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Two Knight's Defense (Chess Analysis)

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 Morphy Defense, Polerio variation

We use deep baseline runs and various improvement attempts to determine best play.

23 July 2015 This is a work in progress. Notice how I present chess analysis as an almost unfinished "sketch", which can continue in several directions, should I choose to proceed.

Section 1A: 8.Qf3 Rb8

Section 1B: 8.Qf3 Be7

Section 1C: 8.Qf3 other

Section 2: 8.Be2

Section 3: 8.Bd3 Nd5

Section 3A: 8.Bd3 Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.O–O Nf4 11.Nc3 Nxd3 12.cxd3 0-0

Section 3B: 8.Bd3 Ng4

Section 3C: 8.Bd3 other than Nd5 or Ng4

Section 4: 8.Bf1, 8.Ba4, 8.Nxf7

Rybka4.1 TB6

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Section 1A: 8. Qf3 Rb8

[+0.23]  d=32  9.Bd3 Bd6 10.h3 O–O 11.Nc3 g6 12.Nge4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Be7 14.Nc3 f5 15.Qe2 Bf6 16.O–O Rf7 17.Ba6 c5 18.b3 e4 19.Rb1 Bxa6 20.Qxa6 Rd7 21.Qe2

[+0.22]  d=32  9.Be2 Be7 10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 O–O 12.O–O c5 13.d3 Rb6 14.Nd2 Bb7 15.Qe3 Bg5 16.Qxc5 Rc6 17.Qb4 Rxc2 18.Bd1 Be7 19.Qa4 Rc8 20.Bf3 Bc6 21.Bxc6 Nxc6 22.Rd1 Nb4 23.Nc4

9.Bxc6 Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Nd7* +0.00/25  11.Nf3 Bc5 12.d4 Bb7 13.Qa4 exd4 14.0-0 0-0 15.Bf4 Bxf3 16.Bxb8 Nxb8 17.gxf3 Qg5+ 18.Kh1 Qf4 19.Kg2 Qg5+ 20.Kh1 Qf4 21.Kg2 Qg5+

*10...Bd7 11.Qc4 Qe7 a) +0.70/24 12.b3 Nh5 13.Nf3 Nf4 14.0-0 Rc8 b) +0.68/24 12.d3 Rc8 13.Qb3 Bc6 14.0-0 Qd7 c) +0.66/24 12.Nc3 h6 13.Nge4 Rc8 14.Qe2 Nxe4 d) +0.50/24 12.0-0 Bb5 13.Qb3 Qc7 14.d3 Bc6

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Section 1B: 8.Qf3 Be7

1B1. 9.Bxc6+ Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 11.Qf3 0-0 black is two pawns down in a complicated position - white might willingly accept this "evenly scored" position in the hopes of exploiting the complications. Is black smart enough to play the maneuver(s) underlined below?

[+0.01]  d=27  12.d3 Ng4 13.Nh3 Rc8 14.O–O Rc6 15.Nc3 (Qe2, c4) Rg6 16.Qe2 Nh6 17.Kh1 Bxh3 18.gxh3 Nf5 19.Qe4 (Qxe5) Nd4 20.Be3 Nxc2 21.Rac1 Nxe3 22.fxe3 Rd6 23.Rcd1 Bg5 24.Rf5 (Rf3 perhaps) f6 25.h4 Bh6 26.Rff1 Qb6 27.Nd5

[-0.03]  d=28 12.d3 Ng4 13.Nh3 a5!? 14.0-0* Ra6 15.c4 Bc5 16.Nc3 Rg6 17.Kh1 Bc6 18.Nd5 Nf6 19.Ne7+ Bxe7 20.Qxc6 Qxd3 21.Be3 Ng4

*+0.00/27  14.0-0 Ra6 15.Kh1 Nh6 16.Nc3 Nf5 17.Ng1 Rg6 18.Qd1 Bc6 19.f3 Nh4 20.g3 Nf5 21.Nge2 Qa8 22.Ne4 h5 23.Ng1 Qb7 24.Nh3 Nd4 25.c3 Ne6 26.Qe2 Qd7 27.Nhf2

[+0.00]  d=32  12.0-0 Ng4 13.h3 Nxf2 14.d4 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Qxg5 16.Qxf2 Bxh3 17.Nd2 Bg4 18.d5 e4 19.c4 f5 20.Rae1 Rae8 21.Qd4 e3 22.Nf3 Bxf3 23.Rxf3 Re4 24.Qd3 Rg4 25.Qxe3 Rxg2+ 26.Kh1 f4 27.Qe6

