Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]

Written by GM Glenn Flear & GM Jon Tisdall

Last updated Tuesday, February 18, 2014

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he Blumenfeld loses a pawn. I mean, of course, sacrifices a pawn, in true gambit

style. The payback is a powerful pawn presence in the centre and lasting activity.
But it definitely loses a pawn. As is often the case with countergambits, White

often prefers to decline the offer for a quieter life. But if you are going to play this opening
you should share the outlook of GM Michael Rohde, who once told me that he had not
sacrificed anything in a game where he had offered four pawns. "Oh, you mean the little
guys," he said when pressed. If you have a streak of this attitude, the Blumenfeld may be for
you.
Does that mean that the gambit is unsound? Maybe in a perfect world but in an

overtheboard fight, almost certainly not. I have to confess to a real affection for the
Blumenfeld. As long as it remains largely unexplored, I think it has a lot to offer the bold
Black player. I actually prepared it as a main defence in a zonal tournament, and learned
something interesting about the aspect of surprise.

When I played it for the second time in the event, my opponent confessed afterwards
that it was a bigger shock than when he had seen it the first time. The Blumenfeld was only
for surprise value he said, and playing it consistently was simply amazing.
The Blumenfeld is a state of mind. If you are in the right mood, it is a dangerous
weapon. If you keep getting distracted by the point count, then you should give it a rest.
Here, too, you will find an intriguing selection of strong players who find the Blumenfeld a
worthy choice on the right occasion.
History
The Blumenfeld Gambit enjoyed quite a bit of popularity at high levels in the
roaring '20s, perhaps on the strength of the heavyweight bout TarraschAlekhine, which is
a textbook classic on the possibilities for Black in this opening. Close study of this game
alone will give the student a deep understanding of what Black aims for in the Blumenfeld.
Alekhine himself tended to decline the Gambit as White. In this early Blumenfeld heyday,
the opening was popular enough that one player could establish a reputation as a gambit
killer Ernst Grnfeld, who showed keen positional understanding, and also a preference
for turning down the offer. Since then, the opening has never quite caught on, though it has
always been a dangerous surprise weapon.

All the game references highlighted in blue have been annotated and can be downloaded in
PGN form using the PGN Games Archive on www.chesspublishing.com.

Contents

1 d4 f6 2 c4 e6 3 f3 c5 4 d5 b5
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5 dxe6
5 g5 Blumenfeld Gambit Declined [E10]

5...fxe6 6 cxb5
Blumenfeld Gambit Accepted [E10]

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Blumenfeld Gambit Declined [E10]

Last updated: 18/02/14 by Glenn Flear

Here we look at the Blumenfeld Counter Gambit Declined. However Black still has great
opportunities for dynamic play White cannot guarantee himself a quiet life simply
by declining the pawn.

1 d4 f6 2 f3 c5 3 d5 e6 4 c4 b5 5 g5

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5...a5+
In the 1990s this became Black's most trusted answer to 5.g5.
5...exd5 6 cxd5 a5+
a) 6...h6 7 xf6 xf6 8 c2 (8 c3 b4 9 b5 A remarkable novelty that appears to be
accidental. Maksimovic,BCajic,M/Kragujevac YUG 2000) 8...d6 (8...e7 9 e4 b6 10
a4 bxa4 Zoler,DPardo Simon,D/Benasque ESP 2012.) 9 e4 a6 10 a4 b4 This would
an extremely grave concession in a Benoni, and there is not much difference at all
here. Possession of c4 and a pair of knights to graze there guarantee black some
longterm discomfort. 11 bd2 d7 12 d3 g6 13 0-0 g7 14 c4 0-0 15 fe1?!
(15 a5!? hindering Black's development, has a better record.) 15...a5! with
counterplay, Vanderstricht,GIkonnikov,V/Belgium BEL 2001.
b) 6...d6 is the latest fashion when 7 e4 is sharp:
b1) instead after 7 e3 a6 8 a4 b4 9 bd2 e7 10 c4 (10 b3 0-0 11 h3 h5 12 xe7
xe7 13 c4 a5 14 0-0 White has a bind on c4. However by pressing against d5 and c4
Black can makes White's task of central expansion difficult to achieve under
favourable circumstances, Kozul,ZVolokitin,A/Celje SLO 2004) 10...b7!? (10...0-0
4

11 d3 a5 Laznicka,VGajewski,G/Polanica Zdroj POL 2007. Kiril Georgiev prefers

10...a5 ) 11 xf6 xf6 12 a5 0-0 Delchev,AMamedyarov,S/Porto Carras GRE 2011.
b2) 7 a4!? b4 8 e4 e7 9 b5+ d7 10 xf6 (10 d3 0-0 11 bd2 Neverov,VGhaem
Maghami,E/Dubai UAE 2009) 10...xf6 11 b3 0-0 12 bd2 Krasenkow,M

Tregubov,P/Nancy FRA 2009.

