Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6
This is regarded as a positional approach. More popular is 4.0-0.
4...bxc6 5.d3 Ne7 6.Qe2 Qc7 7.e5!?
The idea is to make it awkward for Black to mobilise the light-square bishop.
7...f6 8.Bf4 Ng6 9.Bg3 fxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Qh5+!?
White has the upper hand after 11.Bxe5 d6 12.Bg3, according to Stockfish14, but Komodo12.1.1 rates the position as equal..
11...g6 12.Qxe5 Qxe5 13.Bxe5 Rg8 14.Nd2 d6 15.Bc3 Be7 16.Ne4
The engines prefer 16.a3, intending b4, eg 16.a3 Rb8 17.b4 cxb4 18.axb4, which undoubles Black's c pawns but leaves Black with a weak a pawn.
16...e5 17.Bd2 Bf5
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| How would you assess this position? |
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Black has retained the bishop-pair and freed his light-square bishop. Black also has more space in the centre, but has one more pawn-island than White and his pawns in general are disrupted. The engines reckon the position is equal.
18.0-0?!
The engines strongly dislike this because it gives Black the chance to dissolve his doubled pawns. Instead they suggest 18.f3.
18...g5!?
Stockfish14 reckons 18...c4 leaves Black much better. Komodo12.1.1 also prefers 18...c4, but reckons Black has at best a slight edge.
19.b3 Kd7 20.Rad1 Raf8 21.Be3 h5 22.Ng3 Bg6 23.Ne4 Bh7 24.f3 Rf7 25.a3 a5!?
Preventing b4 but creating another target for White. However, the engines do not believe the drawback is serious - indeed the text is Komodo12.1.1's top choice for a while.
26.a4 Kc7 27.Bd2 Kb6 28.Be3?!
This makes it easy for Black to mobilise his central pawns. Probably better is the engines' 28.Rde1, although Stockfish14 continues 28...d5!? 29.Nf2 Bd6, albeit slightly preferring White.
28...d5 29.Nf2 Bd5 30.Rde1 Bd6 31.Bd2 Bd7 32.Bc3 Re7 33.Re2?!
Black now gets an initiative. The engines prefer 33.g4!? Rf8 34.Kg2 Ref7 35.gxh5 Rxf3 36.h6!?, claiming equality.
33...g4 34.fxg4 hxg4 35.Nh1!?
The knight is destined to never leave the corner, but the engines reckon 35.g3 also gives Black an edge.
35...c4
The engines reckon the best way to play this idea is 35...e4!? 36.dxe4 c4.
36.d4?
Better is 36.bxc4 Bc5+ 37.Nf2 with at best a slight edge for Black.
36...cxb3 37.Rb1?
Better, according to the engines, but still horrible is 37.cxb3 exd4 38.Bxd4+ c5 39.Rxe7 Bxe7, when the black bishop-pair and passed pawn give a large advantage.
37...e4?!
Almost certainly even stronger is 37...exd4, with similar play to the previous note.
38.cxb3?!
I got cold feet about Rxb3+ because a4 would be weak, but the engines reckon it is the better option.
38...Rh8 39.g3 Ka6 40.Reb2 Rf8 41.Rf1
Consistent is 41.b4, but the engines reckon Black is winning after 41...Rb8.
41...Rf3 42.Rxf3 gxf3 43.Kf2 Bf5 44.Bd2 c5 45.Be3 cxd4 46.Bxd4 Ba3 47.Ra2
Not 47.Rc2? e3+ etc.
47...Bc1 48.h4 e3+ 49.Kxf3 Be4+ 50.Ke2 Bf5!?
Also winning is 50...Bxh1 despite the small amount of counterplay White gets after 51.Rc2.
51.Kf3 Re4 52.Bc3 Bg4+ 53.Kg2 d4 54.Be1 d3 0-1
My laptop seems to be back to working more-as-less normally, despite me spilling water over it yesterday, except that the arrow keys no longer have any effect.
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