Monokroussos vs. West, Part V

In part five of his critique, Dennis Monokroussos gives the following line for White against the Philidor Counter Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Bb5+ c6 8.Bd3 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 Nf6 11.O-O-O O-O 12.Nxd4 Re8 13.Rhe1 h6 14.Rxe8+ Qxe8 15.Re1 Qf8 16.Ngf3 c5 17.Nb5 Na6 18.Ne5 Qd8 19.Bg6 as clearly better for White.


But he is overlooking some defensive resources. Black should play 19...Be6 20.Qe2 Nc7 21.Nxc7 Qxc7 22.Nd3 Bf7 23.Bxf7+ Qxf7 24.Nxc5 Qc7 25.Ne6 Qxh2 26.f4 Re8 with a good game.

In the other line for White that Monokroussos recommends 7.Nxd4 Qe7+ 8.Be2 h6 9.Ngf3 c6 10.O-O Qf6 11.Re1 Bb4 12.c3 Bd6 13.Ba6+ Kf7 14.Bd3 Ne7 15.c4, I prefer to defend by 15...Rf8 16.Bd2 Kg8 17.Bc3 Qf7.

And if White goes for mating threats with 18.Bc2 Na6 19.cxd5 Nxd5 20.Qd3, then 20...g5 21.Ne5 Bxe5 22.Rxe5 Nab4 is a satisfactory response.