Igor Zaitzeb

Igor A. Zaïtsev (ru: Игорь Аркадьевич Зайцев ) GM

Among chess openings, the Zaïtsev variation is a capital line of the closed Spanish game, which is itself a sub-variant of the Spanish game. It is obtained after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Cf3 Cc6 3. Fb5 (the Spanish game) 3...a6 4. Fa4 Cf6 5. O-O Fe7 (the closed Spanish) 6. Te1 b5 7. Fb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 (main line) 9...Fb7 (see diagram)1. The main continuation is 10. d4 Te8 and it may follow 11. Cbd2 Ff8 12. a4 h6 13. Fc2 exd4 14. cxd4 Cb4 15. Fb1 c5 16. d5 Cd7 17. Ta3 then 17...c4 or 17...f5. However, White can impose a draw by positional repetition by playing 11. Cg5 Tf8 12. Cf3.The Zaitsev variation was developed by Igor Zaïtsev, one of the coaches of World Champion Anatoli Karpov. Karpov used the variation extensively in his games against Garry Kasparov. This is an ambitious line, as the fianchetto bishop puts pressure on the white e4 pawn. Black often defends this pawn by maneuvering his knight via the d2-f1-g3 squares. The disadvantage is that White obtains attack possibilities insofar as Black has to defer the consolidation of his position by moves such as... h6. White's attacking possibilities are immediate, but if Black manages to hold his position, his superiority on the queenside may enable him to win the game. The Zaitsev variation leads to violent and complicated games.

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