Kornev, A Practical Black repertoire with d5,c6 Vol. 1

In Volume 1 Kornev's choice of arms against 1.d4 d5 2.c4 is one of the most popular openings in modern chess practice - the Slav Defence. Besides, he considers in detail how to meet opening set-ups where after 1.d4 d5 White refrains from an early c2-c4: 2.Bg5, as well as 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 and 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3. Another topic is the ever growing in popularity The London System (2.Bf4 and 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4).

Kornev does not confine himself to dry variations, he also aptly explains the ideas behind them. Thus his book should serve a wide range of players - from club amateurs, up to grandmasters. The Slav-Caro-Kann connection allows Black to sidestep many opening variations. For example, after 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 he simply goes 2...c6, avoiding the main line of the Veresov System which arise after 2...Nf6 3.Bg5. In the London System after 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e3, Black could directly exchange on d4 - 3...cxd4 4.exd4, obtaining a harmless sideline of the Caro-Kann - 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bf4.



Contents

Preface

Part 1. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6

1 - Rare; 3.e3 Nf6

2 - 3.Nc3 Nf6 Rare; A) 4.Bg5 dxc4; B) 4.e3 e6

3 - 3.cxd5 cxd5 A) 4.Bf4 Nc6; B) 4.Nc3 Nf6

4 - 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 Rare; 5.Nc3 Nc6

Part 2. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6

5 - 4.Nbd2 Bf5 Rare; A) 5.e3 e6; B) 5.g3 e6

6 - 4.g3 Bg4 A) 5.Ne5 Bf5; B) 5.Bg2 e6

7 - 4.Qc2 dxc4 Rare; A) 5.e4 b5; B) 5.Qxc4 Bf5

8 - 4.e3 Bg4 Rare; A) 5.Nbd2 e6; B) 5.cxd5 Bxf3; C) 5.Qb3 Qb6; D) 5.Nc3 e6

9 - 4.e3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5 A) 6.Nbd2 e6; B) 6.g4 Bg6 7.Ne5 e6; C) 6.cxd5 cxd5; D) 6.Nc3 e6

Part 3. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6

10 - Rare; 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 b5 A) 7.Qb3 Nbd7; B) 7.Qd3 Bb7

11 - 5.g3 dxc4 Rare; 6.Bg2 Nbd7 A) 7.a4 Bb4; B) 7.0-0 b5

12 - 5.cxd5 exd5 Rare; A) 6.Bg5 h6; B) 6.Qc2 g6

Part 4. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 a6

13 - Rare; A) 6.h3 Nbd7; B) 6.Bd2 c5; C) 6.a3 Nbd7

14 - 6.Be2 dxc4 7.a4 c5

15 - 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5

16 - 6.c5 Nbd7

17 - 6.b3 Bb4

18 - 6.Qc2 c5

Part 5. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4

19 - Rare; 6.a4 Bb4

20 - 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 A) 9.exf6 gxh4; B) 9.Bg3 Nd5

21 - 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.exf6 Bb7 Rare; 12.g3 Qb6 13.Bg2 0-0-0 14.0-0 c5 15.d5 b4 16.Rb1 Qa6

22 - 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.exf6 Bb7 12.g3 Qb6 13.Bg2 0-0-0 14.0-0 c5 15.d5 b4 16.Na4 Qb5 17.a3 Nb8 18.axb4 axb4 A) 19.Be3 Bxd5; B) 19.Qd4 Nc6; C) 19.Qg4 Bxd5

Part 6. 1.d4 d5 without c4

23 - A) 2.c3 c5; B) 2.Nc3 c6; C) 2.e3 Nf6; D) 2. e4 de; E) 2.Bg5 h6

24 - A) 2.Bf4 c5; B) 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5

25 - 2.Nf3 Nf6 Rare; 3.Bg5 Ne4

26 - 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c6

Index of Variations