Schiller on the Keres Variation
Schiller's recommendation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4 dxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.f3 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5
exf3 8.Nxf3
B
8...Bd6
Eric Schiller recommends this Keres Variation as the best defense
for Black in
Unorthodox
Openings (1998).
9.Bb5+ Nbd7 10.O-O O-O 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 a6
"Takes the initiative".
13.Bxd7 Bxd7 14.Ne4 Bf4
The variation is pretty straightforward so far, but now Schiller
gives only two options:
- 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Qc2 Re8 17.Nfd2 Be3+ 18.Kh1 f5 and Black has the
initiative.
- 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.Bf2 Re8 and White will have problems in the
endgame.
New ideas for White
White can improve with 15.Nfd2! as follows:
- 15...g5 16.Rxf4 Nxd5 17.Qh5!? Nxf4 18.Qxh6 f6! 19.Rf1 looked
unclear to me, but Fritz 4.01 gives 19...Bf5 20.Rxf4 gxf4 21.Bxf6 Rxf6
22.Nxf6+ Kf7 -+ and suggests instead 17.Rf2 gxh4 18.Qh5 Bc6 19.Qxh6 f5
20.Qg6+ Kh8 21.Raf1 +/-.
- 15...Bxd2 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Qxd2 +/-.
- 15...Be5 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Rxf6! gxf6 18.Ne4 +/- threatening Qh5.
Or are there better plans for Black?
DDG Magazine 1/1999,
Jyrki Heikkinen (ed.)