Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6
If White intends disrupting Black's queenside pawn-formation, this is the time to do it as otherwise Black can cover the queen's knight with 4...Nge7, 4...Qc7 or 4...Qb6.
4...bxc6 5.d3
This may look wimpy, or at least passive, but putting pawns on light squares makes sense after giving up the light-square bishop, and White does not want to open the position for Black's bishop-pair.
5...d5!?
This is a popular alternative to the mainline 5...Ne7, but White scores 63% against it - compared with 53% for 5...Ne7 - in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.
6.0-0 Qc7
The simplifying 6...dxe4?! 7.dxe4 Ba6! 8.Re1 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 leaves Black with a weak queenside.
7.Re1 Ne7!?
This is the most-popular and most-successful move in Mega21, albeit from a small sample. It is also the top choice of Stockfish14, but Black faces difficulties completing his development. Komodo12.1.1 suggests 7...Nf6.
8.c4 g6?!
This is strongly disliked by the engines, but they reckon their eventual choice of 8...f6!? is also better for White.
9.Bg5 Bg7 10.e5 Ng8?!
A retrograde move early-ish in the opening is risky. However Stockfish14 suggests 10...h6 11.Be3 (11.Bf6!?) d4 12.Bf4, claiming a positionally-won game for White, while Komodo12.1.1 prefers 10...0-0 11.Nbd2 Nf5 12.Nb3, giving White the upper hand.
11.Nc3 Bb7 12.Rc1
Possibly even stronger is 12.cxd5, when 12...cxd5 13.Nb5 and 14.Nd6+ is clearly good for White, while 12...exd5 13.Na4 either wins a pawn or induces 13...c4!? 14.dxc4 dxc4, when 15.Nc5 is again very good for White.
12...h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Ne7 15.cxd5 cxd5
If 15...exd5?!, White has 16.e6, while 15...Nxd5 can be met by 16.Ne4.
16.Nb5 Qb6 17.Nd6+ Kf8 18.Nxb7!?
Of course I knew the white knight is better than the black bishop, but I liked the initiative White gets after the text. However the engines prefer a steadier approach, eg Stockfish14 gives 18.d4 c4 19.b3.
18...Qxb7 19.Rxc5 Qxb2 20.Qa4 Kg8 21.Rc7
The engines prefer attacking on the kingside with 21.h4!?
21...Nf5 22.Qd7 Rb8??
The engines give Black plenty of compensation for a pawn after 22...Rf8 23.Rxa7 g4 24.Nh4 Qd2. Instead they suggest 23.h3 with what they reckon is a game with equal chances, although to me White's position looks easier to play.
23.Qxf7+ Kh7 24.Qxe6 Rhf8 25.Qxd5 g4 26.Nh4 Nxg3
 |
| White to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
27.Rxg7+!
27.hxg3 is only good enough for a draw after 27...Qxf2+ 28.Kh2 Qxe1 29.Qd6! Rg8! 30.Rxg7+ Rxg7 31.Qxb8 Rf7, according to the engines.
27...Kxg7 28.Qd7+ Rf7
Black is too far behind on pawns after both 28...Kh8 29.Ng6+ Kg8 30.Nxf8 Rxf8 31.Qxg4+ etc and 28...Kg8 29.Qxg4+ Kh7 30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qxh6+ Kg8 32.Qg6+ Kh8 33.Qxg3.
29.Qxg4+ Kh7?
Better is 29...Kh8, but 30.Qxg3 leaves White with four pawns for the exchange.
30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qxf7 Ne2+ 32.Kf1 1-0
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