Teran, C - Kennaugh, C [A58]
Merseyside Cup 2000
[CK]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 e6 The original Volga gambit, developed in the early 1920's, is very rarely played these days having been almost totally superseded by the Benko Gambit with its strategy g6, Bg7 and Bxa6. The Volga Gambit seeks to undermine White's centre immediately and try to use quick development to secure compensation for the pawn. 6.Nc3 Also possible is 6.dxe6 fxe6 which is more akin to the Blumenfeld Gambit. 6...Qa5!?N
Another of my own little ideas which I'd been waiting to try out for some time. To the best of my knowledge 6...Qa5 has never been played before. Normal is 6...Nxd5 7.Nxd5 exd5 6.Qxd5 Nc6.7.Bd2 c4! 8.e4 Bxa6 9.Be2 9.Nf3 Bc5 10.Be2 (10.e5? Ng4 11.Ne4 Qb6! is extremely embarrassing for White.) 10...Qb6= 9...Qb6 10.Qc2 exd5?! In retrospect I think this exchange was probably inaccurate. If I'd played an immediate 10...Bc5 11.Nh3 Bd4 12.0-0 0-0 as in the game I'd have retained the extra option of e6-e5 strongly bolstering the Black bishop on d4. White is unlikely himself to exchange on e6 since the Black knight would then develop very nicely on c6. 11.exd5 Bc5 12.Nh3 Bd4! 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bf3 Bb7?! It's likely that 14...d6 followed by Nbd7 was more accurate. I wanted to put immediate pressure on the d5 pawn, but the downside of my bishop on b7 is that I'm never really threatening b2. 15.Ng5! Na6 16.Nce4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 f5 Over the board I didn't really want to make this potentially weakening move, but it seems to be the only way to try to engender counterplay. If 17...h6 simply 18.Nf3 offers Black very little. 18.Bxf5 g6 19.Be4 19.Bxd7 Bxd5 with counter chances 19...Bxf2+ 20.Kh1 Nc5 I was a lot happier with my position as I felt I had reasonable compensation for the pawn. However, I'd missed a big move for white. Fortunately so did my opponent, who was already running short of time. 21.Bc3?! Up till then I think my opponent had found all the most plausible moves. However, short of time he now misses his big chance...21.d6! Nxe4 22.Qxc4+ Kg7 23.Nxe4 Bxe4 24.Bc3+ Kh6 25.Qxe4± 21...Be3 22.Ne6?? A completely unsound sac made under time pressure. After 22.Nh3 the position would have been unclear. 22...dxe6 23.Bxg6 Nd3-+ 24.Bxd3 cxd3 25.Qxd3 Bxd5 No need to get greedy with 25...Rxf1 26.Rxf1 Ba6. 26.Rfe1 Bf4 27.Qh3 Qd8 28.Qd3?? Zeitnot Bxg2+ 0-1 Not an entirely convincing game in that my opponent missed a very strong move (21.d6!), but I can be reasonably happy with the opening idea 6...Qa5 in view of the improvements I've indicated. Stem games are rarely perfect!
