FIDE Surveys – Michael Khodarkovsky 

1 

 

Michael Khodarkovsky:  
 
SICILIAN CAPRICIO 
The Past and Present - Tribute 
to Igor Platonov 
 

We always recommend that our students 
study games played by old masters so they 
may learn from the classics.  In this survey, I 
refer to modern games, which are 
reminiscent of games played in the 1970s by 
the late, and perhaps forgotten by many, 
USSR’s Grandmaster Igor Platonov. 
I had the privilege to work as the assistant 
coach of Igor Vladimirovich Platonov, Head 
coach of the Ukrainian Team at the 1985 
USSR Team Cup in Volgograd. Our 
discussions and joint analysis helped me 
grow both as a chess analyst and trainer. 
However, my long-time friends and 
mentors, GMs Lev Alburt and Sam Palatnik 
knew Igor Platonov very well.  They wrote 
in their co-authored book “Platonov’s Chess 
Academy”: ”Platonov was unquestionably a 
chess philosopher…His clearly defined 
individuality, in combination with the 
breadth of his views and powerful intellect, 
made Igor Platonov a distinguished star in 
the chess galaxy…” 
I am grateful to Lev and Sam for allowing 
me to use excerpts of their work to make a 
tribute to Igor Platonov. 
 
Levy : Platonov 
Havana 1972 
 
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Qb6 
An innovative idea back then in the 
beginning of 70s of the last century, which 
forces white knight to move back on b3 
from the ideal central square d4. This idea 
became popular and many well-known 
players included it in their repertoire.  
5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 Qc7 8.a3 Be7 

9.f4 d6 10.Bd3 a6 11.Qf3 b5 12.0–0 Bb7 
13.Rae1  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+-+k+-tr0 
9+lwq-vlpzpp0 
9p+nzppsn-+0 
9+p+-+-+-0 
9-+-+PzP-+0 
9zPNsNLvLQ+-0 
9-zPP+-+PzP0 
9+-+-tRRmK-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

White completed development and it looks 
like he didn't do anything wrong. However, 
in a few moves white would feel unexpected 
vulnerability.  
13...b4 14.ab4 Nb4 15.Qg3 0–0 16.e5  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+-+-trk+0 
9+lwq-vlpzpp0 
9p+-zppsn-+0 
9+-+-zP-+-0 
9-sn-+-zP-+0 
9+NsNLvL-wQ-0 
9-zPP+-+PzP0 
9+-+-tRRmK-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

16...Nh5 17.Qh3 g6 18.g4 Nd3 19.cd3 Ng7 
20.Rc1 Qd8 21.ed6 Bd6 22.Nd2  
Seems better was to play: 22.Nc5 Rb8 
23.Nb7 Rb7 24.Qg2 Qb8 25.Ne4 Be7 
26.Bd4 f5 27.gf5 Nf5 28.Be5 Qa7 29.Qf2=. 
22...Be7 23.Nde4 Rc8  
23...h5 24.g5 Nf5.  
24.Rcd1 h5 25.gh5 Nh5 

FIDE Surveys – Michael Khodarkovsky 

2 

 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+rwq-trk+0 
9+l+-vlp+-0 
9p+-+p+p+0 
9+-+-+-+n0 
9-+-+NzP-+0 
9+-sNPvL-+Q0 
9-zP-+-+-zP0 
9+-+R+RmK-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

It was hard to anticipate at move 13 that 
black will dominate the game by move 25th. 
26.f5 ef5 27.Rf5  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+rwq-trk+0 
9+l+-vlp+-0 
9p+-+-+p+0 
9+-+-+R+n0 
9-+-+N+-+0 
9+-sNPvL-+Q0 
9-zP-+-+-zP0 
9+-+R+-mK-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

27…gf5! 28.Qh5 Rc6!? 29.Qf5 Rg6 
30.Ng3 Bd6 31.Nce2 Re8 32.Nf4 Bf4 and 
White resigned in view of 33.Qf4 Qd5 or if 
33.Bf4, then 33...Qd4 and 34...Qb2. 0:1. 
 
Kamsky : Gelfand 
Kazan 2011 
 
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Qb6 
Almost forty years later since the game 
Levy : Platonov, Boris Gelfand decided to 
use this line in the game versus Kamsky in 

one of the most important event as world 
Championship Candidates match is.  
5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 
9.a4 d6 10.Be3 Qc7 11.f4 b6 12.Qf3 Bb7 
13.Nb5 Qb8 14.c3 e5!?  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9rwq-+-trk+0 
9zpl+-vlpzpp0 
9-zpnzp-sn-+0 
9+N+-zp-+-0 
9P+-+PzP-+0 
9+NzPLvLQ+-0 
9-zP-+-+PzP0 
9tR-+-+RmK-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

