I've recently picked up the Trompowsky attack in my repertoire. For the most part the opening is pretty sound actually (granted it seems to have gone through hell and back to reach it).

There is one main-line that concerns me that is still depriving white of his best option: 1.d4 Bg5 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.Bc1 (7.b3) etc., etc.

7.Bc1 is now considered suspect because of complications on move 18...b5! (based off of S. Buckley-Gormally the Portsmouth Open in 2003). Suffice to say that 7.b3 is now the mainline for white where both sides have equal chances.

Heard of any improvements?

Minor correction: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.Bc1 (7.b3)

My mistake. Thank you.

Chernysov(2531)-Grischuk(2724), Russian Club Ch.'s, Dagomys, 2005.

A nice win for White a very interesting TN in the 7.e4!? line. It was analyzed in Chess Today, Issue No. 1631, by the way, if you are a subscriber or can get your hands on a copy.

Moves were as follows, with some limited paraphrasing of IM Barsky's comments:

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.e4!? Qxb2 8.Nd2 Qxc3 9.Bc7! TN (Black's Q is now somewhat inconvenienced as it can no longer retreat via a5) g6 10.Rc1 Qe3+ 11.Ne2 Na6 12.Nc4 Qh6 13.Bf4 Qg7 14.Qa4! (preventing ...d6 and further development by Black) g5 15.Be5 g4 16.f4 Qg6 17.Ng3 Rg8 18.Ne3 Nb4 (Black decides to sacrifice a piece to complete development) 19.a3 Nc6 20.dxc6 dxc6 21.Be2 Nd7 22.0-0 (Fritz likes 22.Bc7!? once again) Nxe5 23.fxe5 Bh6 24.Qb3 Be6 25.Qc3 b6 26.Rcd1 Bxe3+ 27.Qxe3 Qg5 28.Qc3! (avoiding Q exchange due to Black's vulnerable K position) Rd8 29.Nf5 h5 30.a4 (30.Bc4!? Rg6 31.Rxd8+ Kxd8 32.Rd1+ Kc7 33.Qd3 +- may be stronger) h4 31.a5 Rxd1 32.Rxd1 Bxf5 33.Qd3! Kf8 34.exf5 Qf4 35.Qd8+ Kg7 36.Qxe7 Qxf5 37.Qxh4 Re8 38.Rf1 Qxe5 39.Qxg4+ Kf8 40.Bc4 Re7 (despite a tough defense by Black, he is still lost) 41.Rf4! Qe1+ 42.Bf1 Qe5 43.g3 Re6 44.Qh4 b5 45.Qd8+ Kg7 46.Qd7 Rf6 47.Rg4+ Kh6 48.Qd2+ Kh7 49.Bd3+ Kh8 50.Re4 Qd5 51.Qc3! (the pin is decisive) Qd6 52.Rf4 Kg7 53.Kf2 c4 54.Be4 c5 55.Ke3 Qd4+ 56.Qxd4 cxd4+ 57.Kxd4 Ra6 58.Bd5 f6 59.Rg4+ Kh8 60.Kc5 Rxa5 61.Kb4 Ra1 62.Kxb5 c3 63.Rc4 Rc1 64.Kb4 Rc2 65.h4 a5+ 66.Kb3 1-0

This line, despite gambiting 2 pawns, is being practiced as the main line for white with extremely good results in the chess circuits. It's now become mainline and has re-invigorated the Trompowsky. Just thought you would want an update.

07/16/07