1B2. 9.Bd3 and 9.0-0

+0.00/27  9.0-0 0-0 10.Bd3 g6 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Bf5 13.Qxe5 Bxd3 14.cxd3 Re8 15.Qe4 Bf6 16.Qf3 Rb8 17.Nc3 Rb4 18.Rb1 Rd4 19.Ne4 Be5

+0.00/27  9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 g6 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Bf5 13.Qxe5 Bxd3 14.cxd3 Re8 15.Qe4 Bf6 16.Qf3 Rb8 17.Nc3 Rb4 18.Rb1 Rd4 19.Ne4 Be5

1B3. 9.Ne4

-0.01/28    9.Ne4 Nd5 10.Nec3 0-0 11.Ba4 Bb7 (+0.02/25 11...Rb8 12.0-0 Rb4 13.a3 Rf4 14.Qe2 Rg4 15.d3 Nb6 16.b4 is likely drawn) 12.d3 Nb6 13.Bb3 c5 14.Qe2 Nc6 15.0-0 a5

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Section 1C: 8.Qf3 other

+0.24/27  8...cxb5 9.Qxa8 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qf3 Nd5 12.Ne4 Bb7 13.Qd1 f5 14.Ng3 Qb6 15.Kh1 Bh4 16.d3 Nf4 17.f3 Bxg3 18.hxg3 Rf6 19.d4 Nh5 20.Qe1 Qxd4 21.c3 Qd6 22.Bg5 Re6 23.Na3

+0.42/27  8...Qc7 9.Ba4 Be7 10.Nc3 0-0 11.0-0 Rb8 12.b3 h6 13.Nge4 Nh7 14.d3 f5 15.Nd2 Ng5 16.Qe3 Bd6 17.Rd1

+0.46/27  8...h6 9.Ne4 Nd5 10.Ba4 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Nec3 Be6 13.Re1 Qb6 14.d3 f6 15.h3 Kh8 16.a3

+0.52/27  8...Bd7 9.Ba4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.d3 Ng4 12.h3 Nxf2 13.Rxf2 Bxg5 14.Bxg5 Qxg5 15.Nc3 Rab8 16.Bb3 Qe7

+0.59/23 8...Bb7 9.Ba4 Bd6 10.d3 h6 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.dxe4 Ba6

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Section 2: 8.Be2

[+0.00]  d=32  8.Be2 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 Bc5 11.O–O Qd6 12.d4 Qxd4 13.Qxd4 Bxd4 14.Nc4 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 O–O 16.Nc3 Re8 17.Be3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Be6 19.Ba6 Bc8 20.Bc4 Be6 21.Ba6 Bc8 22.Bc4 Be6 23.Ba6

[+0.00]  d=29  8.Be2 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 Bc5 11.c3 O–O 12.O–O Qc7 13.d4 exd3 14.Nxd3 Bd6 15.g3 Bf5 16.Nd2 c5 17.Ne1 Rfe8 18.Ng2 Rad8 19.Bb5 Re5 20.Re1

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Section 3: 8.Bd3 Nd5

[+0.22]  d=32  8.Bd3 Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 (9...Nf4 10.0-0 Bd6 transposes) 10.0-0 Nf4** 11.Nc3 Nxd3*** 12.cxd3* 0-0**** now see section 3A

[+0.13]  d=29  8.Bd3 Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.O–O Nf4 11.Re1 Nxd3 12.cxd3 O–O 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Ne4 c5 15.b3 Bf8 16.Ba3 Nc6 17.d4 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Nxc5 Rxe1 20.Qxe1 Qa5 21.Qc1 Bf5 22.b4 Qb5 23.Qb2

*chesslab.com lists only 4 "high level" games that have reached this far, as of 3 August 2015. 5 games as of 19 August 2015 - clearly this analysis is spreading like wildfire....

**a) +0.36/25  10...0-0 11.Re1 Re8 12.Nc3 f5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Bf1 Rb8 15.d3 Qc7 16.c4 dxc4 17.dxc4 e4 18.g3 Rb7 19.Nd4 Bb4 20.Nb5 Qe7 21.Bd2 Rd7 22.Bxb4

b) +0.42/25  10...Qc7 11.Re1 0-0 12.c4 Nf4 13.Bf1 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Ne6 16.d3 f5 17.Qd1 Nb7 18.Bd2 a5 19.Bc3 Nbc5 20.Nd2 Rfe8 21.Rc1

c) +0.51/25  10...Rb8 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Re1 Re8 13.Bf1 Bc7 14.d3 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Ne4 f5 17.Ng3 Bg6 18.Bg5 Qd7 19.Rb1 h6 20.Bd2

d) +0.48/20 10...Nb4 11.Be2 e4 12.Ne1 is kind of funny... 12...0-0 13.d3 exd3 14.Nxd3 Nd5 15.Re1 Bf5 16.Bf3 Qc7 17.g3 Rfe8 18.Nd2 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 Rd8 20.Rb1 h6 21.Qe2

