Keep It Simple 1.d4: A Solid and Straightforward Chess Opening Repertoire for White

By Christof Sielecki

After the success of his award-winning book Keep it Simple 1.e4 International Master Christof Sielecki is back. His new repertoire based on 1.d4 has a similar profile: variations that are straightforward and easy to remember, and require little or no maintenance.



Sielecki has created a reliable set of opening lines for chess players of almost all levels. The major objective is to dominate Black from the opening, by simple means. You don’t need to sacrifice anything or memorize long tactical lines.



His main concept is for White to play 1.d4, 2.Nf3, 3.g3, 4.Bg2, 5.0-0 and in most cases 6.c4. Sielecki developed this repertoire while working with students who were looking for something that was easy to understand and easy to learn.



This new 1.d4 repertoire may be even easier to master than his 1.e4 recommendations, because it is such a coherent system. Sielecki always clearly explains the plans and counterplans and keeps you focussed on what the position requires. Ambitious players rated 1500 or higher will get great value out of studying this extremely accessible book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: New in Chess
• Release date: Dec 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9789056918682

Christof Sielecki

Christof Sielecki is an International Master from Germany. He has been teaching and training chess for many years, and runs a popular YouTube channel called ChessExplained.

Book preview

1.d4.

PART I

Black’s classical/symmetrical set-ups:

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3

Introduction and overview 1.d4 d5

Part I deals with Black’s set-ups involving the early move …d7-d5, playing in classical fashion. I am presenting these lines starting with the most common move order of 1.d4 d5, but of course Black may also choose move orders like 1.d4 ♘f6 2.♘f3 d5 or 1.d4 e6 2.♘f3 ♘f6 3.g3 d5. Our task against these move orders is not difficult, as we will play 2.♘f3 and 3.g3 anyway unless we must react to a specific line, like 1.d4 c5 or 1.d4 ♘f6 2.♘f3 c5, which requires a non-fianchetto approach. This is discussed in the ‘Building a 1.d4 repertoire’ part at the start of the book.

With 1…d5 Black signals his intention to play against the Queen’s Gambit. He has a very wide range of possible variations to choose from in case of 2.c4, but as mentioned in the introductory text we won’t comply.

I need to emphasize that on a conceptual level playing c2-c4 at some point is almost mandatory. We need to increase the pressure on Black’s centre and c2-c4 is the reasonable way to do it. Our repertoire concept is to still play c2-c4, but do it later. As a rule of thumb for our repertoire, keep in mind: against …d7-d5-based set-ups we want to play c2-c4. Our approach is only about delaying the move until we play it on our terms.

2.♘f3

As expected, we play 2.♘f3. This prevents some lines specific to 2.c4, in particular the Queen’s Gambit Accepted. It is not so easy to play against this opening and Black often chooses his line of defence, knowing it better than we do. You don’t face the QGA frequently, so often you will not be as well prepared as your opponent. The QGA is off the table in our repertoire. Another important reason for delaying c2-c4 are cases related to later captures on c4, in particular in the Slav Defence and the Catalan. Before we have a look at the chapters, I’d like to discuss one particular move order choice.

After 2…♘f6, my recommendation is to play 3.g3. With this move, we are sticking to the repertoire concept of delaying c2-c4. This particular move order decision is probably the most controversial one in the whole repertoire. Let’s look at the pros and cons compared to the main line move 3.c4. After 3.c4, Black has a wide choice. He can play a Slav with 3…c6. It is possible to play g3-based set-ups against this opening, but it is a complicated affair. After 3.c4 c6 4.g3, Black might take on c4, with an unclear gambit, for example. White may play lines like 4.♕c2 and 4.♕b3, but these don’t feature kingside fianchettos all of the time. Black may also play the QGA again with 3.c4 dxc4, which requires us to learn quite a bit of theory. There are also no reasonable lines in the QGA in which White plays with a fianchetto. On the contrary, there are lines with White getting an IQP, which is very unusual for our repertoire. Don’t get me wrong: I am not saying that this is bad for White, but you need to be much more versatile in term of structures against this line. Of course, Black may play 3.c4 e6 and after 4.g3 he has a wider range of lines against the Catalan compared to our move order. We are talking about 4… ♗b4+ and, most importantly, 4…dxc4, which requires an enormous effort to study. Against this line, 5.♕a4+ is a ‘Keep it Simple’ solution, but I think Black equalizes too effortlessly. It is likely that a player who plays 4…dxc4 knows these lines and I found nothing there to play for. So 5.♗g2 must be the critical move, but now Black has more than half a dozen lines that are playable and need to be studied. In particular, 5…a6 and 5…♘c6 are tricky to handle. So we see that (obviously) 3.c4 is not a bad move, but it allows lots of complexity with Black choosing the line. Now, with 3.g3 we stay on our territory.

