Hard-core Zaitsev Theory in Czech Open

The Czech Open in Pardubice is one of the biggest, if not the biggest chess festival in the world, with a bit over 1700 players this year. And not even just a chess festival, since also tournaments in backgammon, crossword puzzles, draughts, sudoku, poker, bridge and even Rubik's cube are held! Later I will write more about the festival, but today I will focus on a subject that hasn't been treated for a while here on ChessVibes. Hard core opening theory! Normally long theoretical lines are seen in the elite round-robins and not in these huge open tournaments, except... when super-theoretician Vasilios Kotronias is playing. Yesterday, in the fifth round, an amazing Zaitsev Ruy Lopez attracted the attention.

>> see the game in a separate window



>> see the game in a separate window

Kotronias-Schlosser, after 67.h6