The Cambridge Springs

195 Pages·2003·9.45 MB·English

by  Krzysztof Panczyk

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.
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British Library.
ISBN 1 901983684
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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