Talking about the Queen's Gambit - an interview with Robert Ris
Dear Robert, you are an International Master, a commentator and an author. On one of your ChessBase DVDs you recommend to play the Exchange Variation against the Queen’s Gambit Declined. In round 4 of the Fide Grand Prix tournament in Sharjah, Shakriyar Mamedyarov followed your recommendation and won a spectacular game against Michael Adams.
1.e4 | 1,184,215 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 958,932 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,327 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,722 | 56% | 2443 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,884 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,598 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,953 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,906 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,790 | 48% | 2378 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 92 | 67% | 2511 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 h6! 6.Bh4 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 6...0-0 7.e3 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Rc1 c6 4...exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 6...Bf5 7.Qf3 Bg6 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 6...Be7 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.Nge2 Nf8 9.0-0 Ne6 10.Bh4 0-0 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bd3 8.Qc2 Nbd7 9.Bd3 Nh5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.0-0-0 Nb6 12.h3 Be6 13.Nf3 Nf6 14.Kb1 0-0-0 15.Nd2 Kb8 16.Nb3 Rhe8 17.f3 Nfd7 18.Rhe1 Rc8 19.Rc1 8...Nbd7 9.Nge2 Nh5 9...Ne4!? 10.Bxe7 Nxc3 10...Qxe7?! 11.Bxe4 dxe4 12.Ng3 Nf6 13.Qc2± 11.Bxd8 Nxd1 12.Rxd1 Kxd8 13.f3 9...0-0?! 10.f3 Nh5 11.Bf2 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qd2! Nb6 11...0-0 12.f3 12.0-0-0?! b5 13.Kb1 Nhf6 14.f3 Re8! 15.e4 b4 12.0-0 Re8 13.Rae1 Nf8 14.Nc1 Ne6 15.f3 b6 16.N1e2 12...Re8 13.Kf2!? 12.f3 12.0-0 0-0 13.f3 Be6 14.b3 Rac8 15.Rac1 c5 16.dxc5 Rxc5 17.Nd4 12...Bd7 13.0-0! 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.Rhe1 13...0-0 13...0-0-0?! 14.a4! 14.g4!? 14.Rae1 f5 15.Nf4! 15.b3 15...Nxf4 16.exf4 Qf6 17.Re5 14...Nf6 15.Ng3 15.Nf4 Ne8 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.e4 Qg5 18.Re2 dxe4 19.fxe4! 15...Ne8 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.e4! dxe4 18.fxe4 Ndc4! 18...Bxg4 19.e5! Ndc4 20.Qg2 18...Rad8 19.e5 Nb5 20.Qg2 Qg5 20...Qb4 21.Nxb5 cxb5 22.Qe4 g6 23.Rf6 21.Nxb5 cxb5 22.Nf5 Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Qe7 24.Re4 19.Qc1! Bxg4 20.b3 Rad8!? 20...Na5?! 21.Rf4 Qd7 22.Kh1 20...Na3 21.e5 21.Nf5 21.bxc4 Rxd4 22.Be2 Bh3 23.Rf2 21...Bxf5 22.exf5 Qf6 23.Bxc4 Nxc4 24.bxc4 Qxd4+ 25.Kh1 Rfe8 26.f6! Rxe1 27.Qxe1 Qxc4 28.fxg7 28.Rg1?! g5 28...Rd6 29.Rg1?! 29.Qe8+ Kxg7 30.Qe5+ 30.Rf3 Rf6 31.Qe5 Qe6 32.Rg3+ Kh7 33.Qb8 Rg6 34.Rxg6 Kxg6 35.Qxa7 30...Kh7 31.Qf5+ Rg6 32.Qxf7+ Qxf7 33.Rxf7+ Rg7 34.Rxg7+ Kxg7 35.Kg2 Kf6 36.Kf3 Ke5 37.Ke3 29...Rg6 30.Qe5 30.Rxg6 fxg6 31.Kg2 Kxg7 32.Qe7+ Qf7 33.Qe3 30...Qe6 30...Qd3! 31.Rxg6 Qf1+ 32.Rg1 Qf3+ 31.Qb8+! Kxg7 32.Qxa7! Qc4 33.Qe3 b5 34.a3 c5 35.Ne4!? 35.Qe5+ Kh7 36.Re1 Qd3 37.Qe3 Qxe3 38.Rxe3 Rb6 39.Kg2 35...f5? 35...b4! 36.axb4 36.a4!? 36...cxb4 37.Rc1 Qd5! 38.Qf3 b3 39.Rb1 Rb6 40.Rd1 Qc6 41.Rg1+ Kf8 42.Qd3 Rb8 43.Qd4 Re8 36.Rxg6+ Kxg6 37.Nxc5 Qd5+ 37...Qf1+ 38.Qg1+ 38.Kg1 Qd1+ 39.Kg2 Qd5+ 40.Kh3 Qd1 41.Qe8+ Kf6 41...Kg5 42.Ne6+! Kf6 43.Qd8+ Qxd8 44.Nxd8 Ke5 45.Kg3 Ke4 46.Nf7 Ke3 47.Nxh6 f4+ 48.Kg2+- 42.Nd7+ Kg5 43.Qg8+ 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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Mamedyarov,S | - | Adams,M | - | 1–0 | 2017 | | Sharjah Grand Prix | 4 |
Please, wait...
