THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BIRD

By Andrew Martin

Chess books, as we know, fall like leaves from the Autumn Trees. Frankly, there is very little to choose between most of them and they by and large send me to sleep. The prose is unoriginal and the authors trot out the same old stuff time and time again, more or less just updating what has gone before. So I am looking for exceptions from the word go. One such volume is the recently published BIRD'S OPENING, from Everyman Chess out of the original pen of IM Tim Taylor. I won’t spoil your fun by dissecting the contents or pontificating like a lot of the pompous Internet reviewers seem to do. I’ll just say: Buy this book and you will not be disappointed. There are a lot of Taylor’s games in this book and plenty of his OWN views. That alone makes the volume memorable. Here he is walking the walk.

T Taylor – S Berger

Los Angeles, 2005

1.f4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.Be2 Nf6

Black is praying that White will return to something resembling his favorite opening. Or maybe Black has already been talked out of his favorite opening, I am not sure which.

 5.d3

Not today, thank you.

5...0–0 6.0–0 c5 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Qe1

A characteristic Bird maneuver. White transfers the Queen to h4, putting pressure on Black’s kingside. The further plan is the mechanistic f5, Bh6, Ng5, etc.

8...Kh8?

Just a horrible move, but Black has been thrown by the unusual opening and comes up with a howler. Needless to say, there any many better moves – well, almost anything is better. Two examples:

1) 8…Bg4!, eliminating the Knight and securing d4, is a good idea: 9.h3 (9.Qh4 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nd4 11.Bd1 Nd7 12.f5 e6) 9...Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nd7 11.Qh4 e6! (Black equalizes easily with this careful move, despite the White Bishops.) 12.Qxd8 Rfxd8 13.Be3 a6 14.Nd1 Nd4, =, Bartha-Bogdan, Romania 1999.

2) 8...Rb8 is more combative, in the sense that Black retains the pieces: 9.Qh4 b5 10.Ng5 (10.f5 b4 11.Nd1 gxf5! displays the necessary pugnacity needed to beat back any white attack: 12.exf5 [12.Ne3 fxe4 13.dxe4 e6 14.Bd3 Bb7 15.Nc4 d5 also offers chances for both sides] 12...Bxf5 13.Bh6 Qd7 14.Ne3 Bg6, unclear) 10...h6 11.Nf3 Nd4 (11...b4 12.Nd1 Qd7 13.f5 g5 14.Nxg5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 Nd4) 12.Bd1 e6 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Ne2 e5, Mascarinas-Fernandez Garcia, Pontevedra 1986, when 15.a4! would have been surprisingly good for White: 15...bxa4 (15...exf4 16.Qxf4 Ng4 17.Qg3 is much better for White, as is 15…a6 16.axb5 axb5 17.c3) 16.Rxa4 Qd7 (16...Ng4 17.Qxd8 Rxd8 18.Rxa7) 17.c3 Ng4 18.f5, ±.

9.Qh4 Ng8

If you were wondering what the point of 8…Kh8 was, 9...Ng8 is it! Black plans full defense from the word go, a position no strong player would EVER adopt willingly.

10.f5

Already White has a very strong attack.

10...e6

10...gxf5 11.Ng5 h6 12.Qh5 Qe8 13.Nd5 Nd4 14.Bd1 is difficult to meet.

11.Bg5 f6?

11...Bf6 is the only real move. Then comes 12.e5!! Nxe5 13.Bxf6+ (13.Ne4 Bxg5 14.Nfxg5 h6 15.f6 Qb6) 13...Nxf6 (13...Qxf6 14.Qxf6+ Nxf6 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.fxg6 fxg6 17.Ne4 Kg7 18.Nxc5 b6 19.Bf3, ±) 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Ne4 Kg7 17.Nxc5 Qd4+ 18.Qxd4 exd4 19.Bf3, ±.

12.fxg6

So easy and so quick!

12...h6

This is quality chess.

13.Be3 f5 14.Qg3 e5 15.exf5 Bxf5 16.Ng5!

He is tired of playing hackneyed moves such as 16.Nh4, ±.

16...hxg5 17.Bxg5 Qd7

Or 17...Qe8 18.Qh4+ Nh6 19.g4!! Bxg6 20.Bxh6 Qe6 21.Bf3 and White is winning.

