CoffeehouseRepertoireVol2 Excerpt
CoffeehouseRepertoireVol2 Excerpt
CoffeehouseRepertoireVol2 Excerpt
1.e4 Volume 2
By
Gawain Jones
Quality Chess
www.qualitychess.co.uk
Coffeehouse Preface
Welcome to the Coffeehouse 1.e4 Repertoire! These days people know their lines so well that it’s
often difficult to put them under real pressure. Learning reams of main-line theory might give
you a theoretical small edge, but that’s not always so useful in a position that your opponent
knows well, where he understands the plans and has a good idea of where the pieces should go.
Instead, the aim of this series is to play opening lines which ask different questions to those your
opponent is used to, and try to put them under immediate pressure.
My selection process was quite stringent. Primarily I wanted the choices to be sound. I’ve wasted
too much time trying to fix holes in dodgy lines to inflict them upon you. Of course these
recommendations will work best if they surprise your opponent, but I believe they all have
inherent merit too.
Secondly, I wanted the repertoire choices to pack a genuine punch. Surprising your opponent
with an insipid line may work occasionally, but will hardly scare a well-prepared opponent. With
this repertoire, even if your opponents know what’s coming, they won’t have an easy time.
Thirdly, I aimed for relatively offbeat choices where possible, provided they met the above two
criteria. A lot of your opponents are unlikely to have faced these lines many times (if at all) before.
What started as an idea for one book expanded, so thanks to John Shaw for his patience. I hope
I’ve succeeded in building a repertoire which your opponents will find challenging. In general
I’ve avoided well-known main lines, but the proposed lines still pose a real challenge, and often
lead to positions where mistakes from Black meet with a heavy cost. I have analysed these lines
more deeply than any of the sources mentioned in the bibliography, so there should be little risk
of being out-prepared.
In many places I have strived to offer lines which allow us to transpose to the more theoretical
main lines, should we wish to. The idea is to make life easier for us and more annoying for our
opponents, who won’t know what to expect and will have to be ready for lots of options. You
can either use the books normally, and try to absorb the whole repertoire, or pick and choose
which lines to incorporate into your existing repertoire. A good starting point could be to use it
as inspiration against defences against which you are currently struggling.
Gawain Jones
Sheffield, July 2021
Contents
Coffeehouse Preface 3
Key to Symbols used 6
Introduction to Volume 2 7
Bibliography 8
1.e4 e5
1.e4 e5 Introduction 9
1 Scotch Gambit 11
1.1 Main line 59
1.2 8th & 9th move alternatives 74
1.3 6th & 7th move alternatives 88
1.4 4th & 5th move alternatives 108
French Defence
7 Pirc 367
8 Modern 405
8.1 Main line 411
8.2 ...h7-h5 set-ups 419
8.3 Set-ups without ...h7-h5 428
8.4 Other 4th moves 435
This volume concentrates mainly on 1...e5. After 2.¤f3 ¤c6 I’m proposing 3.¥c4 but with
more aggressive intentions than in the usual d2-d3 lines. Rather, we intend to grab space in the
centre with a quick d2-d4.
Against 3...¤f6 we can do that immediately with 4.d4, followed by a transposition to the
Scotch Gambit.
If Black instead plays 3...¥c5 I propose we prepare the central advance with 4.c3.
In both cases, we’re likely to reach a structure with a white pawn on e5 against Black’s on d5.
Depending on the circumstances, we can either play positionally on the queenside or for a direct
kingside attack.
Against the Petroff Defence, 1...e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6, I recommend 3.d4. Our main line reaches
similar structures to those described above, with a white pawn on e5 against a black pawn
on d5, after an exchange of knights. I’ve also included a bonus chapter on 2.d4!? as another
possible means of upsetting Petroff players.
The other major focus in this book is the French Defence. After 1...e6 2.d4 d5 I recommend
we take space and play the Advance Variation: 3.e5 The only downside is that our d4-pawn is
now more vulnerable. I propose solving that by simply sacrificing it with the Hector Variation, a
rare and improved version of the Milner-Barry Gambit, which was used successfully by Magnus
Carlsen recently. Black struggles to develop his pieces.
Against both the Pirc (1...d6 2.d4 ¤f6 3.¤c3 g6) and Modern (1...g6 2.d4 ¥g7 3.¤c3 d6)
Defences, I recommend putting our bishop on e3. We have a flexible set-up where we can play
actively, while also preventing Black from reaching the murky, double-edged positions he’s
hoping for.
We have a surprise in store for the Philidor. After 1...d6 2.d4 ¤f6 3.¤c3 e5 4.¤f3 ¤bd7,
instead of allowing Black a solid base, we’ll strike with 5.¦g1!? preparing a quick g2-g4. If Black
doesn’t take care he’ll run into trouble very quickly.
Finally, I wrap up our repertoire by dealing with Black’s offbeat tries such as 1...¤c6, 1...b6
and others. These are rare for a reason, but it’s still useful to know how to combat them.
CHAPTER 1
Scotch Gambit
Introduction 12
Overview 12
Gawain Jones – Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 14
Gawain Jones – Abhijeet Gupta 19
Gawain Jones – Mark Hebden 22
Ye Jiangchuan – Peter Svidler 26
Manuel Ortiz – Gheorghe Marculescu 33
Gawain Jones – Sipke Ernst 38
Black’s best defences 48
Main Line – 11.f4 or 11.¥e3 48
Theory
1.1 Main line 59
1.2 8th & 9th move alternatives 74
1.3 6th & 7th move alternatives 88
1.4 4th & 5th move alternatives 108
12 1.e4 e5
Introduction Theoretical?
