Sicilian ...e6
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3!? Nc6 4.Bg2 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.d4
Magnus Carlsen is among those who have played 6.0-0!?, and if 6...d4 then Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 give 7.c3, the idea being to meet 7...dxc3 with 8.dxc3, which the engines reckon is very good for White, eg 8...Nf6 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.Re1+ Be7 11.Na3 Nc6 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Rxe5, when White has pressure down the e file and along the h1-a8 diagonal.
6...cxd4!?
The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 6...Bg4 7.0-0 cxd4, when the engines like 8.Nbd2, eg 8...Be7 9.Nb3 Bf6!? 10.Qd3 with what the engines reckon is an equal position.
7.Nxd4
The engines slightly prefer 7.0-0!?
7...Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Bf4
Magnus Carlsen (2837) - Pavel Kotsur (2548), World Championship Blitz (Astana, Kazakhstan) 2012, went 10.Be3 h6 11.Re1 Re8 12.h3 Bb4 13.a3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Na5 with an equal game, according to the engines (but 1-0, 33 moves).
10...Bg4 11.Qd3 Qd7 12.Rfe1 Rac8!?
The engines reckon 12...Rfe8 is equal, but there is a problem with the text, although it is far from obvious.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
13.Bg5
The engines give 13.h3!, the idea being 13...Bxh3?! 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Rxe7 Qxe7 16.Bxh3 is good for White. So Black should probably play 13...Bh5, which allows 14.Nf5, or 13...Be6, which allows 14.Nxe6.
13...h6 14.Be3
The engines prefer the complicated forcing sequence14.Nxd5!? Nxd5 15.Nxc6 Bxd5 16.Ne5 Nb4 with what seem to be equal chances.
14...a6?!
Black has a slight edge after 14...Rfe8, according to the engines.
15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qxa6
This wins a pawn but cedes the initiative. Possibly better is 16.Na4!?, when the threat of a fork at b6 means White can win the c5 outpost with Nc5 or Bc5.
16...Bb4?!
The engines prefer 16...Bf5 or 16...Rfe8.
17.Bd2?!
Probably better is 17.Bd4, the idea being to meet 17...Ne4 with 18.Nxe4! Bxe1 19.Nc5, when White has only a pawn for the exchange but is better coordinated, eg 19...Qe7 20.c3 Bd2 21.h4 h5 22.Nb3 Be2 23.Qa5 Bh6 24.Bc5 etc.
17...Qf5 18.Qd3 Qh5?!
Black should let queens be exchanged, according to the engines.
19.Qd4 Bd6 20.Bf4 c5 21.Qd2 Bxf4 22.Qxf4 d4 23.Re5 Qg6 24.Nd5 Nxd5 25.Rxd5?
White has at least the upper hand after 25.Bxd5, according to the engines.
25...Be6 26.Re5?!
White should give up the exchange with 26.Be4!? f5 27.Bg2 Bxd5 28.Bxd5+, according to the engines, with Stockfish15 rating White a little better, but Komodo13.02 calling the position completely equal.
26...Qxc2 27.Qc1!?
This seems the only move to keep the game going.
27...Qxc1+ 28.Rxc1 Bxa2
Black has a slight edge after 28...c4!?, according to the engines.
29.Rexc5 Rxc5 30.Rxc5 d3 31.Bf3 Re8 32.Rc1?
Several moves draw, according to the engines, eg 32.Rc3 d2 33.Kg2.
 |
| Black to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
32...Bb3?
The winning move is 32...d2, eg 33.Rd1 Rd8 and ...Bb3.
 |
| White to play and draw |
*****
*****
*****
*****
33.Kf1?
The engines point out 33.Rc3 Bc2 34.b4 with sufficient counterplay.
33...d2 34.Ra1 Bc4+ 35.Kg2 g6?
Winning is 35...Re1, threatening 36...Bf1+ etc. White's best, according to the engines, is 36.Bd1, but Black wins easily, eg 36...Kh7 37.Bc2+ g6 38.Ra4 Bd5+ etc.
36.Ra4 Bb5?
White is slightly better after this. The engines give several completely equal lines, including 36...Re2!? 37.Ra8+ Kh7 38.Rd8 d1=Q 39.Rxd1 Rxb2 and 36...Be2 37.Bxe2 Rxe2 38.Rd4 d1=Q etc.
37.Rd4 Re1 38.h4?
White has at least a slight edge after 38.g4 as 38...Bf1+ can be met by 39.Kg3, winning a pawn.
38...Bf1+ 39.Kh2 Be2 40.Bxe2 Rxe2 41.Kg2 d1=Q 42.Rxd1 Rxb2 ½–½
No comments:
Post a Comment