*** a) +0.38/25 11...0-0 12.Be2 Nxe2+ (12...c5 13.Bb5) 13.Qxe2 c5 14.b3 Nc6

b) +0.51/25 11...f6 12.Be2 0-0 13.d3 Nxe2+ 14.Qxe2 c5

c) +0.64/25 11...Rb8 12.Re1 0-0 13.Bf1 c5 14.Ne4 Nc6

d) +0.68/25 11...Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 0-0 14.Ne2 Nxd3

e) +0.66/21 11...h6 12.Re1 Nxd3 13.cxd3 0-0 14.Ne4 Bc7

f) +0.71/20 11...Qc7 12.Re1 Nxd3 13.cxd3 0-0 14.Ne4 Bg4

g) +0.67/18 11...f5 12.Re1 Nxd3 (12...e4 13.Bxe4) 13.cxd3 0-0 14.b4 Bxb4

****12...c5 is an alternative here +0.25/25  13.Ne4 0-0 14.b3 Ba6 15.Re1 f6 16.Ba3 Bxd3 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Bxc5 Rf7 19.Rc1 Nb7 20.Re3 Rc7 21.b4 Nxc5 22.Rxc5 Rxc5 23.bxc5 Qd5 24.Ne1 Bc4 25.Rc3 Bxa2 26.c6 Qd6 27.c7 Rc8

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Section 3A: 8.Bd3 Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.O–O Nf4 11.Nc3 Nxd3 12.cxd3 0-0

1) +0.04/36  13.Re1 Re8 (13...f6 +0.21/28 14.Ne4 Be7 15.b4 Bxb4 16.Qa4 Be7 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Qxa3) 14.Ne4 (14.b3 c5 15.Ne4 Bf8 16.Ba3 transposes) c5 15.b3 Bf8 (15...Nc6 +0.20/31 16.Ba3 Bf8 17.Rc1 Nb4 18.Bxb4 cxb4 19.Nc5 Qd5 20.d4 Bg4) 16.Ba3 f5 17.Ng3 (17.Nxc5!? e4 18.dxe4 fxe4 now -0.09/28 19.h3 exf3 20.Qxf3 Rb8 21.Re3 Bb7) Nc6 now:

1a) +0.06/31 18.Qc1 Qd5 19.Qc4 Qxc4 20.dxc4 Bd7 (see 1c below for 20...a5) 21.d3 a5 22.Bb2 Bd6 23.Re2 and now

1a1) +0.16/31  23...a4 24.Rae1 axb3 25.axb3 Ra2 now +0.17/34    26.Bc3 Rxe2 27.Rxe2 Kf7 28.Nf1 h6 29.h4 Nd4 30.Nxd4 cxd4 31.Ba5 e4 32.Bb6 Rb8 33.Bxd4 exd3 34.Re3 Rxb3 35.Nd2 Ra3 36.Bb2 Ra6 37.Rxd3 Be6 38.Rb3 g6 39.g3 Ra2 40.Rb6 Ke7 41.Bf6+ needs an improvement for black, and 20...a5 is likely better.

1a2) +0.21/30  23...Nd4 24.Nxd4 cxd4 25.Rb1 Kf7 26.Bc1 Kf6 27.Bd2 h6 28.f3 g5 29.Kf2 Reb8 30.Ree1 Ra7 31.Rh1 Bb4 32.Ke2 Rg8 33.Ra1 Bc6

1b) 18.Rc1 +0.00/30 18...f4 19.Ne4 Bg4 20.h3 Bh5 21.g4* fxg3 22.fxg3 Qxd3 23.Re3 Qd5 24.Bxc5 Nd4 25.g4 Bg6 26.d3 Rad8 27.Bxf8 Rxf8 28.Nxd4 exd4 29.Re1 Qe5 30.Kg2 Qf4 31.Qc2 Qf3+ 32.Kh2 Qf4+ 33.Kg2 Qf3+

*21.Bxc5 -0.31/32 21...Bxc5 22.Rxc5 Nd4  23.Kh2 Rb8 24.Rc4 Rb6 25.Rxd4 Qxd4 26.Nxd4 Bxd1 27.Rxd1 exd4 28.Rc1 Ra6 perhaps needs a deeper look

1c)  +0.00/32  18.Qc1 Qd5 19.Qc4 Qxc4 20.dxc4 a5 and now:

A. +0.00/35 21.d3 a4 22.bxa4 (22.Bb2 +0.00/29 22...Bd6 23.bxa4 Bd7 24.a3 Rxa4 25.h3 Bc7 26.Re2 Ra7) g6 23.Bb2 Bg7 24.Rb1 Rxa4 25.Ne2 e4 26.dxe4 Bxb2 27.Rxb2 Rxe4 28.Nd2 Re7 but white is up a pawn. Might be worth crunching out further.