What are the drawbacks of 3.g3 ? There are three arguments against this move order. The first one is the most aggressive idea 3…c5. Black just handles the game like a Grünfeld with reversed colours and attacks the centre. As explained before, we have c2-c4 on the agenda, so it is only natural that Black plays the same pawn break. I agree that 3…c5 is a good choice for Black, but he needs to know it well. These lines are discussed in Chapters 4 to 6.

The second argument is that Black is very solid in the …c7-c6 set-ups that are usually combined with …♗f5 or …♗g4. This might be true, but solid does not mean it is easy to play. I am confident that our lines will pose problems that are not easy to solve for Black. In most cases, he will have to figure it out over the board, which will prove to be difficult in many situations. Chapters 11 to 14 cover these lines.

There is a third approach against our early g2-g3: to play a quick …b7-b5, stopping c2-c4 for the moment. This set-up is recommended in some important books, so we need to check it. I believe that this approach is actually tricky for Black to handle and White has good chances to press for an advantage. The …b7-b5 set-up is examined in Chapter 10.

After listing these lines, I’d still like to note that most players below master level will respond to 3.g3 in similar spirit to their response to 3.c4. They won’t have any special reply ready, but rather stick to a set-up they know anyway. It is most likely for a Slav player to play 3…c6 and for a Queen’s Gambit Declined player to go 3…e6.

Now, let’s have a look at the various moves and the chapters that cover them.

Chapter 1: 2…♘c6

Black is hoping for 3.c4, transposing into a Chigorin Defence that most of the time arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 ♘c6 3.♘f3. As usual in our repertoire, we delay the c2-c4 move and play 3.g3 first. This line gives White good chances to gain an advantage, in particular against the more ambitious 3…♗g4. The positions might get a bit murky, but we are better for sure. The Anti-Chigorin is covered in Chapter 1.

Chapter 2: 2…c5

This is a rare move, but an important one for us to check. Now, 3.g3 is not very convincing (please see the dedicated chapter for details), which only leaves 3.c4. After 3.c4, Black most of the time plays 3…e6, which is the Tarrasch Defence. The Tarrasch is covered in Chapter 3, while Chapter 2 contains offbeat tries for Black like 3…cxd4 and 3…dxc4.

Chapter 3: 2…c5 3.c4 e6

This is the Tarrasch Defence to the Queen’s Gambit. I suggest playing the main line 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 against it, which features a fianchetto set-up and keeping this in line with our repertoire concept. This is the main line against the Tarrasch, promising White a slight advantage. The Tarrasch is an important opening to study because you might get it on the board via lots of move orders. For example, you frequently see Black starting with an early …e7-e6, …♗e7 and …0-0, only to later play …c7-c5 and we transpose to the common Tarrasch IQP structure. The Tarrasch is covered in Chapter 3.

Chapter 4: 2…♘f6 3.g3 c5 4.♗g2 cxd4 5.0-0

The 3…c5 line is one of Black’s most active responses to our preferred move order. He is basically stating: ‘You failed to play your c-pawn, so I am going to do it!’

The game will now resemble the Grünfeld Defence with colours reversed, but there is a twist. Let’s compare with the Grünfeld after 1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 d5. After 4.cxd5 ♘xd5 5.e4, Black is able to play 5…♘xc3 6.bxc3 and attack the centre quickly with …c7-c5. In our line with reversed colours, Black has not played …♘c6 yet. This is a significant difference, because it is not desirable to retreat the knight to a passive square like b6 for Black or b3 in our case with reversed colours.

Therefore, it is very important to avoid 5.♘xd4 e5 6.♘b3, as this is exactly the scenario described above. We need to retreat to a less than ideal square and Black manages to play the e-pawn to e5 in one move. By castling first, we ask Black about his intentions. The most popular move for Black here is actually 5…♘c6, leading to the attractive proper reversed Grünfeld lines after 6.♘xd4 e5 7.♘xc6 bxc6 8.c4. This is the move most players would choose if they don’t know theory from here, as it is the most natural move. This is covered in Chapter 5.

What’s critical then? Theoreticians recommend sophisticated moves like 5…h6 or 5…♗d7. I agree that these moves are fine and Black has good chances to equalize with them. However my point is: firstly, it is very unlikely to get these lines on the board, unless you regularly play master-level players that are heavily prepared. Secondly, the arising positions might offer Black equal chances, but we are still on our territory and will know the details much better. You are still able to outplay weaker opponents and have a sound position against stronger ones. I have played this move order with 3.g3 in many blitz games and the sophisticated lines never appeared, as far as I can remember. At the club level, you will get lines with …♘c6 (Chapter 5) most frequently, and these are fun to play for White.

