ChessBase Magazine Extra 220

Felix Blohberger: Reti Opening

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 d4 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0-0 Nh6

Felix Blohberger presents a repertoire idea against the Reti Opening, in which you can determine the game early on with two unusual knight moves: with 4…Nc6 and 5…Nh6 Black indicates that they want to see their advanced pawn firmly anchored on d4. This set-up poses some practical problems for White. Blohberger first analyses the continuations 6.d3 Nf5 7.Na3 and 6.e4 f6 7.d3 Nf7, which are not critical for Black. The critical variation goes like this: 6.e3 Nf5 7.e4 Ne7 8.e5! – a novelty and the only move that complicates Black’s plan with 8…Ng6.

Marin: Petroff

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 9.Re1 Bf5

Mihail Marin analyses a line that Ian Nepomniachtchi likes to play with Black, including against Hikaru Nakamura in the 2024 Candidates Tournament: After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 he continued with 6…Bd6, followed by 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 9.Re1 Bf5 10.Qb3 Qd7. In his analysis of the game, Marin discusses the different ideas in this position that the Russian has already had to defend against, e.g. against Carlsen, Vachier-Lagrave and others. “The Petroff Defence can be a very entertaining opening!”

Analyses by Emanuel Berg, Bogdan Deac, Lubomir Ftacnik, Shreyas Royal, Yago Santiago, Samuel Shankland, Vaibhav Suri and many more

The “Lucky bag” of this CBM Extra includes 36 detailed analyses.