FIDE Surveys – Alexandr Beliavsky

1

Alexandr Beliavsky:

Modern Reti

If you are do not know how to get an
advantage in Ruy Lopez Berlin or Marshall
or do not believe you can obtain an
advantage in Grunfeld, it is may be a good
idea try Reti.

KramnikV. : Vachier Lagrave M.
Shamkir 2015

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.0–0
Bg4 5.d3 Nbd7

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqkvl-tr0
9zpp+nzppzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+-+-+l+0
9+-+P+NzP-0
9PzPP+PzPLzP0
9tRNvLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

6.h3

It is useful for white to make sure bishop can
not reach e6 square, when black pawn
appears on e5. F.e.:
6.Qe1 e5 7.e4 de4
7...Bd6 it is also playable for black: 8.h3
(8.ed5 Nd5! (8…cd5?! 9.Ne5 Ne5 10.d4 0–0
11.de5 Re8 12.f4 and White is better)
9.Ne5?! Ne5 10.d4 0–0 11.de5 Re8 12.f4
Bc5 (12...f6) 13.Kh1 Qb6 black is not worse
at least; 14.a3 a5 15.Nc3 Nc3 16.bc3 g6
17.Bf3 Bh3 18.Bg2 Bg4 19.Bf3=) 8...Bh5
9.ed5 (9.Nh4 - see 6.h3) 9…Nd5 (9...cd5
10.Ne5 Ne5 11.d4 Qe7 12.de5 Be5 13.c3

Bd6 14.Qe7 Be7 15.Re1 Kd7 16.Be3 Rhe8
17.Nd2 and White is better) 10.Ne5 Ne5
11.d4 0–0 12.de5 Re8 13.f4 f6 14.Nc3 fe5
15.f5 e4!
8.de4 Bc5
Vitiugov tried 8…Ld6, but failed to equalize
against Kramnik (Paris 2013): 9.Nbd2 0–0
10.h3 Bh5 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.a4 Re8 13.Nh4
Nc5 14.Nf5 Ne6 15.Be3 Nf4 (spectaclular
but not effective) 16.f3± Ng2 17.Kg2 Bg6
18.Rd1.
9.Nbd2

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqk+-tr0
9zpp+n+pzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-vl-zp-+-0
9-+-+P+l+0
9+-+-+NzP-0
9PzPPsN-zPLzP0
9tR-vL-wQRmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

9…Qc7!?
9...0–0 is even more popular, Kramnik has
rich experience here with both colours!
10.h3 Bh5 11.a4 Qc7 (11...a5 12.Nc4 Qc7
13.Bd2 b6 14.Nh4 Ne8 15.Kh2 (After 15.g4
Bg6 16.Bc3 f6 17.Ng6 hg6 18.Qd2 Rd8
19.Rad1 Be7 20.Qe2 Kh7 21.h4 Nd6 22.Nd6
Bd6 23.Qc4 Nc5= black knight has a
perspective squares in the center.) 15...f6
(15...Nd6 16.Nd6 Bd6=) 16.b3 Nd6 17.Nb2
Rfe8 18.Nd3 Nf7 (18...Bd4!) 19.Nc5 Nc5
20.Kh1 Rad8 21.Bc3 Ne6 22.Nf5 c5 23.Ne3
Nd4, Aronian L. : Kramnik V., Shanghai
2010) 12.Nb3 Rfd8 13.Nh4 Bf8 (13...Bd6
14.Nf5 Bf8 15.Bd2 Ne8 16.Be3 Nd6 17.Qc3
Bg6 18.Nd6 Bd6=) 14.Bg5 (14.Qc3 a5=)
14...c5 15.Qc3 Rac8 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nd2
c4=).