Chapter 5: 2…♘f6 3.g3 c5 4.♗g2 cxd4 5.0-0 ♘c6

This is the most frequently-met set-up at the club level, as …♘c6 is a very natural move. However, the analysis in Chapter 5 shows that Black does not have an easy game at all. In the Grünfeld structures, a tempo matters much more and White has excellent chances of getting an advantage.

Chapter 6: 2…♘f6 3.g3 c5 4.♗g2 ♘c6 5.0-0

Black may decide to not capture on d4, but rather keep the tension in the centre with moves like 5…♗f5, 5…♗g4 or most importantly 5…e6. The most important part of this chapter is 5…e6 6.c4 dxc4, after which I suggest the active move 7.♘e5. This line will net you many wins, as it is very tricky for Black to play against it.

Chapter 7: 2…♘f6 3.g3 e6

First of all, it is probably useful to define what the ‘Catalan’ actually is. The Catalan involves the moves d2-d4, c2-c4 and g2-g3 on the white side, while Black plays …d7-d5, …e7-e6, …♘f6 and emphasizes the development of the kingside with moves like …♗e7 and …0-0.

An early combination of the moves …e7-e6 and …c7-c5 instead would lead to the Reversed Grünfeld (Chapters 4-6) or even the Tarrasch (Chapter 3). A way to even transpose out of Part I of the book is an early …b7-b6, which leads to Chapter 22 or 23 on the Queen’s Indian. It sounds complicated at first, but you will just play the normal system moves of castling and c2-c4 in any case.

Now, with 4.♗g2, we are delaying the move c2-c4 and avoid many complex lines in the process, most notably 4.c4 dxc4, which requires a significant effort to learn. Again, please note that we are only delaying c2-c4 for move order reasons – this move is firmly on our agenda. Now Black has many possible set-ups. The good news is that we are going to play 0-0 and c2-c4 next against all of them, unless they stop us by playing …b7-b5 (Chapter 10). Chapter 7 deals with the sidelines that Black may play, mostly involving an early …♗d6, …♘bd7 and …c7-c6.

Chapter 8: 2…♘f6 3.g3 e6 4.♗g2 ♗e7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4

With 6…c6 or 6…♘bd7, Black chooses the Closed Catalan, avoiding the capture on c4. The capture on c4 leads to the Open Catalan, which is discussed in Chapter 9. The Closed Catalan is very frequently seen at the club level, because Black often does not have a specific preparation for the Catalan, but will rather play what they had intended to play against a conventional Queen’s Gambit. The good news for us is that the Closed Catalan is a difficult line to play for Black. Many obvious approaches lead to very unappealing positions for Black and even the best lines from Black’s point of view are a lot easier for White to handle.

Chapter 9: 2…♘f6 3.g3 e6 4.♗g2 ♗e7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 dxc4

After 6…dxc4, we have reached the main line of the Catalan at the professional level. Black captures the pawn, being ready to return it at a proper moment. I suggest playing White’s main reply 7.♕c2, which will regain the pawn quickly in almost all cases. Black has reasonable chances to equalize, but it is not easy to do and there are many ways for Black to go wrong.

Chapter 10: 2…♘f6 3.g3 e6 4.♗g2 b5

This is one of Black’s ideas to exploit our approach of delaying c2-c4. With the early …b7-b5, Black stops c2-c4 for the moment and gains space on the queenside. This set-up has been recommended in some popular books and should be taken seriously. It is not a line somebody would just think of over the board, but rather the product of home preparation, most likely helped by the repertoire books. We therefore should have something prepared, and I believe that Black’s game is not easy to conduct after my recommendation of playing a quick a2-a4.

Chapter 11: 2…♘f6 3.g3 ♗f5

Combining …d7-d5 and …♗f5 is a very popular set-up for Black. One point to take note of is that Black has many move orders to enter a …♗f5 set-up. For example, it is very common for Black to start with 3…c6, followed by …♗f5. They also may play 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 c6 and …♗f5 next. Against this line, we need to alter our move order slightly and avoid the early 0-0, but should play c2-c4 one move earlier than usual. Please see Chapter 11 for details on this subtle point.