B. 21.Bb2 +0.00/26 21...f4 22.Nf1 Bd6 23.d3 Bf5 24.Nad2 Bxd3 25.Ne4 Bxe4 26.Rxe4 a4

2) +0.00/34  13.Ne4 Bc7 14.Qc2 c5 15.Qxc5 Ba6 16.Re1 Bxd3 17.b3 Re8 18.Bb2 (18.Ba3) Bb6 19.Qa3 f6 20.Rac1 Nb7 21.b4 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Qd5 23.Re2 Nd6

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Section 3B: 8.Bd3 Ng4

+0.36/27 8...Ng4 9.Ne4 f5 10.Be2 h5 11.h3 fxe4 12.hxg4 Bc5 now complicated are:

a) +0.26/29  13.Nc3 Qd4 14.0-0 0-0 15.Qe1 hxg4 16.d3 exd3 17.Bxd3 Rxf2 18.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 19.Rxf2 g3 20.Ne4 gxf2+ 21.Kf1 Bb6 22.b4 Nb7 23.a4 a5 24.Rb1 axb4 25.Rxb4 Bd4 26.Bc4+ Kh7 27.c3 Ba7 28.Bf7

b) +0.26/29  13.b4 Qd4 14.bxc5 0-0 15.0-0 Qxa1 16.Nc3 e3 17.gxh5 exf2+ 18.Rxf2 Rxf2 19.Kxf2 Be6 20.Ba3 Qxd1 21.Bxd1 Rf8+ 22.Ke1 g6 23.d3 Kg7 24.Bf3 gxh5 25.Bxh5 Nb7 26.Bf3 Nd8 27.Bb2 Nf7 28.a3


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Section 3C: 8.Bd3 other than Nd5 or Ng4

+0.29/27  8...Bd6 9.0-0 Nd5 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.Nec3 0-0 12.Be2 f5 13.d3 Rb8 14.a3 c5 15.Bf3 Nf6 16.Re1 Qd6 17.g3

 +0.47/27  8...Rb8 9.0-0 Nd5 10.Nf3 Bd6 11.Re1 0-0 12.Nc3 Re8 13.Ne4 Bc7 14.Ng3 g6 15.Bf1 f5 16.d4 e4

+0.47/27  8...Bg4 9.Be2 Bf5 10.d3 h6 11.Nf3 Bd6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Nc3 Qc7 14.Nd2 Rad8 15.Bf3 e4 16.Ndxe4 Bxh2+ 17.Kh1 Be5

+0.48/27 8...Nd7 9.Ne4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Ng3 Rb8 12.Re1 g6 13.Be2 Nc5 14.d3 Ne6 15.Nd2 Qc7 16.Bf3 f5 17.b3

+0.49/27 8...Bc5 9.0-0 Nd5 10.Be4 Qxg5 11.d4 Qh4 12.Bxd5 Bxd4 13.c3 0-0 14.cxd4 cxd5 15.dxe5 Nc6 16.f4 Ba6 17.Rf3 Qd8 18.Rg3 Qb6+ 19.Kh1

+0.54/27  8...h6 9.Ne4 Nd5 10.0-0 Nf4 11.Be2 Be7 12.d3 0-0 13.Re1 Qc7 14.Nbd2 Rb8 15.Nb3 Nb7 16.d4

+0.54/22 8...Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 h6 11.Nf3 Bd6 12.Re1 Re8


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Section 4: 8.Bf1, 8.Ba4, 8.Nxf7

Here is the reason these moves are not often played...

A -0.31/24  8.Bf1 h6 9.Nh3 Bd6 10.Nc3 0-0 11.d3 Re8 12.Be2 e4 13.0-0 exd3

B -0.90/24  8.Ba4 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Qe2 Be6 11.Ng1 Bc5 12.c3 Bc4 13.Qd1 Qd5

C -1.27/24  8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Be2 e4 10.0-0 Bd6 11.Nc3 Re8 12.d3 exd3 13.Qxd3 Qc7 14.Kh1 Be6