transposition equivalent

(or its transposition equivalent 3...I21f6 4 eLlc3

exd4) or to support the e5-pawn by, for exam‑

ple, 3...1;f6 (3...1M7 4 c4 e7 seeks to trans‑

pose via 5eLic3 iZgf6, but allows an arguably

more effective 5 dxe5) 4 t?ic3 (4 dxe5 t2]xe4 is

theoretically sound for Black) 4...tad7, fol‑

lowed by      e7 and ...0-0.

Black originally played 3...exd4 or 3.. Alb 4

12)6 exd4 with considerable frequency (this ac‑

counted for almost half of the Philanders among

top players in the 19th century), aiming for the

following type of position:

3...exd4 4 ILixd4       leLic3 e7      c4

This move probably presents Black with the

most difficulty, although 6 14 is also popular.

After     e2 0-0 7 0-0 rte8, Black is cramped

but has play against White's e-pawn and pros‑

pects for a timely ...d5.

6...0-0 7 0-0 (D)

sometimes have avoided the above move-order

so as to side-step Black's attempt to destroy the

centre by 7.../Zxe4 ILixe4 d5; but in that case 9

d3 dxe4 10 xe4 retains the freer play; e.g.,

10... f6 11 c34Zd7 12 f4 12)1)6?! 13 lifc2 g6

14 Macil Wi1e7 15 :fel gave White a large ad‑

vantage in Lauber-I.Sokolov, Cap d' Aged rpd

1996. I think that one will find that with accurate

play by White in the ...exd4 line with    and

e7, Black remains somewhat cramped in a

perhaps acceptable position, but one that would

attract few top players.

Much later, in the 1970s and even up to the

early 1990s, some very high-ranked players as

Black played 3...exd4 4 ILixd4 g6, to post the

bishop on a more active square than e7 and gain

King's Indian-like pressure on the dark squares.

That has the drawback of leaving White's cen‑

tre intact and allowing an attack based upon g4,

h4-h5. Yet Black achieves concrete attacking

chances on the queenside. This variation was fi‑

nally worked out in some detail by means of

pretty games, such as the following:

Hennigan Westerinen

Gaudily 1995

1 e4 e5 2 9f3 d6 3 d4 exd4/Z\xd4 g6 5 9c3

g7 6 e3 91•6 7 ild2 0-0 8 f3 9e6 9 g4 e6

10 0-0-0 (D)

ff

if/    „

A close look at theory suggests that White

keeps a moderate but definite advantage here;

and indeed, his results have been good. On his

Philidor Defence CD, Bangiev shows that Black

fails to equalize after the active attempts 7...a6

and 7...c6, and he has difficulties with lack of a

target in a line like 7...Xe8 8 Mel f8 9 a3 (or 9

g5 c6 10 a3) 9...bd7 10 a2! thc5 11 f3.

One should compare such positions with those

after ...exd4 in the Ruy Lopez, analyzed in some

detail below. There is nothing inevitable about

such an assessment, and it may yet be that Black

will find some way to get satisfactory play. In

general, however, one can see why this kind of

set-up has become less popular for Black.

It's important that specifics work in addition

to the general logic. In this case, White may

There are several move-orders that reach

this position. Black still stands worse in the

centre, and his only freeing move, 10...d5, will

fall short after 11 g5 1;h5 12 421xe6 fxe6 13

exd5 exd5 14 ei)xd5. So he exchanges and then

launches a dynamic queenside attack, at the