The Petroff Defence has been the bain of many a 1.e4 player as it heads for a symmetrical pawn structure in which Black can gradually neutralize the advantage of the first move. However in the last twelve months a pawn sacrifice has breathed new life into the opening for the first player. At the 10th Karpov Poikovsky tournament in Siberia the Israeli GM Emil Sutovsky now Gata Kamsky's manager and trainer produced a fine novelty that puts Black under great pressure and he was rewarded with a quick win.

E Sutovsky - E Inarkiev

10th Karpov Poikovsky (2)

Petroff Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c4 Nf6

(Now White offers a pawn and Black has two ways to take)

10.Nc3! Nxd4

(10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nxd4 12.Qd1 Ne6 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bb5+ c6 led to two defeats for Kramnik at Dortmund 2008)

11.cxd5 Bxf3 12.gxf3 c5

(12...0-0!? 13.Bxh7+ Nxh7 14.Qxd4 Bf6)

13.d6!!

A great novelty and like many new ideas, entirely natural. White wants to open lines.

13...Qxd6 14.Nb5 Qd7

(14...Nxb5 15.Bxb5+ Kf8 16.Qe2 Qc7 17.Bf4 with a strong initiative)

15.Nxd4 cxd4

(15...Qxd4 16.Bb5+ Kf8 17.Qe2 Bd6 18.Bg5 h6 19.Rad1 hxg5!? but White has many alternatives)

16.Qe2 Kf8 17.Bb5 Qd8 18.Qd3

(Black is tied up and the pressure induces a blunder)

18...h5 19.Bg5 Qd5 20.f4 Bd8?

(20...Qd6 21.Re5 Rc8 22.Rae1 Rc7)

21.Qa3+ Kg8 22.Re5 1-0

Another tough nut to crack, the Berlin Wall, comes crashing down. Black's light bishop becomes exposed perhaps 12...a5 was better leaving it at home or developing it to e6 was better.

V Gashimov - A Onischuk

10th Karpov Poikovsky (3)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Ne7 10.Ne4 Ng6 11.b3 Ke8 12.Bb2 Bf5 13.Rfe1 Nf4 14.g3 Ne6 15.Nh4 Bg4 16.f3 Bh5 17.f4 Rd8 18.f5 Nc5 19.Nf2 Rd2 20.Rac1 g5 21.Ng2 Bf3 22.Bc3 Re2 23.Rxe2 Bxe2 24.Re1 Bf3 25.Re3 g4 26.Nh4 Bh6 27.Re1 Rg8 28.Nxf3 1-0

Black loses a pawn and can only await White's advance after 28.Nxf3 gxf3 29.Nh3 Bf8 30.Kf2 Nd7 31.Kxf3

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