The Alekhine (or Maróczy) Gambit Accepted–Modern Version

Issue 12 of The New Winawer Report has now been posted on the Winawer page. It continues the discussion in last month’s issue of the gambit lines in the Alekhine (or Maróczy) Gambit. This month starts from the diagrammed position, in which White has just played 11. 0-0-0, instead of ‘the hasty’ 11. f3, as Vitiugov calls it in his recent book.

This change might not look like much, but appearances are deceptive and White has a string of spectacular victories to his credit. The main game in this issue is Braakhuis-Neven, WC.2000.S.00001.1999 IECG email 1999; Black went from equality to a lost position in one move: quick, where was it?

The best-known game in this line is probably Miles-Reefschläger, Porz 1981-82, but the issue also has the lost game King-Menzel, World U16 Team Championship, Viborg 1979, another crushing win for White. It’s ‘lost’ in the sense that it isn’t in the databases (at least it’s not in ChessBase’s Big Database 2012); rather odd, since it appeared in BCM at the time.

The conclusion is that Black is fine in all variations provided he plays accurately. But the smallest slip can have catastrophic consequences.