What did you think when you saw that game?
Hi Johannes. I truly enjoyed that game as well, particularly since I recorded a DVD on the current topic and it's always nice when the quality of your published material is approved by the World's best players.
Mamedyarov won a good game but this was just one game. Are there more fundamental reasons to play this line for White?
The setup with Bd3, Nge2, 0-0 followed by the central break f3 and e4 was a new approach by Botvinnik in his time. Later other players refined his play and you see that even today it has been considered the most challenging way to deal with the move order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6. The fact that White's pieces are harmoniously working together, aiming to control the centre and build up an attack confirms the soundness of White's strategy.
Do you remember how you got interested in that line?
I think it was when I was around 15 years old, when I studied Kasparov's games. He followed this opening recipe from his mentor.

Garry Kasparov and Mihail Botvinnik
Back then I was a 1.e4 player but those games inspired me starting to experiment with 1.d4. Not much later when I totally switched `to 1.d4 I had to build a repertoire and started to work out the lines in more detail.
You are a specialist for sharp gambit play but most grandmasters of today seem to prefer a more solid approach in the opening – after all, it is no coincidence that the Berlin is so popular. Why do the top grandmasters play it safe and solid?
There is simply too much information available for everyone. In majority of the cases they play it safe with Black and try to push with White. Fortunately for top-chess there are also a lot fighting players who dare leaving their comfort zone and take a risk.
Gambits often seem to be a kind of gamble – you hope to surprise the opponent in the opening by playing moves that may be dangerous but are objectively harmless if the opponent knows the right answer.
Well some gambits will probably not return in grandmaster games, but some are still working out well as a surprise weapon indeed. For example, Adhiban's play in Wijk aan Zee was absolutely refreshing. With so much information accessible opening preparation the suprise value of your opening choice has perhaps overtaken the objective quality of the moves or opening systems. Most of my students are struggling with this question, but I would recommend them to be confident about their opening systems as long as they have an idea of what they are doing!
You seem to like to play and research surprising, double-edged openings. Where do you get your inspirations for such openings?
Perhaps I shouldn't reveal too much of my own playing style, but anyway I'm not playing too much these days. But I have always liked to use a scientific approach to study chess openings, realizing it's perhaps not the most efficient way of improving as a player, but I simply like it too much. Hence, I have analysed the most obscure opening lines, but seldomly used them in practice. It's a personal issue that I don't have the courage to play such lines when I know it's too risky or simply incorrect. So, I better keep using this opening material for the Fast & Furious shows on PlayChess!
Can the average player today, in the time of heavy computer analysis, still find new ideas in the openings – or do you have to be an International Master or Grandmaster to do so? And if yes, how?
The good thing about being an average player is that, in my opinion, in most of the cases the game leaves theoretical paths earlier and original positions will be reached more often than in grandmasters games. And yes, when it comes down to preparation with engines I think the average player can discover new ideas too, why not? Both can follow the recommendations of the engine, but perhaps the main advantage of grandmasters they are better evaluating long-term play. So in tactical positions the average player shouldn't be any worse than a GM, but in positional type of play it may help the player to have a deeper understanding of the game.
Are there any players who you admire for their creative play in the opening?
Well, in general I like to see different type of players no matter the stage of the game. But when it comes down to creative opening play the names of Rapport, Mamedyarov and Jobava just spring to mind.

Baadur Jobava believes in creative opening play (Photo: Amruta Mokal)
Last question: what project are you currently working on?
Well my main project at the moment is not chess-related, as I just bought an apartment in Amstelveen, a city next to Amsterdam with 90.000 inhabitants, and I will move in there in next week! By the way, every year I organize in Amstelveen a chess week with different activities, including the Dutch Rapid Championships (http://cne-nkrapid.nl/). We are already preparing the event, which will take place in the last quarter of 2017. But besides that I do have my own Amsterdam Chess Academy as I'm involved in several chess promoting activities, teaching in primary schools, private clients and online training with students from all over the world. So, never a dull moment!
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Robert Ris A World Champions Repertoire against the Queen's Gambit Declined
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