1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6!
Since the booklet about this opening came out in 1992, many strong players included Tango in their opening repertoire. To name a few, they are: GMs Goldin, Benjamin, Yermolinsky, Bologan, Shabalov. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments.
1) 3.d5
This move is still being played rarely. Over many years I only had a couple of games myself. Tate – Orlov, Chicago, 1994, further continued: 3…Ne5 4.f4 Nxc4 (Black does not have to accept this sacrifice, also possible 4…Ng6 5.e4 e6 6.e5 Ne4 with a good position) 5.e4 Nb6 6.a4! a5 7.Nc3.
Here I decided to try something new. 7…c6? 8.Qb3! and Black started to experience some problems, since 8…cxd5 meets 9.e5! Instead of 7…c6? Black, of course, should follow the book with 7…e6! Now attack with Qd1-b3 makes no sense. After 8.dxe6 Black has a choice between a) 8…dxe6 and b) 8…fxe6. After a) 8…fxe6 8.e5 Nfd5 9.Bd3 Bb4 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.Nge2 White has a compensation for a pawn. But in the case of b) 8…dxe6 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Be3 Bb4 11.0-0-0+ Nbd7 White is yet to prove that his initiative worth the pawn.
2) 3.Nc3
Nothing particularly important happened in this line. In Gurevich – Dzindzichashvili, Long Beach, 1993, Black played 3…e5 4.d5 Ne7 5.e4 Ng6 6.Bd3 Bc5 7.h3 (not 7.Nge2 Ng4! 8.0-0 Qh4 and Black wins) 7…d6 8.Nge2 0-0 9.Na4! Bb4+ 10.Kf1 and White had a small edge thanks to unclear prospects of Black’s dark Bishop. Instead of 8…0-0 Black should play 8…a6! providing his Bishop with an escaping square. After 9.0-0 0-0 the position is even.
In Kadimova – Shabalov, France, 1995, White played 7.Nf3 after 7….0-0 8.0-0 a6! 9.h3 d6 10.Bd2?! Nh5! 11.Ne2 h6, preparing …Qd8-f6, Black had a small edge and went on to win the game.
In Karpov – Chevalier, France 1993. White played 6.Be3!? instead of 6.Bd3. Black responded with 6…Bb4 7.f3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 d6. Karpov kept the edge with 9.Qd2 Nd7 10.h4! and went on to win the game. It is rather interesting to me that every time a game like this is played, Mr. Eric Schiller includes it in one of his books, immediately pronouncing Tango dead. One may recall a famous phrase "the rumors about my death were slightly premature"! In the later game Belliard – Nevednichy, Moscow 1995, Black played 7…0-0!
8.Nge2 d6 9.a3 Bc5! and Black had an even game. Game further went: 10.Qd2 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 c5. I also like 10…Nd7! instead of 10…Bxe3.
3.Nf3
This move remains the most popular.
3…e6
GM Tony Miles also plays 3…d6, but it’s another story. After the text move White can respond with a) 4.g3, which after 4…Bb4+ leads to the Bogo-Indian Defense,
4.a3, the most restrictive.
4.Nc3, which remains popular.
4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Qe7
Here White has a choice between 6.Bg2 and 6.Nc3.
After 6.Bg2 Bxd2+ 7.Nbxd2 d6 8.0-0 a5 Black has his counterplay on dark squares.
More challenging is 6.Nc3. After 6…0-0 7.Bg2 d6 8.0-0 h6 followed by …e6-e5 Black has sufficient play.
Also deserves attention 6…d5.
4.a3
This move limits Black’s options, but loses important time too. Black has a choice between a1) 4…d6 and b1) 4…d5.
After a1) 4…d6 some interesting ideas were introduced is the game Naumkin – Titov, Warsaw,1992. After 5.Nc3 g6!? 6.e4 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Re8!
Black prepares to meet 9.Be3 with 9...e5 10.d5 Nd4!? 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Bxd4 Nxe4 with an even game.
9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Nh5 12.d5 Nxg3 13.hxg3 exd5 14.cxd5 Ne7 15.Nd4 c5!
Black had a good counterplay.
b1) 4…d5 5.Nc3 a6!
With this move Black threatens …dxc4. After 6.Bg5? dxc4 7.e4 b5! 8.e5 h6! 9.Bh4 g5 10.Nxg5 hxg5 11.Bxg5 Be7 12.exf6 Bxf6 Black look better.
6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bg5
In Hebert – Orlov, Philadelphia, 1994, White played 7.g3. After 7…g6 8.Ne5 Ne7 9.Bg2 Bg7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.e3 Bg7 Black had an even game.
7…Be7 8.e3 h6 9.Bh4 0-0 10.Bd3 Be6 11.0-0 Nd7!? 12.Bg3 Bd6!?
This was played in Kasparov – Yermolinsky, Yerevan, 1996. White had a marginal edge.
4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qc2
White intends to recapture with his Queen on c2..
The following interesting game was played in 1995 US Championship in Modesto.
Walter Browne - Georgi Orlov, 1995
5…d6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 0-0 8.b4 e5!
The most ambitious line. Black is ahead in development and must open the center in order to take advantage of it.
9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Re8 12.Qb2
Walter is a fearless chess player. Very few players will go into position like this voluntarily. He, however, prepared a surprise.
12…Ng4! 13.Qc3!?
This move was Browne’s novelty. White wants to set-up a battery of Q+B and attack g7-square. The idea, without a doubt, is very interesting. It does not, however, change the overall assessment of the position. Black has a strong compensation for a lost pawn.
13…a5
A reasonable move. Better, however, was 13…Ne5! threatening …Ne5-d3+. After 14.e3 Bg4! 15.Bb2 Qh4! 16.Qd4!? Qh6! Black still has a strong pressure. In case of 14.Be3 Bf5 15.Rd1 Qh4 16.Rd5 Qe4 17.Rd4 Qb1+ 18.Rd1 Qe4 the game may be drawn by repetition.
14.Bb2 Qg5 15.h4 Qh6 16.Rd1 axb4 17.axb4
17...Ra6
Black tries to swing his Rook into play to help the attack. GM Alex Yermolinsky proposed 17…b6!? here, intending …Bc8-b7. Really, what would Black do then?
18.Rh3!?
An original maneuver. White wants to swing his Rook to d3, followed by Rd3-d8. My next move was a decisive mistake, I simply overestimated my attacking resources. Instead, deserved attention 18…f6! Black blocks the dangerous battery of Q+B and keeps a strong initiative. For instance, if 19.Bc1 as in the game, then 19…Qh5 20.f3 Ne5 21.g4 Qf7 and White’s position looks dubious.
18…Rf6 19.Bc1!!
A great move that forces Black’s Queen to leave its comfortable position and protects e3-square as well.
19…Qh5 20.f3 Ne5 21.g4! Nxg4
May be slightly better was 21…Nxf3+ 22.Rxf3 Qxh4+ 23.Kd2 Rd6+ 23.Kc2 Rxd1 24.Kxd1 Bxg4. White still keeps the advantage in the end of this line, however.
22.fxg4 Bxg4 23.Re3!
Black has problems with his back rank now.
23…Qxh4+ 24.Kd2 Ra8 25.Kc2 Bf5+ 26.Kb3
White successfully escaped the danger zone and went on to win the game. Nevertheless, as we can see from the offered analysis, Browne’s innovation fails to refute The Black Knights' Tango.
If you like this opening, lease check out my new book The Black Knights Tango.