The text move deserves serious attention. 
Back in the 50s, it was established that one 
of the most important elements or strategic 
plans in the Sicilian if you will is to reach a 
disorientation of white knights. Therefore 
move 14...e5 has emphasized the control 
over square d4 and eliminated an 
opportunity for white knights to reach a 
harmony with each other.  
15.f5 a6 16.Na3 d5!? 17.Nd2 Qd8 18.Bf2 
d4! 19.Qe2 Re8 20.Nb3 Nd7 21.Kh1 Ba3 
21...Bh4=. 
22.Ra3 Nc5 
Relatively even position would arise after 
22...Qf6 or 22... Nf6. The text move and the 
following one, although look aggressive due 
to active cavalry, but could bring black a lot 
of troubles. See line below after move 
25.Qh5.  
23.Bc4 Na5?!  
23...Nb3 24.Bb3 dc3 25.Qh5. 
24.Na5 ba5 25.Qh5? 
25.Bf7 Kf7 26.Qc4 Bd5 27.ed5 Ne4 28.d6 
Kf8 29.cd4 Nf2 30.Rf2 ed4 31.Rf1 Qd6. 
25...Qc7 26.Bd5 Bd5 27.ed5 Ne4 28.Bg1? 
Now black achieves a winning position 

FIDE Surveys – Michael Khodarkovsky 

3 

 

28.Qe2 Nf2 29.Qf2 Qc4 30.f6 g6 31.cd4 ed4 
32.Qf4 Re4 33.Qc1 Qc1 34.Rc1 Re5 35.Rd3 
Rd5 still with better chances for black but 
better than the move played in the game. 
28...Qc4 29.Raa1 Qd5 30.Rad1 d3 31.Qf3 
Rad8 32.Rfe1 Nf6 33.Qd5 Rd5–+ 34.c4 
Rd7 35.Bb6 e4 36.c5 Rc8 37.h3 h5 38.Kg1 
h4 39.Ba5 Rc5 40.Bc3 Rc4 41.Bf6 gf6 
42.b3 Rb4 43.Kf2 Rd5 44.Ke3 Rf5 45.Rc1 
Rg5 46.Rc4 Rc4 47.bc4 Rg2 48.c5  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+-+-+k+0 
9+-+-+p+-0 
9p+-+-zp-+0 
9+-zP-+-+-0 
9P+-+p+-zp0 
9+-+pmK-+P0 
9-+-+-+r+0 
9+-+-tR-+-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

48…Re2 49.Re2 de2 50.Ke2 Kf8 0:1. 
 
Suetin : Platonov 
Russia 1976 
 
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 
a6 6.Be3 e6 7.Be2 Qc7 8.f4 b5 9.Bf3 Bb7 
10.a3 Nbd7 11.Qe2  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+-+kvl-tr0 
9+lwqn+pzpp0 
9p+-zppsn-+0 
9+p+-+-+-0 
9-+-sNPzP-+0 
9zP-sN-vLL+-0 
9-zPP+Q+PzP0 
9tR-+-mK-+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

In his commentaries for Chess informant, 
Suetin wrote back then that White's position 
here is slightly better. Then he was changing 
his opinion to the opposite as game was 
progressing.  
11...e5 12.Nf5 h6!?  
Accurate move to ensure useless position of 
the Knight on f5 on the long run.  
13.0–0 g6 14.Ng3 ef4 15.Bf4 Ne5 16.Rad1 
Bg7 17.Kh1 0–0  
Both sides reached a critical position, now 
starts a transition from the opening to 
middlegame.  
18.Rf2 Rfe8 19.Qf1 Rad8 20.Be5 Re5!? 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+-tr-+k+0 
9+lwq-+pvl-0 
9p+-zp-snpzp0 
9+p+-tr-+-0 
9-+-+P+-+0 
9zP-sN-+LsN-0 
9-zPP+-tRPzP0 
9+-+R+Q+K0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

A witty maneuver to use a rook as a shuttle 
on the fifth rank.  
21.Rfd2 h5 22.Qd3 Rc5 23.Nf1 Ne8 24.e5 
Re5 25.Bb7 Qb7 26.Nd5 Nf6 27.Nf6 Bf6 
28.Rf2 Qe7 29.c4 Bg7 30.cb5 ab5 31.Nd2 
Re1 32.Re1 Qe1 33.Rf1 Qe8 34.Nf3 Qc6 
35.Ng5 Rf8 36.b3 d5 37.Qf3 Qd7 38.a4 
ba4 39.ba4 Bh6 40.Qf6 d4 41.Nf3 d3 
42.Qa1 d2 43.a5 Rc8 44.Nd2 Qd2 45.a6 
Rc2 46.Rg1 Ra2 47.a7  
And White resigned before Black perform a 
simple but cute final accord:  47...Qg2! 0:1. 
 