The line has a rich pedigree, with the first
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.d4 recorded game in Mega Database 2020 being
from 1837. However, it hasn’t been explored
so much recently, so there are quite a few new
wrinkles that can be discovered.
Topical?
No. The position after 3.¥c4 has exploded
in popularity in the last few years. However,
Black has far more often responded with
3...¥c5, while after 3...¤f6 White has tended
to either keep the game closed with 4.d3 or
go in a completely different direction with
4.¤g5. There are a few of us who keep playing
4.d4 regularly, while many other strong players
have dabbled in it from time to time. Magnus
Carlsen played it against Wesley So in June
The Scotch Gambit. A sign that we’re not
interested in the slow development characterized 2019, albeit only in blitz.
by the Giuoco Piano, but instead want to open Overview
the centre as quickly as possible, in order to put
immediate pressure on Black’s position. 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¤f6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5
to hold on to the pawn at the cost of Black’s Here Black has a choice of bishop moves.
development.
7...¥d7
5...¤e4 is objectively good enough to This one is more common. Black directly
equalize, but Black will have to be careful. defends the knight.
Straightforward developing moves won’t do.
White can generate a strong initiative, as we’ll 7...¥c5!? instead indirectly defends the
see in Jones – Ernst. knight. Due to the pressure on f2, we should
play: 8.¥e3 ¥d7 (8...0–0!? is an interesting
6.¥b5 defensive idea. Black offers a pawn to get his
We plan on exchanging the bishop on pieces developed and obtain some open lines
c6 and doubling Black’s pawns. A strategic for his pieces. Still, he has to be careful, as
battle emerges over control of the c5-square. shown in Ye Jiangchuan – Svidler, Shanghai
If White succeeds in preventing the black 2001.) 9.¥xc6 bxc6 The position is similar
pawns advancing then Black will be stuck with to the main line after 7...¥d7. However, the
a very passive position. My blitz game with early development of the bishops gives White
Mamedyarov illustrates this in quite a pure the additional option of 10.¤d2, immediately
form. I was happy to give a pawn in order to challenging Black’s knight.
get a stranglehold over Black’s position.
8.¥xc6 bxc6 9.0–0
Another important factor is our pawn majority
9.¥e3?! doesn’t make sense before Black has
on the kingside. The e5-pawn can often be used
developed his bishop to c5, and 9...c5 gains a
to support a kingside attack. I didn’t play the
lot of time for Black.
game perfectly but I hope that Jones – Gupta
gives a good illustration of White’s attacking
9...¥c5
chances.
Another thematic idea to keep your eye out for
is the pawn sacrifice e5-e6. In Jones – Hebden,
I was able to catch Mark with some poisonous
preparation.
6...¤e4 7.¤xd4
10.f3
Here we don’t need to commit the bishop
to e3 and can instead chase the knight
immediately. Further details will be given in
Section 1.1.
14 1.e4 e5
14...£xb2? It’s remarkable how far computers 16.£xb6? axb6 17.¤d2 g6 18.fxg6 hxg6³ was
have come. Comp Novag grabbed this very hot something of a positional disaster in Malada –
pawn back in 1994. These days your phone Trbojevic, Opatija 1995.
could tell you it’s a blunder within a second.
15.¥xc5 £xa1 16.£d2! Not only is Black’s 16...£xd4†
queen in danger of being trapped, but £g5-e7# 16...£xb2?! would still be too dangerous:
is rather a big threat. 16...£b2 17.¤c3 d4 17.¤d2 ¥xf5?! Black grabs a second pawn
but now we can exploit Black’s king still
being in the centre. (17...£b6 18.¤b3± is an
accelerated version of the game.) 18.£c5! ¥d7
This was Weeramantry – Comp Novag,
Chicago 1994. Here the most precise would
have been: 18.£g5N f6 The only way to stave
off mate in one. 19.exf6 0–0–0 20.fxg7 ¦he8 19.e6! This is a key idea to remember.
21.f6! £xc3 22.f7+– 19...fxe6 20.¤b3+– Despite our three-pawn
deficit, White has a fantastic position. We have
16 1.e4 e5
complete control of the dark squares and a 22.g4 I think Black is closer to a draw here
huge lead in development. Black’s bishop on than in the game, although the position is
d7 has no prospects and Black has absolutely still more comfortable for White. If 22...h5
no coordination. then 23.¦b7! hxg4 24.¤b3 gives Black some
problems.
17.cxd4 ¦b8 18.¤d2
There’s no time to defend the pawn. 19.¤b3
Controlling the c5-square is key. It was also possible to start with: 19.¦ab1
18.¤c3 ¦xb2 19.¦ab1 ¦xb1 20.¦xb1© ¦xb1 (19...¦b6 20.¤b3 ¢e7 21.¦be1²)
would be similar but I think the knight is more 20.¦xb1 ¢e7 21.¦b7 ¦c8
flexible on b3 than a4.
22.¤b3! ¥xf5 23.¦xa7² Despite losing the
f-pawn White still has decent chances. The
passed a-pawn is more relevant than any of
Black’s f- or c-pawns.
18...¦xb2
With hindsight 18...c5!? should be
considered. I think White still has the better 19...¢e7
chances but the position would be easier for 19...0–0 20.g4² does not really change the
Black to play compared to the game: 19.dxc5 evaluation.
(19.b3!? cxd4 20.¦ac1 ¦b7 21.¦f4© seems
easier for White to me, although Black can be 20.g4
happy to have exchanged one of his c-pawns.)
19...¦xb2 20.¦ab1 ¦xb1 21.¦xb1 ¢e7
Chapter 1 – Scotch Gambit 17