@NikolaosNtirlis: What's Trendy in Opening Theor...
@NikolaosNtirlis
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Apr 18, 2026
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What's Trendy in Opening Theory #13
The Berlin CAN be challenged. In this 🧵I'll show you how.
We start with
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5
The Berlin CAN be challenged. In this 🧵I'll show you how.
We start with
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5
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Pay attention! If 6...Nxb5? 7. Nxc6+ wins the Black queen!
If 6... Nxe5 7. Rxe5+ Be7 will transpose to the main line. So, we have
6...Be7 7. Bf1 and now we have two main lines
👇
Pay attention! If 6...Nxb5? 7. Nxc6+ wins the Black queen!
If 6... Nxe5 7. Rxe5+ Be7 will transpose to the main line. So, we have
6...Be7 7. Bf1 and now we have two main lines
👇
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The one which is usually labelled as "more
ambitious" as Black keeps an extra pair of knights on the board is
7... Nf5 and after 8.Nf3! O-O 9. d4 d5 10. c3 Bd6
I like a lot the following idea:
11. b3!? (D) Re8 12. Na3 planning Nb5- Nxd6, and if 12...a6 13. Nc2
The one which is usually labelled as "more
ambitious" as Black keeps an extra pair of knights on the board is
7... Nf5 and after 8.Nf3! O-O 9. d4 d5 10. c3 Bd6
I like a lot the following idea:
11. b3!? (D) Re8 12. Na3 planning Nb5- Nxd6, and if 12...a6 13. Nc2
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This was seen in Nepo-So, Abidjan 2018
White plays c4 next and the a6-pawn is actually a weakness (a hook) which makes White's queenside play stronger.
A more popular var is 7... Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O
👇
This was seen in Nepo-So, Abidjan 2018
White plays c4 next and the a6-pawn is actually a weakness (a hook) which makes White's queenside play stronger.
A more popular var is 7... Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O
👇
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@gmmds has talked a lot about 9. d4 in his YouTube channel, but my favorite idea is
9.Nc3! (D)
This move has a very simple idea in mind: win the bishop pair! This is not the only idea though. A related idea is to play with a strong Bg2 vs a Black knight.
@gmmds has talked a lot about 9. d4 in his YouTube channel, but my favorite idea is
9.Nc3! (D)
This move has a very simple idea in mind: win the bishop pair! This is not the only idea though. A related idea is to play with a strong Bg2 vs a Black knight.
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9... Ne8
The only way to avoid giving up the bishop pair so
easily
10. Nd5 Bd6 11. Re1 c6 12. Ne3 (D)
and now we have two variations.
9... Ne8
The only way to avoid giving up the bishop pair so
easily
10. Nd5 Bd6 11. Re1 c6 12. Ne3 (D)
and now we have two variations.
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12... Bc7
This is the old main line, for example, given in Cox's Berlin book
13. Nf5 d5 14. Ne7+ Kh8 15. Nxc8 Rxc8 16. d3 f5 17. Qf3 Nf6 (D)
As you see, White has the pair of bishops. Now, they can either play 18.g3, or play 18.Bf4!?
12... Bc7
This is the old main line, for example, given in Cox's Berlin book
13. Nf5 d5 14. Ne7+ Kh8 15. Nxc8 Rxc8 16. d3 f5 17. Qf3 Nf6 (D)
As you see, White has the pair of bishops. Now, they can either play 18.g3, or play 18.Bf4!?
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Here's the idea I mentioned! White gives up the bishop pair, but will play with a strong bishop on g2, against the black knight.
The engines might say it is close to 0,00, but White has the better long term practical chances. The plan is to play c4 and open the position.
Here's the idea I mentioned! White gives up the bishop pair, but will play with a strong bishop on g2, against the black knight.
The engines might say it is close to 0,00, but White has the better long term practical chances. The plan is to play c4 and open the position.
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Or wait... as the chess positions tend to open up at some point anyway! We will see this fundamental idea in the modern main line as well.
This goes 12... Be7 13. Nf5 Bg5 14. d3 d5 15. Bxg5 Qxg5 16. Ne7+ Kh8 17. Nxc8 Rxc8 18. c4!
Praggnanandhaa- Firouzja,Miami 2022
Or wait... as the chess positions tend to open up at some point anyway! We will see this fundamental idea in the modern main line as well.
This goes 12... Be7 13. Nf5 Bg5 14. d3 d5 15. Bxg5 Qxg5 16. Ne7+ Kh8 17. Nxc8 Rxc8 18. c4!
Praggnanandhaa- Firouzja,Miami 2022
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Again the same concept. A good thing is that we don't need to remember the details, but the idea.
Another line goes 14. d3 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 d5 16. Ne7+ Kh8 17. Nxc8 Rxc8 Lie-Holm, Norway 2020 18. c4 (D)
Again the same concept. A good thing is that we don't need to remember the details, but the idea.
Another line goes 14. d3 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 d5 16. Ne7+ Kh8 17. Nxc8 Rxc8 Lie-Holm, Norway 2020 18. c4 (D)
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I won't lie. This isn't the refutation of the Berlin. But it is a line which greatly annoyed me when I was studying the Berlin as Black. White is safe and plays with a sound long-term plan. Isn't that enough for most OTB players out there?
What do you think?
I won't lie. This isn't the refutation of the Berlin. But it is a line which greatly annoyed me when I was studying the Berlin as Black. White is safe and plays with a sound long-term plan. Isn't that enough for most OTB players out there?
What do you think?
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Remember that I published another 🧵where I share my ideas against the Marshall, another rock-solid Black defense vs the Spanish:
If you don't want to miss future threads, follow me! And share these with your friends!
What do you want to see next?
Remember that I published another 🧵where I share my ideas against the Marshall, another rock-solid Black defense vs the Spanish:
View Tweet
If you don't want to miss future threads, follow me! And share these with your friends!
What do you want to see next?