 
 
 
 

FIDE Surveys – Michael Khodarkovsky 

4 

 

Karjakin : Cheparinov 
Porto Carras 2011 
 
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 
a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4 h6 
10.0–0–0 b4  
According to Bobby Fischer it is in black's 
favor to play b4 with the following d5 in the 
Sicilian defense.  
11.Nce2  
11.Nc6 bc3.  
11...Qc7 12.h4 d5 13.Bh3 Nb6  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+l+kvl-tr0 
9+-wq-+pzp-0 
9psn-+psn-zp0 
9+-+p+-+-0 
9-zp-sNP+PzP0 
9+-+-vLP+L0 
9PzPPwQN+-+0 
9+-mKR+-+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

The best position for the knight - it takes 
control over square c4 and opens the light 
squared bishop to protect a pawn on e6 from 
any possible thematic sacrifices.  
14.b3 de4 15.g5 Nfd5 16.fe4 Ne3 17.Qe3 
hg5 18.hg5 g6! 19.Kb1 Bg7 20.Rhf1 Qe5  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+l+k+-tr0 
9+-+-+pvl-0 
9psn-+p+p+0 
9+-+-wq-zP-0 
9-zp-sNP+-+0 
9+P+-wQ-+L0 
9P+P+N+-+0 
9+K+R+R+-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

The battery on the long diagonal is ready to 
shoot!  
21.Qf2 Ra7 22.Ng1 Rc7 23.Ngf3 Qc5 
24.Qd2 Qc3 25.Bg4 Qd2  
Queens exchange here favours black. 
26.Rd2 Ke7 27.Rdf2 Nd7 28.Ne2 Bb7 
29.Ne1 Ne5 30.Nd3 Ke8 31.Ne5 Be5  
Seems like white was able to decline 
immediate threats, but strategically black 
has much better endgame which he proved 
in the following moves.  
32.Bf3 Rh4 33.Nc1 Be4 34.Re2 Bf3 35.Re5 
Be4 36.Rf2 Bf5 37.Ra5 Rc6 38.Rg2 Rh3 
39.Re5 Rh1 40.Kb2 Rd6 41.Nd3 Bd3 
42.cd3 Rd3 43.Re4 a5 44.Re5 Rd5 45.Rd5 
ed5 46.Rd2 Rf1  
White resigned in view of 47.Rxd5 Rf5! 0:1. 
 
Tal : Platonov 
Russia 1968 
 
Among Platonov's sound victories, the 
following is one of the greatest 
achievements of his career.  
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 
a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qf3 h6 8.Bh4 Nbd7 9.0–0–0 
Qc7 10.Be2 Be7!  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+l+k+-tr0 
9+pwqnvlpzp-0 
9p+-zppsn-zp0 
9+-+-+-+-0 
9-+-sNP+-vL0 
9+-sN-+Q+-0 
9PzPP+LzPPzP0 
9+-mKR+-+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

Avoiding a hidden trap in case of 10...b5? 
11.e5! Bb7 12.Ne6 fe6 13.Qh5! and if 
13...Nh5, then 14.Bh5 mating next move! 
11.Rhe1 g5 12.Bg3 Ne5 13.Qe3 b5 14.a3 

FIDE Surveys – Michael Khodarkovsky 

5 

 

Rb8 15.f3 Nfd7!  
Now black is planning to relocate the knight 
from d7 to c4 via b6 square to obtain a 
domination of his cavalry.  
16.f4 gf4 17.Bf4 b4 18.ab4 Rb4 19.Rf1 
Qb6 20.b3 Ng6 21.Bh5  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+l+k+-tr0 
9+-+nvlp+-0 
9pwq-zpp+nzp0 
9+-+-+-+L0 
9-tr-sNPvL-+0 
9+PsN-wQ-+-0 
9-+P+-+PzP0 
9+-mKR+R+-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

21…Rd4! 22.Rd4 Nf4 23.Rf4  
23.Bf7 Kd8 24.Rf4 e5–+. 
23...Bg5! 24.Bf7 Kd8 25.e5 Rf8 26.Ne2 
Rf7 27.h4 Bf4 28.Nf4 d5 29.g4 Rg7 30.g5 
hg5 31.hg5 Ke8 32.Nh5 Rh7! 33.Nf6  
33.g6 Rh5 34.g7 Kf7 35.Qf3 Rf5 36.Rg4 
Qd8!–+. 
33...Nf6 34.ef6 Rh1 35.Kb2 Rh4! 36.c3 
Rh2 37.Ka3 Rc2  
37...a5! 
38.Qh3 Qa5 39.Ra4 Qc5 40.Rb4 a5  
41.Qh8 Kd7 42.Qh7 Kc6 43.Qc2 ab4 
44.Ka2 bc3 45.g6 e5 46.f7 Be6 47.Qd3 
Qf2+-  
The best continuation, which leads to 
technically winning position. 47...c2? 
48.Qa6 Kc7 49.f8Q Qf8 50.Qa7, with a 
perpetual check. 
48.Ka3 Qa7 49.Kb4 Qc5 50.Ka4 c2 51.f8Q 
Qa7 52.Kb4 Qb7 53.Ka4 c1Q 54.Qff1 Qf1 
55.Qf1 Qa7 56.Kb4 Qc5 57.Ka4 Kb6 0:1.