7...a6 8 a4 critical (8 d3 is too slow, 8...e7 with ideas of ...xd5, 9 f4 g4 10 bd2 bd7 11
h3 h5 the bishop heads for g6, bearing down on e4, Bhat,VBaklan,V/Balaguer
ESP 2006, 8 bd2 e7 9 f4 0-0 10 a4 bxa4!? Black hopes to activate his queenside,
Ivanchuk,VNisipeanu,L/KhantyMansiysk RUS 2007) 8...e7 9 xf6!? (9 bd2
xd5!, and Black seems to have full equality as in Dautov,RVolokitin,A Bundesliga
2004.) 9...xf6 10 c2 (10 axb5 xb2 11 a2 f6 was unclear in Jobava,BaGhaem
Maghami,E Istanbul 2004, although White seems to keep a nagging pull once his
knight is installed on c4) 10...a5+! Borges Mateos,JLeon Hoyos,M/Merida MEX
2013.
7 c3 After the exchange of pawns on d5, White no longer has the option of interposing his
queen. (7 d2 b6 (7...b4 8 e4 a6!?N 9 c2 xf1 10 xf1 with an unclear position
occurred in Bunzmann,DZhang Pengxiang/Yerevan ARM 2000) 8 e4 d6 A sensible
new move which introduces a wide range of continuations, from possible Benonis to
some hybrid positions. Rodrigues,RMateo,R/Lisbon POR 2000) 7...e4 (7...e7 8
e3 A cautious move. Csiszar has also faced 8 d2 and 8 d6. (8 d6 d8 9 d3 led to
unclear complications after 9...c4 10 e3+ f8 11 c5 a6 12 d4 h6 13 xf6 xf6 14 0-00 xd4 15 xd4 c6 16 f4 e8 in Suto,GCsiszar,C Zalakaros 2002, Particularly
noteworthy is 8 d2 which led to a White advantage after 8...0-0 9 d6 d8 10 xf6 xf6
11 d5 xd2+ 12 xd2 Mira,HCsiszar,C Scuol 2001) 8...h6 (8...b4 gives away the c4
square e.g. 9 b1 d6 10 bd2) 9 xf6 xf6 10 d2!? (Black has a good game after 10
d2 a6 11 d6 b7) 10...xc3 11 bxc3 0-0 (11...xc3 is better for White after 12 c1 a3
13 xb5) 12 b3 c4!? (After 12...a6 White can keep an edge with 13 e2 d6 14 a4
followed with 0-0. Black can't hold his pawns together so he tries something more
active.) 13 b2 Farago,ICsiszar,C/Balatonlelle 2004 (Sept 2004) White prepares
a2a4 and thus keeps an edge.) 8 d2 (8 d3 A double edged move. Davidovic,A
Levi,E/Melbourne AUS Masters 1998) 8...xd2 9 xd2 d6 10 e4 a6 when White
hits at the bpawn to obtain access to the c4square. 11 a4 b4 12 c4 d8 13 b1
a5 14 bd2 e7 15 g3 0-0 16 c2 f6 17 g2 e8 18 0-0 a6 Leitao,R
Gonzalez,B Copa Itau Mercosul 1997. The strong bind on the c4square guarantees
White some pressure, but Black's baying bishops will snap away if White makes a
wrong step. However the plan of f4e5, if timed right, should yield the advantage.
5...h6 The sharpest response, although nowadays 5...a5+ is considered the main line. 6
xf6 xf6 7 c3 b4 8 b5 d8

