There are moments, when the state of current theory is unsatisfactory for your repertoire. Then, you have the choice to either back down and look for another line, or to do your own research. There is a lot of scope to improve theory somewhere in a line or even to develop completely new branches. I know, the white patches on the chess map gradually fade, which makes it harder every day to find something new.
On the other hand, the engines of today are so strong, that even an average club player is able to find exiting novelties with their help. So, keep up the ambition to discover something new and make a contribution to chess theory. It is very rewarding, if you should happen to dig out a nugget in the end. Let this game serve you as an example.
[Event "BCF-ch Week2 AM op"]
[Site "Coventry"]
[Date "2015.08.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Gallagher, Daniel GH"]
[Black "Habershon, Paul F"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B05"]
[WhiteElo "1902"]
[BlackElo "2099"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2015.08.03"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2015.09.14"]
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 c6 6. c4 Nb6 7. Ng5 Bf5 {
Diagram [#] As you know, I played here 8.g4 on several occasions, which gives White a
good position. However, if you let Houdini calculate this position, he
instantly proposes an even better move. Consequently, it comes as no surprise
that our White protagonist, even though his rating is below master level,
chose precisely this move. Most likely, he gratefully adopted his engine's
proposal when preparing against his opponent, just before the game.} 8. e6 $1 {Diagram [#]
Actually, finding this move is no rocket science at all, because it is a standard
sacrifice in this kind of position. Consequently, it is also not totally
impossible, that the white player found it over the board (since he followed through in engine fashion, however, there is a strong suggestion that he was well prepared). Now, an interesting
question is: Why did I not find this move, when I analyzed it back in 1984?
One answer could be, that I simply lacked playing strength. While this
might be true, I doubt that this was the reason. Indeed, I was very well
acquainted with the line 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.c4 Nb6 where 6.
e6 is now more or less the only way to play for an advantage for White. Hence,
the motif e5-e6 was already part of my strategical arsenal. I guess the answer
to the riddle is revealed by the simple philosophical insight, that human
action normally originates from either a state of pain, scarcity or boredom. When I
examined 8.g4, none of these plagues were present, since the process of analyzing the position was exiting and the results
were pretty convincing. Hence, there simply was no need for further research.} Bxe6 (8... fxe6
9. g4 Bg6 (9... Bxb1 $2 10. Rxb1 Qd7 11. Bd3 g6 12. Qf3 $18) 10. Bd3 $1 Bxd3
11. Qxd3 e5 12. Qf3 exd4 13. Qf7+ Kd7 14. c5 dxc5 15. Ne6 Qc8 16. Nxc5+ Kd8 17.
Ne6+ Kd7 18. O-O {gives White a winning attack}) 9. Nxe6 fxe6 10. Nd2 $1 {[%cal
Gd2f3,Gf3g5] Diagram [#] White emerged with a huge advantage, which is
somewhere between clear an winning. He enjoys considerably more space and
dominates on the white squares while Black has problems with his development
and his notoriously endangered king. The neuralgic point e6 will soon be invaded by
White's forces.} (10. Bg4 $6 e5 11. dxe5 Nxc4 {and Black gets some of
counter play.}) 10... Na6 11. Nf3 g6 (11... h6 12. Qd3 $18) 12. Ng5 Nc7 13. Bg4
Bg7 (13... Nxc4 14. Qf3 $18) 14. Bxe6 {Diagram [#] The invasion finally took place.} Rf8
(14... Bf6 15. Bf7+ Kf8 16. Ne6+ Nxe6 17. Bxe6 Kg7 18. h4 Nd7 {Black cannot
defend against White's attack, unless he gets rid of the annoying white
squared bishop, who does a good job paralyzing Black's forces.} 19. h5 h6 (
19... Nf8 $2 20. h6#) 20. O-O Nf8 21. Bg4 d5 (21... e5 22. dxe5 Bxe5 23. Be3
$18 {[%cal Gd1d2,Ga1d1,Gf2f4]}) 22. c5 e5 23. dxe5 Bxe5 24. Re1 Qf6 25. a4 $1
$18 {[%cal Ga1a3,Ga3f3]}) 15. Bg4 Nxc4 (15... h5 16. Bh3 e6 (16... Nxc4 $2 17.
Qd3) 17. O-O Qf6 18. d5 $18 cxd5 19. cxd5 Nbxd5 20. Nxe6 Nxe6 21. Qxd5) 16. Qd3
d5 17. Nxh7 Qd6 (17... Rf7 18. O-O Qd6 19. Ng5 Rf8 20. b3 Nb6 21. Ba3 $1 $18
Qxa3 (21... Qf6 22. Nh7) 22. Qxg6+ Kd8 23. Qxg7) 18. Nxf8 Kxf8 19. O-O $18 {
Diagram [#] The rest of the game is not relevant anymore. White faced some
technical problems but could still win in the end.} Kf7 20. b3 Rh8 21. h3 Nb6
22. Bb2 Nd7 23. Qg3 Qxg3 24. fxg3+ Ke8 25. Bxd7+ Kxd7 26. Rad1 Ne6 27. Ba1 Ng5
28. b4 Ne4 29. Kh2 a6 30. a4 Nd6 31. Rf3 Rh5 32. g4 Rh8 33. g3 Rf8 34. Rxf8
Bxf8 35. Rf1 Bg7 36. h4 Ke6 37. g5 Nf5 38. g4 Nxd4 39. Bxd4 Bxd4 40. h5 Be5+
41. Kg2 d4 42. h6 Kd5 43. Kf3 Bh8 44. Ke2 Kc4 45. Rf8 d3+ 46. Kd1 Bc3 47. h7
Kxb4 48. Rf6 1-0
