Phony Benoni: After <9.0-0>: click for larger viewAnother vote for 9...h5 comes from "American Chess Bulletin", January 1923, p.5. An uncredited note reads: <"There is hardly time for this; it would have paid Black better to have castled at this juncture. White now proceeds vigorously against the Queen's side."> That sounds more like a description of 9...h5,but isn't conclusive. There's another significant note in the final position (assuming 9..h5 had been played):  click for larger view<"Inasmuch as white threatens R-Q5, the only way to stave off serious loss is by means of ...P-R5,in which case Black would be two Pawns down with little improvement in the position. If 20...R-B3 21.R-Q8ch and the Rook cannot be captured on account of Bxkt mate."> That final note makes no sense if Black has a pawn on a5 instead of h5. Now, these notes are not conclusive. Since they are not credited, I assume they were made by somebody at ACB and would be there even if ACB had the score wrong. But in light of the earlier comments on this page, the question needs to be looked at further. My own feeling is that 9...h5 is correct. |