simply plays 20…Rxc6 with a winning position.

20…h5

The threat is 21…Nf4+ followed by 22…Bf1+. 0-1

Game 5

Konstantin Sakaev (2619) – Roland Ekstroem (2495)

European Ch (Budva) 2009

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bb7 8.Bg2 Nxd5 9.0-0 Be7 10.Qe4

This is not the main move in this position, but if Black doesn’t know what is happening, it can rapidly go the wrong way. The alternatives are:

10.Ne5 Qc7 11.Qe4 Nc6 12.Qxd5 Nd8 13.Qxd7+ Qxd7 14.Nxd7 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Kxd7 16.Rd1+ Kc6 17.Nc3 Re8 18.e4 Bf6, and Black should be doing fine, Nakamura-Baklan, Austria 2008 and

10.Rd1 which we will cover in some of the next games.

10…Qc7?!

This move is certainly not Black’s best option and things will soon rapidly go downhill. The alternatives are:

10…Bc6 11.Ne5 Nf6 12.Nxc6 Nxc6, and now: 13.Qd3 (13.Qa4 0-0 14.Rd1 Nd4 15.Nc3 b5!? 16.Qa6 b4 (Krasenkow analyses 16…Rb8!? 17.Bf4 Qb6 18.Qxb6 Rxb6 19.Bc7 b4 20.Bxb6 bxc3 21.bxc3 Nxe2+ 22.Kf1 Nxc3 23.Rd3 axb6 24.Rxc3 which he calls equal in ChessBase Magazine; we have decided not to disagree…) 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Rb8 19.Bf4 Qb6 20.Qc4, and White has full compensation for the pawn, Aronian-Anand, Morelia/Linares 2008) 13…0-0 14.Nc3 d5!? (aiming for equalizing) 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Qxd5 17.Bxd5 Rac8 18.Bc4 Bf6 19.Rb1 Rfd8 20.b3 Nb4 21.a3 Nd5 22.Bb2 Bxb2 23.Rxb2 Nc7, and Black has obviously nothing to worry about in this endgame, Lysyj-Almasi, Warsaw 2010.

10…Na6 11.Nh4 g6 12.Nf5! (or 12.Qe5 f6 13.Qe4 Qc8 14.Rd1 Nac7 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.Qxg6+ Kd8 17.a3 b5 18.e4 Nb6, and while dangerous for Black, he is doing fine with his extra piece, Radjabov-Leko, Morelia/Linares 2008) 12…gxf5 13.Qe5 0-0 14.Qxf5 Re8 15.Nc3 Nac7 16.Be4 Bf6 17.Qxh7+ Kf8 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.e4 Nc7 21.Bh6+ Ke7 22.e5 Bxe5 23.Qe4, and although Black eventually won the game, at this point in time he is on his heels, fighting to stay in the game, Riazantsev-Karjakin, Poikovsky 2010.

11.Nh4

With 11.Ne5 Nc6 we would be heading down the path of 10.Ne5 above, although 12.Nxf7 takes the game in a somewhat different direction, e.g., 12…Nf6 13.Bf4 Nxe4 14.Bxc7 Kxf7 15.Bxe4, and now 15…Na5 looks sufficient for equality.

11…Bc6

Or 11…0-0 12.Nf5 Bf6 13.Rd1 Na6 14.Rxd5 Rae8 15.Qg4 Bxd5 16.Bxd5, and White already has a winning position, Pantsulaia-Sakelsek, Istanbul 2007.

12.Nf5!

The Ginger GM himself, Mr Simon Williams, has tested 12.Bg5, but although he had good success with it in the present game, it is not as strong as our main game continuation: 12…Kd8?! (Black should have considered 12…f6 13.Bd2 Qe5 14.Qg4 g6 15.e4 Nc7 which appears playable for Black even if White has good compensation for the pawn) 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Qf5 Qd6 15.Rfd1 Qe6 16.Qd3 h6 17.Be3 Bxg2 18.Nxg2 g5, and Black is hanging in there, although I doubt White was unhappy about his prospects, Williams-Nemeth, Dublin 2012.

12…g6

How should White continue?

13.Nc3!

The point behind the previous move: Black will have to mess up his pawn structure to avoid massive material losses. After 13.Qd3?! Qe5 14.Nxe7 Nxe7, Black is doing fine.