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The blame for this amazing opening idea should be directed at German GM Rainer Knaak.
Previously Black had tried 8...a6, leaving White's knight safe as houses on b5 and
making Black very vulnerable to a timely a3 (with the idea axb4 and xa6). 9 e4 g5
The second part of Knaak's idea, to answer 10.e5 with ...g7 and ...g4. (9...exd5!? is a
very plan that is well worth a closer look. 10 e5 b6 11 xd5 b7 12 xf7 a6 led to very
comfortable play for Black in De Saegher,CVan Eijk,S/Dieren NED 2002.) 10 e5
(10 d3?! b7 11 e5!? Very ambitious. Portisch,LRogers,I/Reggio Emilia 1984 (11
0-0!? is Leitao,RRodriguez,A/Santos BRA 2005, but Ian Rogers suggested 11 a4 ) )
10...g7 11 h3! (11 g4 and Black's position may not be as awful as it looks.
Kinsman,AWard,C/Plymouth ch 1989) 11...b7 12 a4 a5 13 0-0-0! and Black is
in trouble, Azmaiparashvili,ZMiroshnichenko,E/Kallithea GRE 2009.
5...bxc4 has a poor reputation as ceding the c4 square is usually the first step in white
establishing a vice on the centre. However, this might be a bit premature as there has
not been a lot of testing. 6 e4 h6 7 xf6 xf6

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8 c2 (8 e5 led to a spectacular win for White in Legky,NPeltrault,F/Paris 1994, and is
probably a sterner test.) 8...exd5 9 exd5 d6 10 xc4 f5 11 e2+ e7 12 0-0 0-0 13
c3 d7 and Black had a sound and dynamic position. (1-0, 29) Maiko,J
Dumchikov,V/Kharkov UKR 2002.
5...b4!? 6 a3 (6 e4 d6 (6...h6 7 xf6 xf6 8 e5 d8 Llanes Hurtado,MSalgado
Lopez,I/Haguenau FRA 2013.) 7 d3 (7 a3 e7 Neelotpal,D
6

Kryvoruchko,Y/Rethymno GRE 2012.) 7...e7 (7...bd7!? 8 dxe6 fxe6 9 e5!?

Goryachkina,ASavchenko,B/KhantyMansiysk RUS 2013.) 8 e5!? was unclear in
Rychagov,ADavid,A/Kavala GRE 2010) 6...h6 (6...a5!? 7 e4 h6 8 xf6 xf6 9 e5
Ponomariov,RNisipeanu,L/Medias ROU 2010) 7 h4 a5 8 axb4 cxb4 9 d4 e7
10 b5 d6 11 c5! 0-0! with sharp play, Ivanchuk,VNisipeanu,L/KhantyMansiysk
RUS 2007.
5...a6 6 c3 b4 7 e4 e7 (Here 7...d6 has over the years been the choice of Alburt and
Dzindishashvili, 8 xf6+ gxf6 9 h4 e7 10 g3 Sargissian,GGurevich,D/Las Vegas
USA 2009) 8 xf6 xf6 9 c2 0-0 10 e3 exd5 11 cxd5 d6 12 d3 g6 13 fd2 a5
Black can't do a great deal about White's control of the c4square, but he can aim to
minimize any discomfort, Fressinet,LGurevich,D/Las Vegas USA 2008.

