1.b3 According to Jobava Refined – Part 1 PGN Only February 13, 2026

1.b3 According to Jobava: Chess on Your Own Terms

When Baadur Jobava plays 1.b3, he’s not looking for a quiet game. The Georgian grandmaster has spent years transforming this seemingly modest first move into a weapon that forces opponents to navigate uncharted territory from move one. Together with Italian GM Pier Luigi Basso, Jobava now presents 1.b3 According to Jobava Refined – Part 1, a course that challenges the very notion of what a “sideline” can achieve. The central philosophy is simple but powerful: why memorize 30 moves of theory when you can create practical problems immediately? When Black responds with the ambitious 1…e5, White doesn’t retreat—White strikes with 4.Bb5 and 5.f4, turning the position into a battlefield where understanding trumps memorization.

The Jobava Method: Creativity Over Memorization

What distinguishes this course from typical repertoire guides is its emphasis on practical chess rather than theoretical purity. After 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3, White arrives at a deceptively calm position. The bishop on b2 eyes the long diagonal, and the pawn structure remains flexible. Black’s most testing responses—3…d5, 3…Nf6, 3…g6, 3…d6, and 3…a6—each receive detailed treatment, but the underlying approach remains consistent: create immediate tension with moves like 4.Bb5 and 5.f4, forcing opponents to solve concrete problems over the board.

The course represents a significant evolution from the authors’ previous collaboration on 1.b3 – Expert Repertoire for White – Part 1 and 1.b3 – Expert Repertoire for White – Part 2. Where those 2024 courses recommended 4.Nf3 against 3…Nf6, the refined version advocates 4.Bb5—a more principled approach that creates immediate tactical tension. This update reflects Jobava’s relentless search for practical improvements, and a second part completing this refined repertoire is forthcoming.

Variation Map: Black’s Main Tries After 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3

Counterattacking in the center after 3…d5:

• 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.f4 — Attacking e5 and eyeing the kingside (Chapters 2-3)
• 4.Bb5 f6 5.d4 — Exploiting kingside weaknesses with central strikes (Chapter 1)
• 4.Bb5 Nge7 — Black’s gambit try, sacrificing material for activity (Chapter 7)

The Classical Development: 3…Nf6

• 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.Na3 Na5 — Preventing Nc4, White’s most ambitious setup (Chapters 4-6)
• Alternative defenses: 5…a6 and 5…e4 also covered in these chapters

Modern Flexible Setups

• 3…g6 — Dubov’s solid fianchetto approach (Chapter 8)
• 3…d6 — Passive but resilient (Chapter 9)
• 3…a6 — Preventing Bb5 plans altogether (Chapter 10)