This is what one of the world's best theoreticians and super-grandmaster Daniil Dubov could ask his opponent Jan Nepomniachtchi in the last round of the World Blitz Championship at the end of last year! „But what does the Royal Cobra have to do with the World Championship and our beautiful game?“ a reader might ask. Well, few know that in opening theory there really is a variation called the Cobra…
Perhaps you, dear readers, who are not currently watching countless more or less quality videos, will enjoy replaying this nice dynamic game. At the same time, you can learn something: it really makes no sense to ‚enter‘ your opponent’s prepared variation, especially in blitz, let alone if it is a renowned theoretician…
So the last 21st round of the World Blitz Championship is being played and on one of the top boards two leading players of the Russian Federation face each other. (They also have some unfinished business between them, because in the World Championship match Carlsen-Nepomniachtchi at the end of 2021, Dubov was ‚lured‘ by a fat offer from the world champion and prepared him as one of the seconds; the spicy detail is not only that both grandmasters are Russian, but also of Jewish origin.)
Of course, the article is designed so that dear readers, if not enthused by the Cobra variation, at least reflect on the splendid battles between two almost always hostile sides in the game: madam Static most often representing material advantage, space, a good pawn structure, strong squares… on the other side then madame Dynamic (the chess synonym for Time!), who loves a lead in development, later initiative and attack against the king.
The Cobra arises in the Sicilian Defence in the classical Sicilian Four Knights system (that is the correct name) after the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 or 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 (let us add that the first move order is nowadays considered more sophisticated because it prevents White from using the annoying Rossolimo-Nezhmetdinov system 3.Bb5 after 2…Nc6).
We see that, for example unlike in the Dragon variations, Black here focuses not on fighting for the d4 square but on e4! If given the opportunity (for example if White is not familiar with the basic ideas and variations) his further developing moves and fight for the centre are quite easily understandable and almost readable even for beginners:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Bb4 7.f3?! d5!
It is, of course, clear that a stronger, more erudite or prepared player will not naively set up White’s position like this, inviting our intentions. So let us briefly look at the main lines.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6. It is still possible to consider as a certain tabiya 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Ng4
and further most often 8…Qc7 9.f4 Qb6 (9…Rb8!?) 10.c4 Bb4+ 11.Ke2
(the only one!) with a somewhat schizophrenic position, in which Black is still searching for a way to full equality or rather completely carefree play.
Before we look at our Cobra, let us add that on the sixth move White has less committing but still sharp continuations available:
the gambit variation 6.Be2 Bb4 7.0-0, 6.g3 and finally the recently popular 6.a3, which also carries a psychological charge. More experienced players will probably know what I mean. If Black chooses after 6.a3 the setup Be7 + d6 + 0-0, we face a Scheveningen-type position, where a2-a3 can be considered, if not a loss of tempo, then at least ‚not great‘. But who is willing to learn the entire Scheveningen 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6, when nowadays computers give Keres Attack 6.g4! the green light?
Well, and now finally let us turn to the actual game and the ‚mandatory‘ encore! The basic material for your possible new arsenal will thus be ready...
Jan, with only a few seconds left on the clock, is about to make a decisive mistake!
The broadcast of the blitz game can be watched for example on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3DTfOaaAO8&t=5s
Well, that is all for now. I wish readers much success in the new year 2023, perhaps also with Cobra at hand...