Chapter 12: 2…♘f6 3.g3 ♗f5 4.♗g2 c6 5.c4 e6 6.♘c3

Black’s most popular set-up connected with …♗f5 is the pawn triangle with c6/d5/e6, which leads to the main line of the …♗f5-complex. Here, Black’s main moves are 6…♗e7, 6…h6 or 6…♘bd7. They are answered with the same sequence of moves: 7.♕b3 ♕b6 8.c5 ♕xb3 9.axb3. This queenless middlegame leads to a fascinating struggle. This structure is the reason why omitting castling makes sense. I believe that superior knowledge of these positions will pose Black some problems that are not easy to solve. Please see Chapter 12 for more details.

Chapter 13: 2…♘f6 3.g3 ♗g4

This is a very natural development scheme for Black and somewhat similar in nature to …♗f5 set-ups at first sight. Black may play an early …♗g4 with various move orders. Similar to the …♗f5 set-ups, Black often plays an early …c7-c6 and only then develops the bishop, for example, 3…c6 and …♗g4 next is a common move order.

We use the same general approach as against the early …♗f5 set-ups, playing c2-c4 before castling. The most common and natural move sequence of 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 ♘f6 3.g3 ♗g4 4.♗g2 c6 5.c4 is discussed in the next chapter, while Chapter 13 discusses less frequently seen move orders and ideas by Black.

Chapter 14: 2…♘f6 3.g3 ♗g4 4.♗g2 c6 5.c4

This is the most commonly-seen scenario after an early …♗g4 by Black. Black combines …♗g4 with an early …♘f6, …c7-c6 and most of the time …e7-e6 soon after. This is again comparable to the main line of the …♗f5 set-up. A difference compared to …♗f5, however, is the versatility of the middlegames. The …♗f5-complex is all about playing an early ♕b3, while the …♗g4-lines have some more variety. I think that Black has a solid position, but there are still many pitfalls and ideas that we can try. A surprisingly dangerous approach is to take on d5 in many lines – please see Chapter 14 for more information.

Black starts with 1.d4 d5, but it transposes out of Part A

I’d like to mention some less common move orders that start with 1.d4 d5, but actually transpose into other parts of the book.

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 g6?! – this is an imprecise move that should be exploited by 3.c4. This line is covered in Chapter 21 via a different move order.

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 ♘f6 3.g3 g6 – this will transpose into one of the Grünfeld Chapters (17-19).

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 e6 3.g3 f5 or 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 c6 3.g3 e6 4.♗g2 f5 – this transposes into a Dutch Stonewall (Chapter 32).

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 ♘f6 3.g3 b6 – this will very likely transpose to the Queen’s Indian after a sequence like 4.♗g2 ♗b7 5.0-0 e6 6.c4 ♗e7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.♘c3 0-0 9.♘e5, which is covered in Chapter 23.

CHAPTER 1

Anti-Chigorin: 2…♘c6

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 ♘c6

This move signals Black’s intention to play a Chigorin Defence to the Queen’s Gambit. We will not oblige and play 3.g3, which leads to an interesting and at times rather sharp fight if Black gets aggressive early on.

3.g3

This fits perfectly with our general repertoire approach and happens to be an excellent move, regardless of general concept considerations. After 3.g3, Black usually plays either 3…♗g4 or 3…♗f5, covered under A and B below. Sometimes, Black decides to play 3…♘f6 first. After 4.♗g2, Black has a choice of possible transpositions: if he plays 4…♗g4 or 4…♗f5, we will transpose into lines A or B. After 4…e6, we reach a line that is covered in Chapter 7 on Catalan sidelines via 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 ♘f6 3.g3 e6 4.♗g2 ♘c6.

A) 3…♗g4

This line often leads to sharp play. Black quite frequently elects to castle queenside, an uncommon sight in 1.d4 d5 openings.

4.♗g2

Now, Black most of the time plays for queenside castling with 4…♕d7 (line A1). Instead 4…e6 (A2), 4…♘f6 (A3) and 4…♗xf3 (A4) are calmer options, usually leading to an edge (or more) for White.

A1) 4…♕d7

This is the most popular move for Black. It is the most principled one, going for …0-0-0 and, on a very good day, checkmate White in caveman style with …h5-h4, …♗h3 etc. It is advisable to study this line carefully, because Black’s attacking idea might be crude, but it is also very dangerous if you are careless. Fortunately, White is a lot quicker if you play the aggressive ideas suggested in this repertoire.

5.0-0

This is the most aggressive move, preparing to play c2-c4 next. The lines will be messy most of the time, but they are good for White. I believe this whole complex is a case of ‘fight fire with fire’. Black initiated hand-to-hand combat, but we are well-equipped for the ensuing complications.

