Puzzle of the week #149

Submitted by eugen on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 10:34

Modern opening surprises (1)

Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #149"][Date "2011.01.30"][Result "0-1"]1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Nd5 6.Qb3 Nb6 7.cxd4 d5 8.Be2 Bf5 9.O-O Be7 10.Nc3 Nb4 11.Bd2
The same as most players, I also play my share of friendly or tournament games over the internet. Quite often we reach interesting and challenging positions. Finding the best play and seeing how it unfolds gives me (at least) a lot of intellectual pleasure. Replay the opening moves available for this game.
There used to be a time when playing old openings would completely surprise the opponent and gave you an advantage. This continues to be true over the board (players facing each other live), but it is not so true over the internet. The simple fact someone can google around and find the same information as you, has eliminated the surprise factor. Still this position is very interesting. Here are your tasks:
a) Name the opening
b) Analyse the position
c) White continued with 11.Bd2 ...; what is the best line for Black now (no more than 4-5 moves long)?
d) What would you play as White instead of 11.Bd2 ...?

Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #150.

Puzzle #148 solution:
Nikitin-Kasparov, 1981. For the first time we have the pleasure to learn from Harmony's solution:
"This one is very interesting.
Position analysis:
White has more pawns and one more Knight but all its pieces have bad positions. Both White bishops are not at attacking or defending position. Its Queen, Knight and Rook are defending. Its King has NOT MUCH room to move.
Almost all Black pieces are ready to attack. One thing I at first don’t get is how can the Black Knight jump to and then stay at f3 without being taken by the pawn. It must have jumped from e5 to f3 and White had to move back the Knight to defend h2 instead of taking the Black Knight. So the puzzle could actually start by one move back. It will be more interesting.
Noticing that Ng3 will checkmate, so the key tasks are to help Black Knight to move there. See solution:

[Event "Puzzle #148"][Date "2011.01.22"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "1qB1r1k1/5pp1/1Bb4p/2P4n/1P6/P4n2/1N3QPP/2R2N1K b - - 0 1"]1...Re2 2.Qxe2 (2.Qxf3 Bxf3 3.Bh3 Qa8 {Black wins}) (2.Ba7 Qe5 3.Nd3 Qe7 {Black wins white's Queen}) 2...Qxh2+ 3.Nxh2 Ng3#

Correct solutions:
Harmony, James, Ziyao - 20 points
Philip - 15 points
Leroy - 8 points
Frank, Alex - 10 points
Leo - 5 points

Standings:
Ziyao - 47 points
Harmony - 41 points
James - 40 points
Frank - 33 points
Alex - 29 points
Philip - 24 points
Leo - 21 points
Jeffrey, Danny - 19 points
Leroy - 18 points
Karl - 13 points
Kevin - 11 point