FIDE Surveys – Alexandr Beliavsky

2

10.h3 Be6 11.Ng5 Nf8 12.b3 h6 13.Ne6 Ne6
14.Bb2 Bd4 15.c3 Bc5 16.Qe2 0–0 17.a4 a5,
with approximately equal chances. After
18.Rad1 Rfe8 19.Nc4 h5 black has a clear
counterplay in contrast with our main game.
And it is an argument for 6.h3 to prevent
bishop retreat to e6.

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqkvl-tr0
9zpp+nzppzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+-+-+l+0
9+-+P+NzPP0
9PzPP+PzPL+0
9tRNvLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

6...Bh5

6...Bf3 it is a quite solid alternative to Bh5.
7.Bf3 e6
a) 7...g6 8.Bg2 (after 8.c4 Bg7 9.cd5 cd5
10.Nc3 e6 11.Bf4 0–0 12.Qb3 Qb6 13.Qb6
Nb6 14.a4 Rfc8 15.a5 Nbd7 16.d4 White has
long lasting, albeit not a big advantage)
8...Bg7 9.e4 0–0 10.Qe2 e5 11.Nd2 Nc5
12.Nb3 Ne6 13.c3 Re8 14.a4 h5 15.h4 Qb6
and black is not worse here, Movsesian S. :
Beliavsky A., Pamplona 2007;
b) 7...e5 8.e4 (or 8.c4 d4 9.Nd2 a5 10.Bg2
Bc5 11.Nf3 0–0 12.Re1 Re8 13.e3 de3
14.Be3 Qb6=) 8...de4 9.de4 Nc5 10.Qd8
(Karjakin won against Kramnik (Sochi
2014) after 10.Nd2 Be7 11.Qe2 0–0 12.Rd1
Qc8 13.h4 Rd8 14.Re1 Ne6 15.Nb3 a5 16.a4
b5?! (correct was 16…c5!=) 17.c3 Qb7
18.Qc2 ba4 19.Ra4 Qb5 20.Ra2 a4 21.Nd2
Nc5 22.Be2 Qb7 23.Bc4 Ne8 24.Nf3 Nd6
25.Ne5 Bf6 26.Nd3 Nce4 27.Ra4!) 10...Rd8
11.Nd2 Bd6 12.Nc4 Bc7 13.Bg5 Rd4 14.Bf6
Rc4 15.Bg7 Rg8 16.Bh6 Rc2 17.Rac1 Rc1
18.Bc1 (18.Rc1 Bb6 19.Kg2 Rg6 20.Bd2

Nd3 21.Rf1 Nb2) 18...Nd3 19.Be2 Nc1
20.Rc1=.
8.Bg2 Qc7 9.c4 dc4
Or 9...Bd6 10.Nd2 0–0 11.Qc2 a5 12.Nf3 a4
and chances are about equal.
10.dc4 Be7 11.Nc3 0–0 12.Qc2 Rfd8 13.Na4
Nc5 14.Be3 Qa5 15.Nc3 Qb4, like in an old
game Korchnoi V. : Petrosian T., Wijk aan
Zee 1971.

7.Qe1 e5 8.e4

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqkvl-tr0
9zpp+n+pzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-+pzp-+l0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+-+P+NzPP0
9PzPP+-zPL+0
9tRNvL-wQRmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

8…de4

8...Bd6 is an option and it is considered not a
good one. But actually it is better then its
reputation:
9.Nh4 0–0 10.g4 Bg6 11.g5 Nh5 12.ed5 cd5
13.Ng6 hg6 14.Bd5 Nf4 15.Bf4 ef4 16.h4
Qc8 17.Qe4
So far black played correctly in the game
Kramnik V. : Sjugurov S., Qatar 2014.
After 17...Re8! (instead of 17…Qc2?)
18.Qg6 Ne5 19.Qe4 Ng6! 20.Bb7 (20.Qg6
Qg4 leads to draw by perpetual check)
20...Qc2 21.Qc6 Qe2 =.