A11) 5…0-0-0

6.c4

This is according to our basic set-up actually, but it is not so obvious that it indeed works here. Black has some pressure on the d-file after queenside castling. As we will see, White opts for aggressive countermeasures against Black’s attacking ideas.

A111) 6…dxc4

This was the move that I was afraid of before I had a closer look at it. After some deeper analysis, I am sure that White is substantially better here as well. But one thing is clear: it is not an intuitive solution, so it’s not easy to come up with it over the board. Fortunately, the most critical point is right now, on move 7. Once you remember the key idea, the rest is possible to work out over the board.

7.♘bd2

This is surprisingly strong. I don’t see a fully satisfactory solution for Black against it. We need to check some lines to better understand the benefits of 7.♘bd2.

7…♘xd4

By far the most likely move to be played.

1) The direct central counterstrike 7…e5 fails to impress: 8.dxe5 ♗xf3 9.exf3 ♘xe5 10.f4 ♘c6 11.♕a4, with a strong attack for White;

2) 7…f6 covers the e5-square and prepares the pawn push: 8.♘xc4 e5 9.♕a4 e4 (9…exd4 10.b4 (don’t waste any time with slow moves!) 10…♗xb4 11.♖b1, and we open the b-file against Black’s king) 10.d5 (the next blow, forcing the black queen to d5) 10…♕xd5 11.♘e3 ♕e6 12.♘xg4 exf3 13.♗xf3 ♖d4 14.♕b3 ♕xb3 15.axb3 ♗d6 16.♘e3. Black is substantially worse, but managed to avoid immediate defeat in Petenyi-Tari, Antalya 2017.

8.♘xd4 ♕xd4 9.♕a4

We are just playing for the attack on Black’s king. Defending against our onslaught is not easy at all.

9…c3

This fails, but not to simple means.

1) 9…♗d7 10.♕c2 ♗b5

is met by a very attractive refutation: 11.a4 ♗a6 12.b4 (a great move!) 12…♕xa1 13.b5. The bishop on a6 won’t go anywhere. This means that we have effectively only sacrificed an exchange for a murderous attack. I’ll show a nice line to illustrate the possibilities: 13…♗xb5 14.axb5 ♕a5 15.♘xc4 ♕xb5 16.♗f4.

This looks a bit like some game from the 19th century. Black never got around to develop his kingside and is completely lost. Some more moves? 16…♖d4 17.♘e5 ♘h6 18.♖c1 c6 19.♘xc6, and White crashes through;

2) 9…♘f6 10.e3 ♕c5 11.b4 (again this move. We are opening up the position very quickly against Black’s king) 11…cxb3 12.♘xb3 ♕b6 13.♗b2, and Black won’t survive this attack.

10.♘c4 ♗xe2

Have we gone too far? No, this position is actually already winning with precise play!

11.♕b5

The killer move.

11…♕xc4 12.♕xb7+ ♔d7 13.b3 ♕d3 14.♗e4 ♕d6

Black needs to cover c6.

15.♗a3 ♕b6 16.♖fd1+ ♗xd1 17.♖xd1+ ♔e6 18.♖xd8 ♕xb7 19.♗xb7 ♘h6 20.♖d3

White will win all the queenside pawns and the game. This is a very long line and it is good to know it, but it’s not strictly necessary. In the lines after 5.0-0 0-0-0 6.c4 dxc4 7.♘bd2, White has a very dangerous attack and this attack will be much easier to conduct than it is for Black to defend. If you forget some detail of this analysis, it won’t mean that you will lose the game. Black has a much harder task to solve – you need to keep in mind that he does not know the lines beforehand. If he did, he wouldn’t have entered them in the first place!

A112) 6…e6

7.c5

This move has never been played in Megabase 2019, but it is strong and gives White a dangerous attack. The idea is to play b2-b4 next, even as a pawn sacrifice. We don’t have any game examples, so I will examine some sensible looking moves.

7…h5

This is probably the most likely move to be played.

1) 7…f6 (Black covers e5 and prepares future …e6-e5 or …g7-g5 advances) 8.b4 (don’t waste time with preparing this move. We will get an excellent position after Black takes – and he has little choice) 8…♘xb4 9.♘c3 ♘e7 10.♖b1 ♘bc6 11.♕a4 (this flows very naturally. Just getting pieces near the black king is a good plan) 11…♔b8 12.♖b3 g5 (this is not best, but it shows how close Black is to disaster) 13.♘xg5 fxg5 14.♗xg5 ♔a8 15.♖fb1 ♖b8 16.e4. White has a winning attack. We have ALL the pieces in the attack, which is impossible to withstand. There are many attractive lines to finish the game from here, one being the following: 16…dxe4 17.♗xe7 ♗xe7 18.♗xe4. Now, 19.♖xb7 is the deadly threat. Black has no defence against it;