6 d2
6 c3 e4 (6...b4 7 xf6 gxf6 8 e4 e7! (8...f5?! 9 f6+ e7 10 d2 d6 leaves Black's king
in an ugly spot but it's not clear if White can exploit it. 8...b3+? 9 c3 bxa2 10 xa2 b4
11 e4 g8 12 g3 proved better for White in Ionescu,CKogan,A Manresa 1997) 9 dxe6
fxe6 10 d6+ xd6 11 xd6 c6 is given by Ionescu as unclear.) 7 d2 (After 7
cxb5! Black has only one way to equalize e.g. 7...a6!
a) 7...xg5?! 8 xg5 e7 9 d2 b7 10 e4 0-0 11 e2 h6 12 f3 f5 and now in
Nagy,ACsiszar,C Hungary 1997 White went wrong with 13 d6. Instead 13 dxe6! is
analysed by Roiz as leading to a White advantage after 13...fxe4 (or 13...dxe6 14 c4
fxe4 15 xe4) 14 xe4 b6 15 c3 xe6 16 d1
b) 7...b7?! 8 d2! xc3?! (or 8...xd2 9 xd2 xd5 10 xd5 exd5 11 e3 with problems
for Black with both his development and lightsquares.) 9 xc3 xb5 10 e4 b6 11
c4 with an excellent game for White, Roiz,MSwicarz,M Pardubice 2003
c) 7...xc3 8 bxc3 xc3+ 9 d2 c4 10 dxe6 xe6 11 g3 Flear,G
Ravot,S/St.Affrique 2011.
8 d2 (8 a4!? is interesting hoping to exploit the b6square: 8...xa4 9 xa4 b7 10 b6
xg5 11 xg5 a7 12 e4 e7 13 f3 axb5 14 xb5 d8 Black's position is playable.)
8...xd2 9 xd2 axb5 10 e4 c4 11 a4 b4 12 xb5 exd5 13 exd5 0-0 14 e2 b7
offered balanced chances in Johansen,DDepasquale,C Melbourne 1991.) 7...xd2
8 xd2 (8 xd2 b4 9 ce4 f5!? 10 g5! (10 g3 with an interesting and difficult
position in Barlov,DLezcano Jaen,P/ Las Palmas ESP 1999.) 10...e7 11 gf3 f6
12 b3 0-0 13 e4! e8 14 e5! Kaidanov,GRobson,R/Saint Louis USA 2010) 8...b4
(8...bxc4 9 e4 e7 10 xc4 0-0 11 0-0 a6 12 b5! and Black had problems on the
Queenside in Lobo,RRensch,D/San Francisco USA 2000) 9 e4 e7 10 e3 (10
g3) 10...0-0 11 d6?! Over ambitious, but Black was already fine in Van Wely,L
Sokolov,I/Wijk aan Zee 1994.
6 bd2 bxc4 (6...e7 7 b4 was a bizarre randomising try in Malinin,YIljinsky,Y/Novgorod
1999) 7 xf6 (7 e4 xe4 8 xc4 h6 9 f4 d6 and it was not clear if White had enough
for his pawn in Belotelov,DMolnar,B/Harkany HUN 2000) 7...gxf6 8 e4 g8
(8...a6 trying to maintain the option of castling kingside was met by 9 e2!?
Bukal,VSciortino,M/Lido Estensi ITA 2002 (35) is an extremely interesting and
patient way to play for white which poses black interesting problems. White could
also try this plan in the main line.) 9 g3
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9...a6!?N (9...f5!? 10 dxe6 fxe6 11 exf5 b7 12 g2 c6 13 0-0 0-0-0 14 xc4 c7 15 fxe6 d5
Fedorowicz,JSpeelman,J Graz 1981.) 10 c2 h6 Bishops before knights, and
sideways seems to be black's motto. This is really very consistent with the kind of
flank sabotage that features in lines with ...Qa5+. The idea is surprisingly untested,
and seems to be quite playable. Maly,ASharapov,E/UKR 2000.

6...xd2+ 7 bxd2 a6 8 e4
8 c1!? bxc4 9 e4 b7 10 dxe6 fxe6 11 e5 after this move White threatens to claim a
'positional' edge due to his superior pawn structure, although in the game Black is
able to keep his position active Vorobiov,EMalakhatko,V/Zvenigorod RUS 2008.

8...bxc4 9 xc4 h6

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Putting the question in order to know where he stands. This loss of time can be justified in
that after the capture on f6 Black is able to solidify his central darksquares.
After 9...c7 10 0-0-0 d6 11 dxe6 fxe6 the thematic advance 12 e5 breaks up the Black
pawns. 12...dxe5 13 xe5 d6 14 df3 with an edge to White in Lukacs,P
Tompa,J Hungary 1975

10 xf6
10 h4 comes into consideration, just keeping the tension. Then 10...exd5 11 exd5 e7 12
0-0 d6 13 fe1 d8 14 e2 c7 looks pretty solid as the slightly misplaced Black
king isn't in too much danger.

10...gxf6 11 0-0-0 b8 12 he1 g7 13 b3

Making way for the knight to come to c4 and at the same time covering the b2square from
any latent ideas of ...f5.

13...c7 14 c4 0-0
Najer,EGurevich,D/Las Vegas 2003 (Oct 2004) Chances are balanced. White's
harmoniously centralized pieces are compensated by bishops and darksquared
potential.

Blumenfeld Gambit Accepted [E10]

Last updated: 22/06/10 by Glenn Flear

The Blumenfeld Gambit Accepted gives Black a flexible and potentially dangerous pawn
mass as well as open lines, in return for a pawn. However White retains flexible
piece play, and probably the better chances. You should be aware that both sides
frequently play similar sequences of moves in different orders, thus transpositions
are common.