9.de4 Bc5 10.a4

It is more flexible move then frequently
played 10.Nbd2. It may lead just to
transposition, if white play later Nc4 and a4.
The difference is in a possibility to play b4
(with a knight on d2 there is no such an
option, because b4 square is not protected by

FIDE Surveys – Alexandr Beliavsky

3

the queen.) F.e.: 10.Nbd2 0–0 11.Nc4 Qc7
(11...Re8) 12.b4 Be7 13.Bb2 Bf3 14.Bf3 b5
15.Ne3 a5 16.a3 Nb6=, Kramnik V. :
Kobalia M., Tromso 2013.

10...0–0

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wq-trk+0
9zpp+n+pzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-vl-zp-+l0
9P+-+P+-+0
9+-+-+NzPP0
9-zPP+-zPL+0
9tRNvL-wQRmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

11.Nh4

White is preparing trade this knight for the
black square bishop, after eventual 12.b4
Be7 13.Nf5. Alternative is 11.Na3 and black
has to main moves.
a) 11…Re8 12.Nc4 Qc7 (12...Nb6 is more
accurate, because now pawn e4 is not
protected and white has not option 13.Ne3)
13.Nh4 (It is considered a main position of
the variation.) 13...Nb6 14.Ne3 (14.Na5
Nfd7 15.Nb3 (15.b4 Bf8 16.c4 c5) 15...Bf8
16.a5 Nc8 17.Qc3 f6 18.Nf5 Nd6 19.Nd6
Bd6 20.Be3 Nf8 21.Nc5 Bc5 22.Bc5 Ne6
23.f3 (23.Be3 Red8 24.f4 Nd4 25.Kh2 Bf7
26.Rf2 c5 27.fe5 fe5 28.Raf1 Be6 and thanks
to strong knight position black chances is not
worse. Position is equal) 23...Nc5 24.Qc5 b6
25.ab6 ab6 26.Qc3 c5 27.Ra8 Ra8 28.Rd1
Rd8 29.Rd8 Qd8 30.Bf1 Bf7 =, Markus R. :
Beliavsky A., Slovenia 2012) 14...Rad8 (not
so good is 14...a5 15.Bd2 Nbd7 16.Nc4 b6
17.Kh1 Qd8 18.Nf5 Bg6 19.Nfd6 Re6
20.Nb7 Qc7 21.Nc5 Nc5 22.f3 and white is
better, because black has not clear
counterplay and white has enough time to
improve positions of his pieces) 15.Nef5

Nbd7 16.a5 Bf8 17.Be3 Nc5 18.Bg5 Rd7
19.Bf6 gf6 20.Qe3 Red8 21.Bf3 Bg6 22.Be2
b5 23.ab6 Qb6 24.b3 Ne6 25.Nh6 Kg7
26.N4f5 Kh8 27.Ng4 Qe3 28.Nge3 Bc5 and
black activity compensate damaged pawn
structure on the king side. Position is equal.;
b) 11...Qc7 12.Nc4 Rfd8!? (12...b5!? –
Houdini).

11...Re8

Preserving f8 square for the bishop, because
12.b4 Be7 13. Nf5 is a positional threat. It is
for white favor to trade his knight for
blacksquared bishop.

12.Na3

As already mentioned, white keep option b4
along with Nc4.

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqr+k+0
9zpp+n+pzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-vl-zp-+l0
9P+-+P+-sN0
9sN-+-+-zPP0
9-zPP+-zPL+0
9tR-vL-wQRmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

12...Nf8

This move takes f8 square from the bishop
and white will trade his knight for the black
squared bishop with an aim use weakening
black squares for his favor.
12...a6 is not satisfactory for black because
lead to unfavorable pawn structure on the
queen side: 13.a5 Nf8 14.b4 Ba7 15.Be3 Be3
16.Qe3.
12...Qc7 is good alternative for black and we
consider it as a best black option. F.e.:
13.Nc4 (or 13.b4 Bf8 14.Be3 a5! 15.ba5
(15.b5? Nb6, with a better position for
black) 15...Ba3 16.Ra3 Ra5 17.Qb4 Rea8=)