18.Qh4+ Nh6 19.Bxh6 Bxg6 20.Bg4 Qd8 21.Bg5+, 1-0. If allowed, this opening can pack a real punch.

Having experimented with 1.f4 extensively at PlayChess.com, admittedly only in blitz, my impression is that most players have little or no experience with the move. The weak players collapse in the unusual positions that arise and the strong players keep it as solid and as tight as they can. We come now to one such game, at a higher level and at a slower time limit.

And Rodriguez (2523) - Leitao (2598) [A03]

BRA, 2005

1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 c5

Although a tempo down on a Dutch, this is absolutely one of Black’s best responses. Taylor makes the point (honestly) throughout the book that Black can equalize quite comfortably as long as he is modest. It is only when Black starts getting ambitious that he can get into serious trouble. Let us see how Grandmaster Leitao deals with the problem.

7.c3

Recommended by Taylor and Danish Grandmaster Daniesen who specializes in 1.f4 and does very well. I presume 7.c3 keeps as many options open for White as can be; at least it looks that way.

7...Nc6 8.Na3 b6! 9.Qe1

A different interpretation of White’s position was seen in this recent game from England. Observe how White gets the upper hand: 9.Nc2 Bb7 10.Qe1 e6 11.h3!? Qc7 12.g4 Rad8 13.Qh4

With psychological impact. Black may believe he is in danger in this position and panic. 13...Ne7 14.Bd2 b5 (So far, so good. This queenside advance is a typical way for Black to gain counterplay against White’s set-up.) 15.Rac1 Qb6 (15...a5 was more consistent in my view, with queenside counterplay.) 16.Be3! Qd6 17.b4, ± (Suddenly White is quite a lot better. Rendle has been playing the Black side of the Leningrad Dutch for many years and knows the plans and positions off by heart. Such knowledge comes in very useful here.) 17...Nd7 18.Ne5 (I quite like 18.bxc5 Nxc5 19.Nfd4 with f4-f5! to come.) 18...d4? (18...g5! is interesting, e.g. 19.Qh5 cxb4! [19...gxf4 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Bxc5, ±] 20.cxb4 gxf4 21.Nxd7 Qxd7 22.Bxa7 d4 with a mess) 19.bxc5 Qxc5 20.Bxd4 Bf6 21.Qxf6 Qxd4+ 22.Nxd4 Nxf6 23.Bxb7, 1–0, Rendle - Nelson, Blackpool 2005. Would White have won as quickly with a standard opening? I doubt it.

9...Ba6 10.Rb1

10.h3 seems a luxury with the Black Queen still on d8: 10...Rc8 11.Rb1 d4 12.c4 Bb7 13.Nc2 Nd7 14.Qf2 Ba8 15.a3 e6 16.b4 Ne7 17.Bd2 Qc7 18.a4 e5 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20.Bf4 Nxf3+ 21.Bxf3 Qd7 22.Bxa8 Rxa8, S Johannessen - Gausel, Gausdal 1988, and with a4 and h3 under fire, Black is certainly not worse. Probably best now is 23.bxc5 bxc5 24.Rb5 with roughly equal chances in a complicated position.

10...Rc8 11.b4 cxb4 12.cxb4 Bb7

This type of move indicates not exactly a lack of ambition, but the recognition that Black has no weaknesses and can keep a balance simply in this manner. It is up to White to make the running. This is a mature decision and very much a conclusion reached from experience. The best players don’t try too hard, they know when to wait.

13.Bb2 Ng4

13...e6 keeps a steady, equal game.

14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.e4

The computer is showing me 15.b5 Nb8 16.Qb4 with an edge to White. I guess I believe that with White's control of the central dark squares coupled with the option of Bh3.

15...dxe4 16.dxe4 b5!

Now all is back on track for Leitao.

17.Kh1

17.Qc3+ e5! 18.Qb2 Qb6+ 19.Kh1 Ne3 is pretty uninspiring for White.

17...Qb6 18.Rb3 Rfd8

I have to say I am starting to prefer Black whose King looks decidedly safer in the medium term and whose overall piece layout seems better coordinated. One can see why 1.f4 is not played too much at the highest level and especially when the opponent has time to prepare. It is just too easy to get a sensible position as Black.