2) 7…♗e7. I doubt that this move will be played by a human player, but it is suggested by the engines. It is directed against the b2-b4 idea. 8.♗e3 (you should avoid 8.b4 ♗xf3 9.exf3 ♘xd4!, showing the idea of 7…♗e7) 8…♗f6 9.♘bd2 (this slower approach of supporting the centre is enough for some advantage. Black can’t avoid b2-b4 in the long run anyway) 9…♘ge7 10.h3 ♗xf3 11.♘xf3 ♘f5 12.♕d2, and White is finally ready for the b2-b4 idea. Black needed to lose a lot of time to prevent the quick b2-b4, and didn’t get an attack going in the first place. White’s b2-b4-b5 will be on the board soon and Black has no clear counterplay.

Of course White now plays

8.b4 ♗xf3

More or less forced. We were threatening b4-b5 and ♘e5.

9.exf3

This move and 9.♗xf3 are of about equal strength.

9…♘xb4

Black wants a pawn for his misery – very understandable.

After 9…e5 10.♕a4, White is just far too quick with the attack. The relatively best line that I can see for Black is still terrible for him: 10…♔b8 11.dxe5 ♘xe5 12.♕xd7 ♘xd7 13.♗b2. Black is almost lost from a strategic point of view. We have strong bishops, much more space and natural plans like ♘b1-d2-b3-d4.

10.♘c3 ♘c6 11.♕a4

Our plan is the simple ♖b1 and ♕b5.

11…e5 12.♖b1

Still this move! I don’t see how Black saves himself. I’ll show two attractive lines, but won’t present all possible moves. If you have some free time, it’s fun to look at more of these lines!

12…♘xd4

12…exd4. I did not have the patience to wait, but I guess this is probably ‘mate in x’ territory! I am sure it wins quickly at least: 13.♕b5 b6 14.cxb6 axb6 15.♕a6+ ♔b8 16.♗f4 (threatening 17.♖xb6#!) 16…♗d6 17.♗h3, and it’s going to be over soon! In fact, now my engine shows ‘Mate in 17’, which seems like a lot of moves, given how bad Black’s position looks.

13.♕xa7 ♕c6 14.♗h3+ ♘e6 15.♗g5 ♗e7 16.♘e4 dxe4 17.♗xe6+ ♕xe6 18.♕a8+ ♔d7 19.♖fd1+ ♔e8 20.♕xd8+ ♗xd8 21.♖xd8#

I got a bit carried away with this line, but it’s fun! This whole concept with b2-b4 looks great for White and makes the whole line look very dubious for Black.

A12) 5…♗h3

The only serious alternative to …0-0-0, and probably the better move. We still get a comfortable advantage, though.

6.c4 ♗xg2 7.♔xg2 e6 8.♕a4 ♘f6

8…0-0-0 9.c5. Please take note of this idea. We are preparing a quick b2-b4-b5 to get a dangerous attack. We play in a very similar way against 5…0-0-0 6.c4 e6 with 7.c5!.

9.♘c3 ♗e7 10.♗g5

White is slightly better here. We have more space and Black is still not fully organized.

A good plan is to go ♖fd1 next, intending ♘e5.

A13) 5…h5

If Black has these kind of plans, he usually castles queenside first. Still, I’d like to know what to do against the caveman approach.

6.c4

Strike in the centre and play c2-c4 against d5 – the usual recipe. I’ll show some lines that feature key motifs.

6…e6 7.♘c3

Note that 7.♕a4 does not work, due to 7…♗xf3 8.♗xf3 ♘xd4. This is possible because Black has not castled yet and a7 is still defended.

7…0-0-0

Black has the alternative 7…dxc4.

8.b3. There are some other good moves, such as 8.♕a4 or 8.♘e5. But the most aggressive move is most fitting to the ‘fight fire with fire’ attitude you need to display against early attacks such as 5…h5. After 8.b3, Black has some moves available, but no satisfactory one: 8…♗xf3 (let’s have a look at this try to grab the d4-pawn) 9.♗xf3 ♘xd4 10.♗xb7 ♖b8 11.♗g2 cxb3 12.axb3. White has enormous pressure on the queenside now and a clear advantage. I am stopping here, because there is no clear main line from here and you need to cut it at some point. We are a pawn down, but use your engines to explore a bit more if you have doubts about the compensation, as it will be helpful to better understand the dynamics of these positions.

