The game can be seen at M2 but here I want to focus in detail on the opening, which as a general rule I take to last until one side has connected rooks.
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7
Black is playing the white side of a Closed Sicilian, but with a tempo less, hoping that a single tempo will not make a huge difference. The chances are it will not, unless White finds a way to open the position effectively.
White, on the other hand, has a set-up seen on the black side of a Sicilian Dragon. That would suggest continuing 5.d3, which is indeed the main move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database. Other popular continuations include 5.e4, leading to a Botvinnik formation if White follows up with Nge2 or a Nimzowitsch formation if White follows up with Nf3, and:
5.e3
Most popular now is 5...d6, probably on the basis that it will be necessary sooner or later, and White has ruled out a quick ...d5.
5...Nge7
As with most moves in chess, developing the king's knight to e7 has pluses and minuses. On the plus side the knight does not obstruct the f7 pawn or the black king's bishop, and is unlikely to be effectively pinned by the white dark-square bishop from g5. On the minus side the knight would be more active on f6, hitting squares on the white side of the board, and would leave e7 free for the black queen and/or the queen's knight.
6.Nge2
Similar considerations apply to developing the white king's knight, but 6.d3 is very unpopular, and probably deservedly so - White has hopes of playing d4.
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
6...Nf5!?
Played to stop 7.d4, but much more popular are 6...d6 and especially 6...0-0. After the latter the main line runs 7.0-0 d6 8.d3, reaching a position Stockfish14.1 reckons slightly favours White but Komodo12.1.1 calls equal.
The question arises as to why White does not play 8.d4 as nothing seems to be stopping it? Well, 8.d4 is popular, the main line in Mega22 continuing 8...exd4 9.exd4 Nf5 10.d5 Ne5 11.b3, again reaching a position Stockfish14.1 reckons slightly favours White but Komodo12.1.1 calls equal.
The question arises as to why White does not play 8.d4 as nothing seems to be stopping it? Well, 8.d4 is popular, the main line in Mega22 continuing 8...exd4 9.exd4 Nf5 10.d5 Ne5 11.b3, again reaching a position Stockfish14.1 reckons slightly favours White but Komodo12.1.1 calls equal.
So 8.d3 is more popular but 8.d4 appears to be a viable alternative. Perhaps it is a matter of taste or fashion.
7.0-0
Despite 6...Nf5!?, the engines reckon 7.d4!? is playable, although it does not occur in Mega22. After, eg 7...exd4 8.exd4 Ncxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 Black has won a pawn but the engines reckon White has enough compensation, eg 10.0-0 0-0 11.h4, when White's pieces have more freedom, but a pawn is a pawn.
7...d6 8.a3
There is no good way to evict the f5 knight. 8.e4?! Nfd4 seems fine for Black while 8.g4? Nh4 9.h3 h5 puts the white king on the endangered-species list.
8...a5
This does not prevent the thrust b4 in the long run, or even in the medium run. But if White plays Rb1 to support b4 then ...axb4 will give the black queen's rook play down the a file.
9.Rb1 Be6!?
More natural might seem to be 9...0-0, and that is slightly preferred by the engines.
10.Nd5
This seems a convenient way to indirectly defend c4 and at the same time keep open the possibilities of d4 and b4. Nevertheless the engines slightly prefer 10.d3!?
10...Qd7 11.Nec3
This effectively gives up on playing d4 but reinforces d5 and threatens an effective Nb5, doubly attacking c7, in some lines.
11...0-0
 |
| Black has connected rooks - how would you assess the middlegame prospects of both sides? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White has more space on the queenside and can increase pressure there by playing b4. White might also at some point be able to expand in the centre, and possibly attack the black centre with f4.
Black is ahead on development - it will take White at least three moves to connect rooks. Black's natural play is on the kingside and particularly down the f file, but that will require spending a tempo withdrawing the king's knight.
Komodo12.1.1 gives White a slight edge while Stockfish14.1 reckons White has the upper hand.
In general it is probably fair to say that in this sort of position White should play for positional trumps on the queenside and possibly in the centre, while Black should aim for a kingside mating attack.
White's play is usually easier to organise, but Black's play is much the more dangerous if it succeeds.
No comments:
Post a Comment