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PART THREE: 5.Qd2

Schenk (2275) - Bischoff (2545)

St Ingbert, 1998

Now comes a joyous and thoroughly thematic demonstration by Grandmaster Klaus Bischoff. Observe how he completely takes over the game. 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.e4 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 5.Qd2!?

I DON'T BELIEVE IN THIS QUEEN MOVE

A kind of constructive "waiting" move but I don't really believe it. The main point is to force ...d7-d6 out of Black and then White can play Nc3 in peace without any ...Bb4 hassle. We know what to do:

5.d5! 6.e5

6.Nc3 Bb4 transposes to an earlier line.

6...Qd8 7.f4 c5 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.Be2

I am playing the White side of a French, what are you playing?

10.a6 11.0-0-0 Qa5!

IS IT MATE YET?

Well, not exactly mate! What you are playing in reality is a crap position where Black has all the chances. Schenk is already rather windy on the dark squares.

12.Kb1 0-0-0 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Bd3 Kb8 15.g3 Rc8

There isn't any rush. With all the time in the world Bischoff effortlessly plays his pieces to good squares.

16.Ne2 Qxd2 17.Rxd2 f6!

Paying homage to the key theme.

18.exf6 gxf6 19.c4 Be3! 20.Rdd1 d4 21.Be4 e5

BLACK'S BISHOPS RULE

Ugh. The White Knights are ineffectual - his game lacks punch.

22.Nc1?

The pressure forces a mistake. I'm pretty sure it was better to fix the center by capturing on e5, but Black is still much better, after say 22.fxe5 fxe5 23.Nc1 Bg4.

22...exf4 23.gxf4 Bg4 24.Rdf1 Bh3 25.Rd1 Bg4 26.Rdf1 Rhe8 27.Bg6 Rg8 28.Nh4 Rxg6 29.Nxg6 Bf5+ 30.Ka1 Bxg6, 0-1.

The Bishops just killed him. It's strange. Are we not speaking only of a Black advantage throughout all these lines? Where is that traditional Trompowsky initiative? I don't see it and neither do you!

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