FIDE Surveys – Alexandr Beliavsky

4

13...Nb6 14.Ne3 (14.Na5 Nfd7 15.Nb3 Bf8
16.a5 Nc8 17.Qc3 (17.g4 Bg6 18.Qe2 Nd6
19.Ng6 hg6 20.Be3 b5 21.ab6 ab6 22.Rfd1
b5 23.Nd2 Nb7 gives black equal chances)
17...f6 18.Nf5 Nd6 19.Nd6 Bd6 20.Be3 Nf8
21.Nc5 Bc5 22.Bc5 Ne6 23.f3 Nc5 24.Qc5
b6, with eual position, Markus R. :
Beliavsky A., Slovenia 2012) 14...a5 15.Bd2
Nbd7 16.Nc4 b6 17.Kh1 Rad8=, Movsesian
S. : Pinter J., Austria 2000.

13.b4

13.Nc4 Ne6 14.c3 Qd3 15.Ne5 Qg3.

13...Be7 14.Nf5

14.Bb2 Ne6 15.Be5 Nd7 16.Bb2 Bh4 17.gh4
Nf4.

14...Ne6 15.Ne7

White hopes that two bishops will prevail, if
he will succeeds to take all central squares
under the control from black knights.

15...Qe7 16.Be3

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+r+k+0
9zpp+-wqpzpp0
9-+p+nsn-+0
9+-+-zp-+l0
9PzP-+P+-+0
9sN-+-vL-zPP0
9-+P+-zPL+0
9tR-+-wQRmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

16…Bg6?!

It is waste of time: sooner or later black will
have to activate this bishop by Ne8,f6,Bf7.
Possible was 16...c5 17.b5 a6, with equal
chances.
16...Red8 was natural, to take control over d
file, preparing Ne8, f6, Bf7, to consolidate
black position.
Interesting is 16...Nd4 17.f3 a5 18.ba5 Bg6
19.Kh2 Nh5 20.Qf2 with a better position

for white, though black has a good chances
to hold position.

17.f3 Nd7

Black leaves d6 square unattended and it
may be fatal for him.

18.Nc4 f5

It is a blunder. Better was 18..f6, but anyway
white has an advantage: 19.Rd1 Red8 20.c3
Bf7 21.a5 Ndf8 22.Rd8 Nd8 23.Qe2 and two
bishops give white an advantage, because
black has not any strong squares for his
knights.

19.Rd1 f4 20.Rd7 Qd7 21.Ne5 Qc7
22.gf4

Two pawns and a knight for the rook give
white an upper hand, because of strong
pawns in the center.

22...Nf4 23.Bf4 Re5 24.Qe3 Rd8
25.Qa7 Qe7 26.Be5 Qe5 27.Qe3

Kramnik prevents rook penetration on the
second rank. Also 27.Qb7 was winning:
27…Rd2 28.Qc8 Kf7 29.Kh1 Qg3 30.Rg1
Rc2 31.b5 Ke7 32.b6 Bh5 33.a5 Bf3 34.Qc7
Qc7 35.bc7 Rg2 36.Rg2 Kd7 37.Kg1 Bg2
38.Kg2 Kc7 39.e5 and white promotes one
of his pawns.

27...Qb2 28.Qc5 h6

28...Rd2 29.Rf2.

29.b5 cb5 30.Qb6 Rd2 31.Qg6 ba4
32.h4 Qd4 33.Kh1 Qd8 34.Bh3 Qh4
35.Qe6 Kh8 36.Rg1 g5 37.Qc8 Kg7
38.Rb1

1:0.

Conclusion.
Reti system is not better then any other
opening,but in the enviroment where many
other openings and variations are analyzed
too deep, here still room for improvement
for both sides.