8.♕a4 ♔b8

1) 8…♘ge7 9.♘e5 (again this move is very strong, probably even already winning) 9…♘xe5 10.♕xa7 ♘5c6 11.♕a8+ ♘b8 12.♘b5 ♘ec6 13.♗f4, and White has a fantastic attack that should win quickly;

2) 8…dxc4 9.♘e5 (we have seen this killing idea before) 9…♘xe5 10.♕xa7 ♕xd4 11.♗xb7+ ♔d7 12.♕xd4+. Just one quick way to end the game after Black has blundered with 8…dxc4.

9.cxd5 exd5

10.♘xd5

A nice shot!

10…♕xd5

10…♗xf3 11.♗xf3 ♘e5 12.♕xd7 ♘xf3+ 13.exf3 ♖xd7 14.♘c3 ♖xd4 15.♗f4. White keeps a strong initiative even after the queen trade.

11.♘e5

This wins immediately for White.

A2) 4…e6

This is a rather unprincipled move, but still a move you might meet against players who just play without any particular opening preparation.

5.0-0 ♘f6

Whenever Black combines an early …♗g4 and …♘f6 in the Chigorin-style lines, you need to consider the reply ♘e5. As we will see, this motif is a key in the following lines.

The alternative 5…h5 doesn’t quite fit with 4…e6, but it is important to not play timidly against this early aggression. 6.c4 (always go for c2-c4, increasing the pressure on the centre) 6…dxc4 7.♕a4 ♕d7 8.♘c3. I’d like to show one very important idea for these …0-0-0 lines: 8…0-0-0.

This move loses immediately. 9.♘e5 ♘xe5 10.♕xa7, and White wins quickly. The key line is 10…♘c6 11.♕a8+ ♘b8 12.♗xb7 mate!

6.c4

As usual: the d5-pawn needs to be attacked with c2-c4.

A21) 6…♗e7

Black anticipates a possible ♗g5, but neglects the control of the e5-square.

7.♘e5

As mentioned: a key idea for White.

7…♗h5 8.♘c3 0-0 9.cxd5 ♘xd5

After 9…exd5 10.♘xc6 bxc6 11.♕a4, Black is again suffering with his pawn weaknesses.

10.♘xc6 bxc6

11.♘a4

Black is stuck with doubled c-pawns and has no compensation for this structural deficit.

A22) 6…♗d6 7.♘c3 0-0 8.cxd5

White gets some advantage by concrete play.

1) 8…♘xd5 9.h3 ♗h5 10.e4. White builds up a nice pawn centre and Black has little counterplay;

2) 8…exd5 9.♗g5 ♗e7 (the d5-pawn was under pressure, so this pin had to be broken) 10.♘e5. White has a comfortable advantage and will damage Black’s structure with ♘xc6.

A3) 4…♘f6

This position is reached surprisingly often, given that White has simple means to gain a substantial advantage.

5.♘e5 ♗f5

Here, Black may also play 5…e6, but he is in trouble after 6.c4. There is no adequate antidote to the simple ♕a4 idea. I’d like to mention that 6.♘xg4 ♘xg4 7.e4 is also a lot better for White.

6.c4 e6 7.♕a4

And White is a lot better.

A4) 4…♗xf3 5.♗xf3 ♘f6

This approach was suggested by Simon Williams in his Chessbase DVD on the Chigorin. Black’s idea is to get in a quick …e7-e5.

6.c4

The most active move. I think Black is fine after something slow like 6.0-0 e5.

6…e5

The critical move, and in the spirit of the Chigorin.

1) 6…dxc4 7.♘c3 ♕d7 (instead, 7…e6 8.♗xc6+ bxc6 9.♕a4 is also better for White) 8.d5 ♘e5 9.♗g2 e6 10.♗f4 ♘g6 11.dxe6, and White opens up the position for the bishop pair;

2) 6…e6 7.♘c3, and now the capture on c4 leads to line 1 above.

7.cxd5 ♘xd4 8.♗g2 ♗b4+ 9.♘c3

Here, 9.♗d2 ♗xd2+ 10.♘xd2 ♘xd5 11.e3 is also fine and leads to an edge.

9…♘xd5 10.♗d2

This pawn sacrifice is only temporary.

10…c6 11.♘xd5 ♗xd2+ 12.♕xd2 cxd5 13.e3 ♘e6 14.♗xd5

White is slightly better after the capture on f3, but this still looks a lot more reliable for Black than the lines with 0-0-0.

B) 3…♗f5

Compared to 3…♗g4, this is the more conservative approach by Black. A typical idea is to follow up with …♘b4, trying to misplace the white knight on a3.