1 d4 f6 2 f3
2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5 4 f3 b7 5 b3 e6 6 dxe6 fxe6 7 cxb5 A position far more likely to be
reached by the move order 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5
b7 7.b3 though even that is distinctly odd. 7...e7 (7...a5+!?) 8 e3 e4!? 9 b2
f6 (9...h4!?) 10 c2 0-0 11 bd2 a6 Karpov,ATopalov,V/Dubai UAE 2002.

2...e6 3 c4 c5 4 d5 b5 5 dxe6 fxe6 6 cxb5 d5

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Taking the centre, although the immediate
6...b7 is perhaps more flexible, 7 g3

10

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is again probably the crucial test for the Blumenfeld.
a) 7 bd2 e7 Black continues in the spirit of these lines, which is to avoid
unnecessary contact in the centre too early, which might allow White to play e4 at an
opportune moment. 8 c2 (8 e3 0-0 9 e2 d5 10 0-0 bd7 11 c2 e8! The sneaking of
the queen out to h5 is often one of Black's best ways of attacking. Otmani,K
Liardet,F/Cannes FRA 2000.) 8...d5 9 g3 b6 10 a4 bd7 11 h3 a6 12 a5 d6 13
b6 e5 14 e4!? was unclear in Hoffman,ARodriguez,A/Santos BRA 2001
b) 7 g5 e7 8 c3 0-0 9 e3 d5 10 e2 bd7 11 0-0 h8 (11...e8 12 h4 d6 and
Black had at least enough compensation for the gambit pawn in Glavas Pap, Yug
2001) 12 a4 (12 h4 e8 13 g3 h5 and Black had his share of the play. Ivanov,I
Gausel,E/Troll Masters 1993) 12...e8 with a doubleedged position in
Behrhorst,FGausel,E/Gausdal 1998
c) 7 e3 d5 8 e2 d6 9 b3 The best way to play a system with e3. 9...0-0 10 b2
bd7 11 bd2 e7 with a typically balanced Blumenfeld position in Yu
MingyuanFroelich,P/FSIMA 2000.
d) 7 a4!? The comments to position after 6...d5 7.a4 above apply here as well the
g3 system is interesting, but does not need to be prefaced with ...a6 though this is
nearly a reflex reaction to the a4 advance. 7...a6 8 a3 e7 9 g3 e4!? 10 g2 axb5
with interesting complications, Logothetis,SKarayannis,A/Halkidiki GRE 2002
(29)
7...b6 (7...e7 8 h3 a5+ 9 c3 0-0 10 d2 b6 11 a4 h8 12 a5 d8 13 a6 was the interesting
continuation of Sadkowski,DDe Waal,M/BEL 2000.) 8 a4 a6 9 a3 axb5 10 axb5
d5 11 h3!? e4 12 0-0 d7 13 d2 turned out well for White in Nikolic,P
Sokolov,I/Wijk aan Zee 1994
6...a6 There is little justification for playing this move so early, 7 bxa6 (7 g5 a5+!? Peng
ZhaoqinRobson,R/Wijk aan Zee NED 2010.) 7...xa6 (7...c6 8 e3 e7 9 c3 0-0 10
b5 Burmakin,VZubarev,A/Metz FRA 2010) 8 g3 (8 bd2 d5 Davidovic,M
Stead,K/Australian Open 2000.) 8...c6 9 g2 e7 10 0-0 d5 11 c3 0-0 unclear,
Shulman,YNakamura,H/Saint Louis USA 2010.

