IN round one I had white against Justyna Łochina (1526).
Sicilian ...e6
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3!?
This somewhat unusual move scores 54% in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, which is better than the more-popular alternatives. One of the ideas is, rather as in the Chameleon Sicilian, to hold off on whether to play an open Sicilian with d4 or a closed variation with d3.
3...Nc6 4.Bg2 Nf6
This is easily the commonest reaction, although grandmasters have also played several other moves, including central expansion with 4...d5.
5.Nc3
The main line in Mega21 runs 5.Qe2 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.0-0 Be7 8.Rd1 Bf6!? 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Ne4, when Stockfish14 gives White the upper hand but Komodo12.1.1 reckons White has just a slight edge.
5...d6
The engines' choice 5...d5 is slightly more popular in Mega21.
6.0-0
This is a good time to open the position with 6.d4, according to the engines, although they are also happy with the text.
6...Be7 7.d3
Here the engines again prefer d4. My choice gives the position more of a King's Indian Attack feel, except in the KIA the white queen's knight is usually less-actively posted on d2.
7...0-0 8.h3!?
Covering the g4 square to allow for Be3 without fearing harassment from a knight on g4. This is the most-popular plan in Mega21, but is arguably a little slow.
8...Rb8!?
As I mentioned in my notes to the game, one of the rules-of-thumb put forward by first world correspondence champion Cecil Purdy is to never place a rook behind an unmoved pawn, even if you intend soon moving the pawn. I suspect there are many cases when this rule should be ignored, and perhaps it suffices to point out in this instance that the text has been played by Alexander Morozevich, Loek van Wely, other strong grandmasters ... and 13-year-old Garry Kasparov.
9.a4 a6 10.Be3 Qc7!?
The immediate ...b5 is consistent and about equally good, according to the engines.
11.Nh4!?
This apparent-novelty is not liked by the engines, who again prefer d4.
11...Rd8
Black anticipates 12.f4 by preparing central counterplay. Queenside expansion with 11...b5 is also sound.
12.f4 d5 13.e5 Ne8
The engines give 13...d4!?, the point being 14.exf6 is simply answered by 14...Bxf6, when Black picks up the white queen's knight (or queen's bishop) and effectively stops White's kingside attack before it properly stars.
14.Bf2
Not 14.d4?? cxd4 15.Bxd4 as 15...Nxd4 16.Qxd4 loses the queen to 16...Bc5.
14...f6
This is Stockfish14's choice, just. Komodo12.1.1 marginally prefers 14...Bxh4!? After 15.gxh4 the question is whether White's attacking chances down the half-open g file outweigh the downside of having a smashed king's position. During the game I felt Black was not well-placed to exploit White's weaknesses, and presumably JŁ felt the same. The engines reckon the game is roughly level after both 14th moves.
15.exf6 Nxf6 16.Re1
A kingside attack no longer has much prospect of success, but Black has a backward e pawn that can be targeted.
16...Nd4!?
The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 16...Re8, 16...Bd6 or 16...Rf8.
17.Nf3
The engines want White to take advantage of Black's last move by pushing the a pawn. After 17.a5!? Nc6 they give 18.Nf3, reckoning 18...Nxa5?! 19.Ng5 is good for White. One line they give instead of 18...Nxa5?! is 18...h6 19.Qd2 d4 20.Ne4 with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.
17...Nxf3+
This is best, according to the engines, because it allows Black to follow-up with ...b6, when a5 is no longer effective.
18.Qxf3
White has connected rooks, and the opening can be thought of as over.
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| Position after 18.Qxf3 |
The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/08/wrocaw-round-one.html
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