The game can be seen at M5 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.Nc3 c5
This response is second in popularity to 1...d5 in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
2.e4
The main line in Mega22 runs 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4!? cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 (4...Nf6 is also popular) 5.e4, reaching a position from the Sicilian Accelerated Dragon.
2...a6!?
This has been tried by many top players, including Carlsen, Nakamura, Aronian and Giri, but trails 2...e6, 2...d6 and 2...Nc6 in popularity.
 |
| How should White respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
3.a4
Most popular in Mega22 are 3.f4 and especially 3.g3, while Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 like 3.Nf3.
3...Nc6 4.Nge2!?
This move, in combination with 3.a4, may be too slow. Much more popular are 4.g3 and especially 4.f4.
4...Nf6 5.g3
This allows ...d5 without Black suffering any bad consequence, which, as I mentioned in my notes to the game, is often a sign in the Sicilian that Black has at least equalised.
The engines suggest 5.d4, when 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 discourages 6...d5?! as 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Nxc6 probably favours White. However the engines reckon 6....e5!? equalises, and 5...d5!? may even be good.
5...d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Bg2 Ndb4!
This seems to be a novelty - 7...Nc7 is a known move - and is much-liked by the engines.
8.0-0 g6
8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 (forced as 9....Qxd4? 10.Ne4 sets up a fork on cs as well as attacking the c5 pawn) 10.Nb1!? is at least equal and probably favours White, according to the engines.
9.d3 Bg7 10.Ne4
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
The game saw 10...c4!?, when the engines reckon 11.d4! gives White an edge, the point being 11...Nxd4? 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Qxd4 Bxd4 is met by 14.c3. Black should probably play 11...0-0, when 12.c3!? Nd3 13.Nf4 Nxc1 14.Qxc1 may give White an edge.
Black certainly should not play 10...b6? as after 11.c3 the capture 11...Nxd3 seems to fail to 12.Nf6+ Bxf6 13.Bxc6+ Bd7 14.Bxa8 Nxc1 15.Bf3 Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2, when White is the exchange up. True, Black has a pawn and the bishop-pair as compensation, but White has central files for the rooks and a slight initiative, a plausible continuation being 16...Qc8 (defending a6) 17.h4 0-0 18.h5 Kg7 19.Rfd1, when the engines agree White has a large advantage. Black is therefore obliged to meet 11.c3 with 11...Nd5, when 12.Nf4 Nxf4 13.Bxf4 Bb7 14.a5! Nxa5 15.Qa4+ Qd7 16.Nxc5! bxc5 17.Qxd7+ Kxd7 18.Rxa5 favours White.
Also bad is 10...Qb6? 11.Be3, but the engines reckon Black is better after 10...Bg4! as 11.Nxc5?! runs into 11...Nd4. White should probably therefore play either 11.Be3, when 11...Nd4 12.Bxd4 cxd4 seems a tiny bit better for Black, or 11.c3!?, when 11...Nxd3 12.h3 Bf5 13.Be3 c4 also probably gives Black a small edge, according to the engines.
No comments:
Post a Comment