7 g3
The plan that made Sokolov give up the Blumenfeld as black.
11

Alternatives:
7 c3! bd7 (7...e7 8 g3 0-0 9 g2 b7 10 d2 bd7 11 0-0 c7 was fine for White in
Gormally,DRayner,F/Port Erin IOM 2000, 7...b7 8 e4 dxe4 9 xd8+ xd8 10 e5! is
not what Black is after in the Blumenfeld. Ehlvest,JRogers,I/Tallinn 1985) 8 e4 d4
9 e5 g4 10 g5 (10 e4 b7 is not very clear) 10...dxe5 Malakhatko,VVallejo
Pons,F/Caleta ENG 2010, 11 f4!
7 bd2 e7 8 g3 0-0 9 g2 a6 An interesting reaction to the g3 systems. Flear,C
Sebag,M/Marsailles FRA 2001
7 e3 In many respects the most natural move. White protects the b5 pawn, and makes it
harder for the black pawn centre to advance. The bishop on c1 will be posted on the
long diagonal. 7...d6 8 c3 (8 b3!? This quiet move sets a positional trap. I don't
like to admit it, but this simple plan worried me a bit when I was playing the
Blumenfeld. 8...e5? Black is cajoled into seizing more space in the centre, but he has
missed White's venomous reply. Instead, he should settle for modest development
with (8...0-0 9 b2 bd7 10 d3 b7 11 bd2 e7 12 e2 and White was ready to deal
with Black's activity in Piankov,EFelizes,P/Linares ESP 2000) 9 e4! This wrecks
Black's centre. Nguyen Anh DungKallio,H/FSGM June Budapest HUN 2000.)
8...0-0 (8...b7 9 e4 The standard recipe against black playing an early d5. 9...d4
(9...bd7!? maintaining the centre is a thematic reaction.) 10 e5 xf3 11 xf3 xe5
12 e4 (12 xa8? dxc3) 12...bd7 (12...d5!? 13 d3? (13 xc5!? is the critical test.
) 13...bd7 14 0-0 0-0 15 e1 c4 16 xf6+ xf6 17 xd5 exd5 18 xe5 cxd3
with roughly balanced chances, Sandler,LShahtahtinsky,A Belgorod 1989.) 13
c4!? - Dub,ZBerczes,D/Budapest HUN 2002. White has an obvious
advantage. ) 9 e2 b7 Black continues to develop, and the bishop does an
important job from b7. Besides preparing to bear down on the White kingside, it is
very important to have control of d5 and e4. Control of d5 is necessary to have the
option of mobilizing the centre with ...e5 later. Black is also well advised to control
e4 to hinder White playing e3e4. 10 b3 bd7 11 b2 e7 Black continues his
development, and has a very straightforward plan: Strengthen his position further
with ...Rad8 and then rumble forward with the centre pawns. Tarrasch,S
Alekhine,A/Bad Pistyan 1922
7 a4 Not strictly speaking necessary as a preface to playing g3. 7...a6!? This seems a
reasonable reaction to a4 as the ...a6 break is the "eject button" in the Benko,
sparking a major shift in position type when the queenside pressure starts to wane,
the ...a6 break is often the Blumenfeld's way of seeking compensation when more
traditional methods may be lacking. I think it would be more correct to wait until
white had committed to playing g3 though. Barus,CKallio,H/Istanbul TUR2000
7 g5 a5+ 8 bd2 e4 9 e3 c4!? Black has big ambitions. Maybe he'll press d2, maybe
take on g5 and get the bishop pair, maybe the bpawn will fall anyway. Lipinsky,F
Zelcic,R/5th Hit Open 2000.
7 f4!? a6 (more common is 7...d6 ) 8 e3 c4!? 9 bxa6 b6 10 bd2 c6 11 c2 xa6 12
a3 e7 a typical lateopening from the Blumenfeld has arisen. Black's central
majority and free development about compensating, in practise at least, White's extra
pawn, Giorgadze,GKacheishvili,G/Tbilisi GEO 2007.

7...a6!?
12

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwqkvl-tr0
9+-+-+-zpp0
9p+-+psn-+0
9+Pzpp+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+NzP-0
9PzP-+PzP-zP0
9tRNvLQmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
Recently this move has come to the fore.
7...e7 8 g2 bd7 9 0-0 b8 10 a4 e5 11 e4! with a clear advantage to White in
Sokolov,IHussein,N/Istanbul TUR 2000
7...b7 8 h3 b6 9 a4 a5 10 0-0 e7 11 b3 and White's interesting move order was
starting to bear fruit in Fominyh,AVasilev,M/Ubeda ESP 2001.
7...d6 8 h3!? an interesting form of development, keeping Black occupied with his e6
pawn, Bocharov,DGhaem Maghami,E/Moscow RUS 2005.

8 bxa6 c6
8...d6 9 g2 0-0 10 0-0 xa6 Nikolic,PVolokitin,A/Wattenscheid GER 2004.

9 g2 d6 10 0-0 0-0 11 b3 xa6 12 b2 e8 13 bd2 d8 14 e1 e5!

With typical compensation, Chuprov,DOvetchkin,R/Nizhnij Tagil RUS 2007.

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