Discoveries in Westphalia Variation (Manhattan Defence, Manhattan Variation, Westphalian Variation), changing appraisal of its most important variants, are present in this investigation.

Summary of analysis (author's novelties are marked by symbol "AN")

[D38,D51] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Bg5 Bb4+ 5.Nc3 Nbd7

It should be noted, that 5...Bc3AN 6.bc Nbd7 isn't Westphalia variation.

Paragraph 1: 6.cd ed 7.e3

I. 7...c6AN

[with the idea Qa5, and then in many cases black plays Nf6-e4 or b7-b6, Bc8-a6] with unclear position.

II. 7...h6 8.Bh4! g5AN

9.Bg3 Ne4 The position is unclear (including after 10.Nd2!?).

III. 7...c5 8.Bd3!?

[Other moves will be considered in paragraphs 6 – 9.]

B) From the 8-th move black can play c5-c4 (with previous preparation or without it) in order to exchange white’s white-fielded bishop (if it retreats to f5 and if white plays Qd1-c2 after Qd8-a5) or to repulse it to c2. Thus, black creates white’s weaknesses in both cases. For example: 8...c4 9.Bf5 [9.Bc2 Qa5 10.0-0 – 8...Qa5 9.0-0 c4 10.Bc2 (part IIIC1)]

B1) 9...h6 10.Bh4 g6AN 11.Bd7 [11.Bc2 Qa5 12.0-0 Bc3 13.bc Qc3!? 14.Qb1!? g5 15.Bg3 a5!? with enough counter-play] ...Bd7 with unclear position.

B2) 9...Qa5 10.Qc2 [10.0-0 – 8...Qa5 9.0-0 c4 10.Bf5 (part IIIC1)] ...g6AN 11.Bd7! Nd7 with unclear position.

C) 8...Qa5

C1) 9.0-0 c4

C1a) 10.Bc2 Bc3 11.bc Qc3 12. Qb1!? a5!?AN with enough counter-play.

C1b) 10.Bf5 Bc3 (10...g6!?AN; 10...h6 11.Bh4 g6!?AN) 11.bc Qc3!? with enough counter-play (this is a new appraisal); 11...g6!?AN; 11...h6 12.Bh4 g6!?AN

C2) 9.Qc2 b6!?AN (with the idea Ba6). The position is unclear. [The variant 9...h6 10.Bh4! b6!?AN is, it may be, slightly worse, because after ...Ne4 white’s bishop will not stay under the blow of black’s knight. The position is unclear. Moreover, look, please, about the move c5-c4 (for example, 9...c4) in IIIB.]

Author: Y.Bukayev

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