Gurgenidze Defense Freak

 Stigern,playing out of Norway at the internet chess club, is adamantly and irreversibly attached to the Gurgenidze Defense variation of the modern defense in chess. With couples, a nice piece of advice is to not stand between a man and his wife. The same is true with a chess player and his opening. Stigern plays the Gurgenidze Defense against everything and may not know any other opening based on ICC data.

The Gurgenidze Defense is characterized by Black setting up a rigid pawn structure comprised of pawns at e6, f7, g6, and h5. In the following position White patiently organized file opening pawn pawn levers or breaks after Black brazenly did not castle leaving his King in the center.

Many chess players know that an exposed King constitutes a long term positional feature which means one does not have to be in a big hurry to mate the King and slow build ups are often the most effective. Matt Grinberg, a strong New Mexico master, is very well acquainted with this subtle strategical theme.

Note that Black is "threatening" Qe1 check in the diagrammed position with White to move. White ignored this threat and played Queen captures pawn at g6 apparently oblivious to the move order Qe1 check followed by Nc1 blocking and Bf4 pinning!

Can you see that this is a trap set by White due to the safe luft a2 square?