Hello Chess lovers.
I want to share with you a line that is not as popular as 9.Nf3 and 10.Rb1 which is the defacto main line.
I had success with this line myself and I noticed how it really shook my opponent during and after the game.
It appears to be sound and also a great labour saving device and for creative imaginative players. There are a number of merits to the move. Firstly, it does not obstruct the g2 bishop. Secondly d5 can be overprotected easily against a black assault with moves like Ra7/Qa8/Bb7/Ne8-c7.Thirdly, the knight on h3 allows the f-pawn to come in handy either on f3 or f4. Lets see how this worked in practice.
Ivanov vs Sakaev 2000
1.d4Nf6 2.c4c5 3.d5b5 4.cb5a6 5.ba6Ba6 6.Nc3g6 7..g3d6 8.Bg2Bg7 9.Nh3!?Nbd7 10.0-00-0 11.Rb1 This is the crucial line. White plays useful moves. The rook comes off the a1-h8 diagonal and b3 and a4 will soon come.
11...Qa5 12.Qc2 freeing d1 for the rook and over protecting c3. 12....Rfb8 `13.b3Ne8 14.Bb2!? The bishop will face off against the g7 bishop and its usually a small victory to get the dark squared bishop.
14....Nc7 This queenside migration means that the king side is a man light. Now watch how Ivanov works on this. 15.Rfc1 white is ready for action on c3 and also leaves f1 open for the g2 bishop. 15....Ne5 16.Ng5Bc8 17.h3 square denial. Black's pieces are being limited.
17...Bf5? This active move leads to an assault on the black king with a gain of a tempo. 18.e4Bc8 19.f4Nd7 20.e5! Cutting the board in two.The majority of the black pieces are on the left side of the board and the black King looks isolated.
20...de5 21.f5!Ne8 and now to look at some alternatives :
a) 21....gf5 22.Qf5Nf6 23.Qe5h6 24.Nge4Nfd5
25.Qh5 with an attack.
b) 21...h6 22.fg6hg5 23.gf7Kf7 24.Ne4 and white has two good attacking options : a hit on g5 or the move d4-d5.
22.Rf1Nef6 23.fg6hg6 24.Nce4Qb6 25.Nf7Nd5 26.Ned6!! The virtues of Nh3 have come to the fore:
The f-pawn played a role, now the bishop on g2 looks powerful and the knight on g5 plays an aggresive role.
26....c4 (if 26...ed6 27.Qg6N5f6 28.Nh6Kh8 29.Nf5Bf8 30.Rf4!!ef4 31.Qh5Kg8 32.Bd5Nd5 33.Qg6 winning)
27.Kh2Ne3 This show of aggression is shot lived. 28.Qg6Nf1 29.Rf1ed6 30.Nh6Kh8 31.Rf7 and black had enough 1-0
In this game, every virtue of 9.Nh3 came out. The Knight went to g5 and was ready to go to e4 and d2 as well. The bishop on g2 made a pseudo-sacrifice on d6 possible.The f-pawn went on into the attack as a battering ram. You cannot ask for more from 9.Nh3.
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