I've done substantial analysis on Trompowsky lines over the vacation (researching openings is certainly not an efficient way to improve chess, but this system intrigued me, and I’ve began trying some 1. d4 lines in some games now) and this line in particular is pretty cool.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.e4 Qxb2 8.Nd2 Qxc3 9.Bc7
Pretty much main line theory until 7. e4!? inviting the queen to eat on b2 and c3. Black's Queen is in an awkward position since it may not retreat to a5. There are very many ways with dealing with the Trompowsky.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompowski_Attack
As far as I’m aware, there is no proven refutation in the above line, which is pretty cool given that White sacs 2 pawns in a Queen's Pawn Opening. 🙂
Any thoughts regarding the line?
Some of the analysis below is my own with some analysis help from Fritz8, but I obtained a portion of analysis from this site below (although the posters apparently all used Fritz8 a bit religiously in their analysis).
http://www.chesspublishing.com/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1116452000/0
The strongest continuation after 9. Bc7 is likely:
9...Qe3+ 10.Ne2 d6 11.Nc4 Qh6 12. Rb1
The above line deserves tests. If anybody wishes to play set-piece from the position 12. Rb1, I’d be happy to. In fact, the line up to 9. Bc7 is only found in 11 games in the chesslive.com database. True, black has the two extra pawns, but I suspect with ultra-accurate play white may be able to draw given Black’s lack of development.
The analyzed line presented in the above link deviates by playing 12. Bxb8:
12.Bxb8?! Rxb8 13.Qa4+ b5 14. Qxa7 Nd7 15. Na5?! (15. Rb1 is better) Qh4? 16. g3 Qf6 The purpose of Qh4 was induce a Kside weakness, but in actuality it allows spectacular tactics that may win for white (or at least draws). Black should be more concerned of getting the King to safety.
17.Bh3!! (17.Kf2 e6 (17...Qxa1 18.Bh3!) 18.Rd1 Be7 19.Nc6 (19.e5?? Nxe5 20.Qxb8? Qxf3+ 21.Ke1 0–0) 19...Rb7 20.Qa5 0–0 21.Nf4) 17...Qxa1+ (17...e6 18.0–0 Be7? 19.Nf4) 18.Kf2 Rb7
19.Nxb7 Qxh1 20.Bxd7+ Kxd7 21.Nxc5+! Ke8 22.Qa8 Qxh2+ (Kd8 loses b pawn, bishop and game.) 23.Ke3 Qh6+ 24.f4 f5 25.Ne6 Kf7 26.Qxc8 Qf6 27.N2d4 g6 28.Ng5+ Kg8 29.Nge6 fxe4 30.Nxb5 h6 31.Nc3 g5 32.Nxe4 Qf5 33.g4 gxf4+ 34.Kf3 Qf7 35.a4 h5 36.g5 Kh7 37.Nxf4 Rg8 38.a5 Kh8 39.Qh3 Qh7 40.Qh4 Qf7 41.Ke3 Qf5 42.a6 Qf7 43.Qh3 Bg7 44.Nxh5 Bd4+ 45.Kxd4 Qh7+-
However, I believe 15…g6! is the only move wins for black in the above line, which renders the analysis on the site given of the other lines somewhat meaningless. Surprisingly, Fritz8 doesn’t even remotely consider 15…g6. Black gives back the two pawns but Black’s King is safe, his bishop covering the diagonal, and is very much better developed., and may eventually push his Qside pawns; white has no counterplay. Additionally Black has a winning game through tactics if white’s knight captures on b8.
Here are my analyzed lines after 15…g6.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.e4 Qxb2 8.Nd2 Qxc3 9.Bc7 9...Qe3+ 10.Ne2 d6 11.Nc4 Qh6 12.Bxb8 Rxb8 13.Qa4+ b5 14. Qxa7 Nd7 15. Na5 g6
16.Rb1 (16.Nc6 Bg7 17.Rb1 (17.Nxb8 Qe3 18.Kd1 (18.Rc1 Ne5 19.Nc6 Nd3+ 20.Kd1 Nf2+ 21.Ke1 0–0 22.Nxe7+ Kh8 23.Nxc8 Nxh1 24.Nxd6 Bh6 25.Nxf7+ Rxf7 26.Qb8+ Rf8 27.Qe5+ Bg7 28.Qc7 Qf2+ 29.Kd2 Bh6+ 30.Kc2 Bxc1 31.Qe5+ Kg8 32.Qe6+ Rf7 33.Qe8+ Kg7 34.Qe5+ Kh6 35.Qe8 Rf6 36.Qe5 Bg5–+) 18...Ne5!–+ 19.Rc1 Bh6 20.Qa5 b4 21.f4 Ng4 22.Ng3 Nf2+ 23.Kc2 0–0 24.Bc4 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Bf5 26.Nc6 Bxe4+ 27.Kb2 Bg7+–+) 17...Rb7 18.Qa5 0–0 19.Nxe7+ Kh8) 16...Bg7 17.Nc6 Rb7 18.Qa5 0–0 19.Nxe7+ (19.Rxb5 Ne5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5–+) 19...Kh8 20.Nxc8 Rxc8 21.Qd2;