13…gxf5 14.Nxd5 Qd6 15.Qxf5

White has won his pawn back with interest.

15…Na6 16.Rd1 Bd8

What is White’s best move?

17.Qd3

White could have played 17.Nc7+!! Qxc7 18.Bf4!, and now Black has to choose between losing the queen or allowing 18…Qb7 19.Qe5+, when it is obviously over for Black.

17…b5? 18.a4 c4 19.Qe4+ Qe6 20.axb5 Bxb5

White has several good moves, but one makes Black resign instantly; which one?

21.Nc3! Black loses at least a piece. 1-0

Game 6

Michael Prusikin (2529) – Arik Braun (2558)

German Ch (Saarbruecken) 2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bb7 8.Bg2 Nxd5 9.0-0

9.Qb3 is discussed in the main game Ris-Spraggett.

9…Nc7

9…Be7 is by far the most played move and will be examined in Topalov-Anand later in this chapter. However, it can easily transpose to our main game, if Black so desires.

10.Nc3

Another logical continuation for White is 10.e4: 10…Be7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Rd1 Nc6 13.Be3 Qe8!? (or 13…Bf6 14.Qd2 Ne6 15.Qxd7 Qb8 16.Qd2 Ncd4 17.Nd5 Nxf3+ 18.Bxf3 Be5 19.Bg2 Qd8 20.Rac1, Tregubov-Sargissian, Mainz 2006, and now 20…a5, preventing White from playing b2–b4 would have left the chances about even) 14.Rd2 d6 15.Rad1 Rd8 16.b3?! (16.a3!?) 16…Nb4 17.Qc1 d5 18.Bf4 dxe4 19.Bxc7 Rc8 20.Rd7 Nd3? (Black should just have played 20…exf3 21.Bh3 Ba6! with the clearly better chances) 21.R7xd3 Rxc7?? (A mistake rarely comes alone; Black blunders the game away; instead he should have played 21…exd3 22.Be5 f6 23.Bf4 g5 24.Be3 Rd8 with chances for both sides) 22.Qf4, and White is winning, Romanov-Smirnov, St. Petersburg 2007.

10…Be7 11.Rd1 Qc8

12.Bg5

12.Bf4 is the subject of our next main game, Iturrizaga Bonelli-N.Pedersen.

12…f6 13.Bf4 Ne6 14.Nd5

14…Nc6

In Hera & Tuncer’s book about this variation, A Cutting-Edge Gambit against the Queen’s Indian, they analyze 14…Nxf4, and offer the following line: 15.gxf4 Bxd5 16.Rxd5 Nc6 17.a3 Qc7 18.Bh3 d6 19.Rd3 0-0 20.Be6+ Kh8 21.Nh4 g5 22.Nf5 with the better chances for White, which seems about right.

15.Rac1

Hera & Tuncer recommend 15.Nxe7 Nxe7 16.Bd6 Nc6 17.Rac1 Ncd8 18.b4 Nf7 19.Bh3 Nxd6 20.Rxd6 0-0 21.Bf5, and White has excellent compensation for the pawn.

15…Kf7?!

This definitely makes matters worse for Black. The safer choice is 15…0-0 16.Nxe7+ Nxe7 17.Bd6 Rf7, and Black is still very much in the game.

16.h4 g6 17.h5 g5?!

This is seriously weakening while leaving a strong attacker on the board for White. Relatively best is 17…Nxf4 18.Nxf4, and after 18…g5 19.Qc4+ Kg7 20.Nd5, White obviously has excellent compensation for the pawn, but Black is still fighting.

18.Be3 Qg8 19.b4 cxb4

How should White continue?

On 19…Qg7, White simply continues with 20.bxc5 bxc5 (or 20…Bxc5 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Rxd7+, and White wins) 21.Nxe7 Kxe7 22.Bxc5+, and Black’s position is completely busted.

20.Nxf6!

With this move White completely rips Black’s position apart.

20…Kxf6 21.Rxd7 Bc8

Or 21…Qc8 22.Qb2+ Kf7 23.Rxb7 Qxb7 24.Rxc6, and Black is done for.

22.Qxc6 Bxd7 23.Bd4+, and Black had enough and