Philidor 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0–0 Nb6!? [C41] -TWIC 963

TWIC 963
The feature game was played in the ch-SRB by GM Damljanovic who finished third with 7.5/12.

More on ch-SRB 2013 Vrnjacka Banja
Here's the local carnival.

Rank	Name	FIDE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	Total
1	Bogosavljevic,B	2512	*	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	1	½	1	1	1	10.0/12
2	Indjic,A	2519	½	*	0	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	8.0/12
3	Damljanovic,B	2536	0	1	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	½	½	7.5/12
4	Popovic,Du	2558	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	6.5/12
5	Kovacevic,A	2571	0	½	½	½	*	½	½	0	½	1	1	½	1	6.5/12
6	Sedlak,N	2577	½	0	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	6.0/12
7	Brenjo,S	2516	0	½	½	½	½	½	*	1	½	½	½	½	½	6.0/12
8	Miladinovic,I	2569	0	0	½	½	1	½	0	*	½	0	1	1	1	6.0/12
9	Savic,Miod1	2539	0	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	*	0	½	1	½	5.0/12
10	Perunovic,Mio	2434	½	0	0	½	0	½	½	1	1	*	½	0	0	4.5/12
11	Tosic,M	2412	0	½	0	½	0	½	½	0	½	½	*	½	½	4.0/12
12	Cvetkovic,Sr	2389	0	0	½	0	½	½	½	0	0	1	½	*	½	4.0/12
13	Ratkovic,Milov	2296	0	0	½	½	0	0	½	0	½	1	½	½	*	4.0/12

Veteran GM Damljanovic played for an open center and obtained an even game. After a blunder black won a P and converted in a model technical ending.

Here is the feature game.

Savic,Miod1 (2539) - Damljanovic,B (2536)
Philidor 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0–0 Nb6!? [C41]
ch-SRB 2013 Vrnjacka Banja SRB (2.3), 16.04.2013

Position 1
Black is a clear pawn up and the technical phase is underway. Make a suggestion for black.

Black to Play

40.Rg3

Philidor 4.Nge2-TWIC 958

TWIC 958
GM Zherebukh,Y was happy to accept a level queenless game with play for both sides as a way to play for the win with 8...c6(diagram).

8...c6

GM Zherebukh,Y

Photo Chessbase

Here is the feature game.

Xiong,Jeffrey (2330) - Zherebukh,Y (2623) 
Philidor 4.Nge2[B07]
UTD Turner GM Invitational 2013 Richardson USA (7), 11.03.2013

Position 1

The queenless game is sharp as black has begun to undermine the kingside pawn wedge with 22...g6. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

22...g6

Position 2
Black has a piece for two pawns and now the question is how to most accurately convert the material advantage as any hesitation will give white a chance to complicate the ending by quickly pushing the queenside passed pawns. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play

28.c4

Philidor 7.Re1 c6 8.a4-TWIC 757

TWIC 957

I started to play the Philidor last year with decent results but now it's time to broaden the scope of my knowledge. My current Philidor repertoire closely mirrors IM Barsky's ideas in The Modern Philidor(Chess Stars 2010).

The Modern Philidor-Barsky

See NIC The Modern Philidor Defence

Philidor Main Line

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0–0 0–0 7.Re1 c6 8.a4(Diagram) 

The main line is 8...a5 which I have faithfully played. Other options include 8...b6 making a small queenside coil and 8...Qc7!? which is a specialty of GM Kunin,V.

Now i think 8...Qc7 deserves a closer look as it is not part as closely analyzed as 8...a5.

8.a4

Here is the feature game which illustrates the typical ideas behind 8...Qc7.

Bok,B (2525) - Kunin,V (2511) 
Philidor 7.Re1 c6 8.a4 Qc7 [C41]
TCh-NED Meesterklasse 2012–13 Netherland NED (7.1), 09.03.2013

Position 1
White has just sacrificed on the kingside with 40.Bxh6. How should black react?

Black to Play

40.Bxh6

Recap of 8...Qc7
The main points to note about black's opening formation.

•  Don't commit to an early ..a5
•  ...h6 To prevent Bg5/Ng5 and is a useful waiting move.
•  ...Nf8-g6 To take aim at f4.
•  ...Nf6-h7-g5 Nice knight maneuvers to give kingside options