Opening Lessons From Wrocław II

IN round two I had Black against Igor Vanduyfhuys (1605)

Sicilian  Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6!?

There are 1,220 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, far fewer than for 4...Nc6 and 4...Bg7. The main idea is to induce White to play 5.Nc3, ruling out a Maróczy Bind. After 5.Nc3, which is the main reply, White is threatening to push the e pawn and thus evict the black knight from f6. Commonest is 5...d6, transposing to a normal Dragon. That can be avoided with 5...Nc6!?, when 6.Be3 transposes to a main line of the Accelerated Dragon. But White can put a spoke in Black's plans with 6.Nxc6, when the main line continues 6...bxc6 7.e5 Ng8 (not 7...Nd5? 8.Nxd5 cxd5 9.Qxd5 Rb8 10.e6!, when White's threat of a rook fork on e5 gives a large advantage) 8.Bc4 Bg7 9.Qf3, which the engines reckon is very good for White.

The above proved academic in this game as White played ...

5.e5?!

... which allows ...

5...Qa5+ 6.Nc3 Qxe5

Black is a pawn up and is winning, according to Stockfish14. However, the more positionally sensitive Komodo12.1.1 reckons Black only has a slight edge. Certainly, after ....

7.Be2

... White is going to gain a lead in development thanks to the possibility of harassing the black queen.

7...Nc6 8.Be3 Bg7 9.0-0!?

A combative-looking alternative is 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0.

9...0-0 10.Re1 d6?!

Stockfish14 suggests this is a good time to withdraw the queen, with 10...Qc7. One problem with the text is that it cuts off a retreat for the queen, but ...Qa5 is still available.

11.Bf3 Nxd4?

The engines reckon Black should play 11...Bd7 or 11.d5!?

12.Bxd4

White is getting his pawn back, while keeping the initiative.

12...Qg5!?

Maybe slightly better is 12...Qa5, but White has the upper hand after 13.Rxe7.

13.Rxe7 Nh5?

This makes matters worse. Probably best is the engines' depressingly passive 13...Rd8.

14.Bxg7

Even stronger seems to be 14.Nd5.

14...Nxg7 15.Re1 Bf5!?

Striving for activity.

Position after 16...Bf5!?

White is winning after 16.g3!? or 16.Qxd6, according to Stockfish14. Komodo12.1.1 also likes those moves, while reckoning Black 'only' has the upper hand. In the game, 16.Nd5 was played, which also leaves White much better.

The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/08/wrocaw-round-two.html