Tackling the Modern Benoni: Taimanov

Hey yall,

If anyone has played me, they know I am not a man of diverse opening repetoires.  As White, I am strict 1. e4 player and as Black I play strict Sicilians and Benonis.  That said, at my level, it is few and far between to get to apply my serious Benoni theory study.  Still, I would like to consider the following line, suggested by John Watson

I'm glad you responded, but I am afraid I can't see how 8. Bb5+ poses any real problem.  8 ... Bd7 9. Bd3 and what has really been accomplished?  Do you believe the follow-up should be 9. Bxd7 Nxd7, because that removes a significant attacking weapon of White's.  And on  11. Bb5+ Nbd7 and again, what is the problem?

In positions where White's Queen is on d8, theory says that ...  Nfd7 is best.  But in this rare position, it is arguably safest to play ... Nbd7.  Because of the Queen's position on e7, you don't have the same issue of dropping e6 with ... Nbd7.  It's a subtle difference, but there is no reason you are forced to play ... Nfd7 here.

Hm, this is quite similar to an OTB game I played a while back, but with Qe7 coming a move earlier. As you can see, the Qe7 was simply bad in my case, but your (or Watson's) suggestion looks sounder. The point behind the Taimanov, as Estragon points out, is Bb5+, when theory says that the unnatural-looking Nfd7 is best.

why not after Nf3 take e4 with your knight? i mean it might open up the game a lot but you go up a pawn

The knight is lost after Qa4+.