4.♗g2

B1) 4…♘b4 5.♘a3 e6 6.0-0 h6

Black has the alternative 6…♗e7. 7.♘e5 (we play in the same way after 6…h6. White’s idea is to kick the knight with c2-c3 and force it to a6) 7…f6 8.♘f3. In his New In Chess Yearbook 128 Survey, GM Gonda recommends 8.g4, but I am not convinced about this line. After the simple retreat, I am happy with White’s position, as …f7-f6 is not a useful move for Black. We may try to play for e2-e4 (♘d2 first) or harass the bishop with ♘h4.

7.♘e5

Looking at the c6-square. We’d like to play c2-c3 and force the annoying knight to a6.

7…♘f6 8.c3 ♘a6 9.♕b3 ♕c8 10.c4

White enjoys a nice initiative on the queenside. ♗f4 and ♖ac1 are useful moves to continue with.

B2) 4…e6 5.0-0 ♘b4

Usually, Black starts with 4…♘b4, rather than going 4…e6 first. White may try to exploit that, but it is unclear if this is better than just transposing with 6.♘a3 – I recommend the transpositon.

6.♘a3

And this position we have examined via the 4…♘b4 move order.

B3) 4…♘f6 5.0-0 e6

Black did not bother with the knight sortie …♘b4, but now we have an easy game with standard moves.

6.c4

B31) 6…♗e7 7.♘c3 0-0 8.♘e5

Black is under some pressure here, and White has easy moves to follow up with. Note that you don’t need to take on c6 quickly. ♗f4 and ♖c1 are useful moves to play first.

B32) 6…dxc4

7.♘bd2

I like this simple solution. We regain the pawn with a nice central advantage. Black can’t hold the c4-pawn or grab the d4-pawn, as we will see.

7…b5

A terrible move, but let’s check why trying to hold on to the pawn fails.

After 7…♘xd4 8.♘xd4 ♕xd4 9.♗xb7 ♖b8 10.♗c6+, White has a huge advantage and realistic chances of a quick win.

8.a4 a6 9.♘h4

And Black is lost on move 9.

Conclusion

Our overall approach to play g2-g3 first and opt for a later c2-c4 pawn push is an excellent and very dangerous line against Black’s attempt to reach a Chigorin Queens’s Gambit. The lines with …♗g4 will get rather sharp, so pay extra attention to them.

CHAPTER 2

Rare lines: 2…c5

1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 c5

This is an interesting move order for Black that I have played myself as a surprise weapon. It is not played very frequently, but is very relevant for our repertoire, as the usual g2-g3-based recipe is somewhat problematic to play.

3.c4

I recommend playing the main line against 2…c5 and avoiding 3.g3. I tried to make it work, but there is one specific line that made me decide against it. I need to emphasize that I don’t think Black is better after 3.g3, but it is not a line that I like to recommend in a repertoire like this.

Let’s briefly check: the only problem line is 3.g3 cxd4 4.♗g2 ♕a5+! – please also compare with 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 g6 3.c4 ♘f6 4.cxd5 ♗g7 5.♕a4+!, which is part of our repertoire for White (see Chapter 21). Now after 4…♕a5+!, we need to sacrifice a pawn. I checked 5.c3 and 5.♗d2 ♕b6 6.c3. In both cases, I think White has enough for the pawn, but I am not very keen on recommending central pawn sacrifices. Giving away a central pawn is a very critical decision and not for everyone.

Given that 3.c4 is actually not that much of an effort to study, and slightly better for White, I decided to go for this approach. I believe it is actually simpler in this case to play the main line, as you don’t place the burden of any early pawn sacrifice on yourself. That being said, feel free to explore the gambit lines mentioned: they are fun to analyse.

Now after 3.c4, Black most of the time plays 3…e6, which leads to the Tarrasch Defence. This is covered in Chapter 3. We need to check Black’s alternatives on move three. Black may take the pawn on d4 or c4, which is covered under A and B.

A) 3…cxd4 4.cxd5

A1) 4…♘f6

This position may also arise via the less common move order 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 c5 3.c4 ♘f6 4.cxd5 cxd4.

5.♘xd4

Here, 5.♕xd4 ♕xd5 6.♘c3 ♕xd4 7.♘xd4 is the most frequently-played line. As mentioned before, I have played this 2…c5 variation once as Black and did not feel too scared of this approach. One additional issue for White is that Black has three different lines on move seven – 7…a6, 7..♗d7 and 7…e5 – and each one requires a unique reply by White. I felt that 5.♘xd4 is also quite dangerous and easier to handle.

5…♘xd5

Black may also play 5…♕xd5 6.♘c3 ♕a5 7.♘b3. This transposes to 1.d4 d5 2.♘f3 c5 3.c4