In world championship matches in the first half of the 20th century, Alexander Alekhine won two games playing against the same variation of the Slav. His verdict, and the verdict officially certified by his victories, was that that particular line was simply bad for black. Now, a young Israeli grandmaster, Evgeny Postny, has engaged in an indirect argument with the former world titleholder, and he seems to have the winning side of the dispute. Alekhine’s pronouncements in this instance were simply too categorical. Employing the same “bad” line of the Slav, Postny defeated Maxim Rodshtein to tie for first place with Ilia Smirin in a strong grandmaster tournament held in the northern Israeli city of Maalot.

RODSHTEIN VS. POSTNY (white) (black)

Slav Defense

1.d4 d5

2.c4 c6

3. Nf3 Nf6

4. Nc3 dxc4

5.a4 e6

6.e4 Bb4 7.e5 Nd5 Inferior is 7…Ne4?! which Euwe played against Alekhine in 1935. After 8. Qc2 Qd5 9. Be2 c5!? 10.0-0 Nxc3 11. bxc3 cxd4 12. cxd4 c3 13. Bd2 Qa5 14. Bxc3! Bxc3 15. Ra3 white obtained an advantage. 8. Bd2 b5 9. Ng5 Hardly stronger was 9. Ne4!? Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 0-0 11.b3 cxb3

12. axb5 cxb5!? 13. Bxb5 Qb6 14. Bd3 Nd7 and black’s position is secure. 9… Qe7! This is a better plan then 9…Bxc3?! 10. bxc3 f6?! 11. exf6 Nxf6 12. Be2! a6 13. Bf3! h6 14. Bh5+ with a decisive advantage for white, as in Alekhine- Bogoljubov, 1929. 10.h4?! This doesn’t create any real problems for black. The fate of the variation 5…e6 really hinges on how one evaluates the unclear position arising after 10. Qh5!? Nd7 11. Be2. 10… Nd7 11. Be2 c5! 12. Nxb5 No stronger was 12. Nxd5 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 exd5 14.0-0 h6! (not 14…cxd4 15. Bf3 Bb7 16.e6! fxe6 17. Nxe6 with white gaining the initiative) 15. Nf3 b4 and black is okay, or; 12. Nce4?! cxd4; but deserving attention is 12.0-0!? Bxc3 13. Bxc3 with an unclear position. 12… cxd4 13.0-0? This plan can be refuted. Correct was 13. Bxc4! 0-0 (In white’s favor is 13…Nxe5 14. Bxd5 exd5 15.0-0 Bxd2 16. Qxd2 h6 17. Rfe1! hxg5 18. Rxe5 Qxe5 19. Re1) 14. Bxd5 exd5 15.0-0! with mutual chances. 13… d3 14. Bf3 0-0! 15. Bxb4 Qxb4 16. Bxd5 exd5 17. Nc7

(See Diagram)

17… Nxe5! [This sacrifice gives the advantage to black. Weaker was 17…Rb8 18. Nxd5 Qc5 19. Qh5 h6 20. Nxf7! Qxd5 (after 20…Rxf7 21.e6 Rf8 22. exd7 Bxd7 23. Nf6+ and white wins.) 21. Nxh6+ gxh6 22. Qg6+ ends in a draw by perpetual check. 18. Nxa8 Qb8 19. Qe1 Even worse is 19. Re1 h6 20. Nh3 Bg4! 21. Qd2 Bxh3 and black wins. 19… h6 20.f4 Ng4 21. Nf3 Qxa8 22. Qc3 Bf5 23. Qd4 Qb7 24.b3 Rc8 25. Rac1 More cunning was 25. Rfc1! Qxb3? (big advantage was preserved by 25…cxb3! ) 26. Rcb1 Qc2 27. Rb2 netting the queen. 25… Qxb3! 26. Qxa7 d2! 27. Nxd2 Qg3 28. Nf3 Bd3 A more direct route was 28…Be4!? 29.a5 Nh2! 29. Qd7 Of no help was 29.a5 Bxf1 30. Rxf1 Re8 31. Qd7 Re6 32.a6 Ne3 33. Rf2 Nxg2 34. Rxg2 Qxf3 with decisive threats. 29… Rf8 30. Rce1 Be4 0-1