19.Qe2 Nf6 20.Nc2

20.e5 Nd5 21.e6 shows a bit more ambition. As the game goes it looks as though White is losing a bit of confidence.

20...a5 21.f5?!

A move with a desperate air about it. Sometimes in the middle of a game you just have to admit that you have nothing and take appropriate action. Along these lines I can recommend 21.a3 axb4 22.axb4 and White is steering a line close to equal.

21...gxf5!

Black wakes up. He realizes that white’s action is unlikely to be successful with his own King looking none too safe.

22.Ne3

Other variations do not look promising: 22.exf5 axb4 23.Nxb4 (Black’s also clearly better after 23.Rfb1 Qc5! 24.Nxb4 Na5! 25.R3b2 Nc4) 23...Nd4! 24.Nxd4 Bxg2+ 25.Qxg2 Rxd4 26.a3 Qd6; 22.e5 Nd5 23.e6 Ndxb4 24.Nxb4 Nxb4 25.Nh4 Bxg2+ 26.Qxg2 Qxe6 27.Nxf5+ Kf8! and Black should win since 28.Re3 can be safely met by 28…Qc6.

22...fxe4 23.Nf5+ Kf8 24.Ng5 Rd5

The cold-blooded 24...Nxb4 25.Qb2 Rc5 26.Nxh7+ Kg8 appears winning if I am to believe Fritz 9.Why give White any chance?

25.Nxh7+

But now matters flare up again.

25...Nxh7 26.Qh5

26…Rxf5! 27.Rxf5

Or 27.Qxh7 Rxf1+ 28.Bxf1 Qd4!, which is game over,  while 27.Qxf5 Nf6 28.bxa5 Qc7! 29.Qxb5 Nxa5 30.Rbb1 Qc5 is also miserable for White.

27...Nd8 28.Rb1

28.Qxh7 leads to a rough ride for White, but may well be a way out of the labyrinth: 28...Rc1+ (28...Qd4? 29.Rb1 axb4 30.Rg5 e6 31.Qg8+ Ke7 32.Rxb5) 29.Rf1 Rxf1+ 30.Bxf1 Qf6! 31.Rb1 e3+ (31...axb4 32.Bg2 e3 33.Bxb7 Nxb7 34.Qe4) 32.Bg2 e2 33.Rg1 Bxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Ne6 35.bxa5, =.

A merit of Bird’s Opening, stressed forcefully by Taylor, is that an unclear middle game will almost always occur. This is why fighters like Bent Larsen were willing to play the Bird frequently and achieved success.

28...Kg7 29.Rbf1?!

It is hard to see why he rejected 29.Rxb5 other than a shortage of time. Best play then appears to go: 29...Qe3 30.Rd1 Rc1 31.Qg4+ Kh8 32.Qd7 Rxd1+ 33.Qxd1 Kg7! 34.Qg4+ Kh8 35.Qd1 burning out to what looks like a strange drawing mechanism.

29...Qg6 30.Qh4 f6!

Keeping out the potential attackers.

31.Rxb5 Ng5 32.Qg4 Ba6

32...Rc2 33.Qd7 Ba6 was perhaps a better order of moves, e.g. 34.Qxe7+ (34.a4 Ndf7 35.Rxg5 Qxg5 36.b5 Bc8 37.Qxe7 Bf5, wins) 34...Ndf7 35.Rc5 Rxc5 36.Qxc5 Bxf1 and Black wins.

33.Rd1 Rc2 34.Rxg5 Qxg5

But Black is winning in any case.

35.Qxe4 Rc1 36.Qxe7+ Nf7 37.Qe1 Rxd1 38.Qxd1 axb4 39.Bd5 Ne5 40.Qc2 Qe3 41.Kg2 Qe1 42.Kh3 Qf1+ 43.Bg2 Qc4, 0-1.

In conclusion, my opinion must be that 1.f4 can work for you at anything other than Grandmaster level. Games by the inventive Danish Grandmaster Danielsen show this conclusively. You can shape the game to more or less your own design, so the Bird perhaps falls into the same category as the Trompowsky, the Sokolsky and other idiosyncratic openings of this type. You go in with your eyes open and you know the pitfalls well in advance. Precise move-orders and theoretical excellence is hardly the point. You are ENJOYING chess. Taylor’s book is a labor of love and does the opening full justice. It is highly recommended.