Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Bg7!?
This is easily the most popular move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, although in my, admittedly limited, praxis opponents have generally preferred 4...Nf6 (nine examples of the latter, six of the text, including this game, and one of 4...d6).
5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4
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| What should Black do about White's classical centre? |
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6...d5?
There are seven examples of this mistake in Mega23, including by a 2696, albeit at blitz. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 suggest 6...Nf6 7.Nc3 and now 7...d5, although they reckon 8.Ne5!? Bd7 9.Nxd7 gives White a slight edge.
7.cxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qe6+
Cem Kaan Gokerkan (2470) - Kirill Alekseenko (2696), Lichess Blitz 2021, went 8...Qh5 9.d5 a6 10.Ba4 b5 11.dxc6 bxa4 12.Qa4 with a large advantage for White (1-0, 55 moves).
9.Be3 a6 10.d5 Qg4 11.h3 Qb4
If 11...Qxg2? then 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Rh2 traps the black queen.
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| How should White proceed? |
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12.Bd4?!
This is probably enough for an advantage but almost certainly better is 12.Ba4 b5 13.dxc6 Bxc3+ (or 13...bxa4 14.0-0) 14.bxc3 Qxa4 15.Qxa4 bxa4 16.0-0-0, when material is level but White's large lead in development is decisive, according to the engines, which also like 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.0-0.
12...Bxd4 13.Qxd4!?
The engines for quite some time prefer 13.Nxd4 but come to see the text as almost on a par.
13...Qxd4 14.Nxd4 axb5 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Nxc6 Bd7?
Better is 16...Bb7, which transposes to the game after 17.Nxb5 Bxc6.
17.Nxb5?!
Sacrificing the knights to win the black rook. This leads to interesting play, but White had a simpler way to an advantage, according to the engines, with 17.Ne5, eg 17...Rb8 18.Nxd7 Kxd7 19.0-0-0+, although they prefer giving up the b5 pawn with 17...Nf6!? 18.Nxd7 Nxd7 19.Nxb5 0-0.
17...Bxc6 18.Nc7+
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| Where should the black king go? |
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18...Kf8?!
The king will be safe on the kingside, but it would not be in great danger on the queenside and is probably needed to stop the white passed pawns. The engines give 18...Kd7 19.Nxa8 Bxa8 (not 19...Bxg2? 20.Rd1+, after which the white knight escapes, eg 20...Kc6 21.Rg1 Bxh3 22.Rd8) 20.0-0 Nf6 21.b4, which is the same as the game but with the black king on d7 instead of far from the action on f8.
19.Nxa8 Bxa8
This is best, according to Stockfish15, although Komodo13.02 for a while marginally prefers 19...Bxg2!? However White has 20.0-0-0! with what Stockfish15 reckons is a winning advantage but Komodo13.02 evaluates as only a slight edge for White.
20.0-0 Nf6 21.b4
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| How should Black combat White's passers? |
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21...Kg7
Stockfish15 at first marginally prefers 21...Ke8 but comes to marginally prefer the text. Komodo13.02 is not keen on either king move, preferring 21...e6 and 21...Nd5. The one thing they agree on is White is slightly better.
22.b5 Rb8 23.a4 Bd5!?
The engines agree this is probably not best, but find it difficult to choose between 23...Ne4, 23...Ne8, 23...Nd5 and 23...e6.
24,Rfb1 Ne4 25.b6 Bb7 26.a5 Ba6?!
The engines' 26...Nc5 is probably better, but with advantage to White.
27.Re1 Nd6
The e pawn cannot be saved.
28.Rxe7 Nb5?!
The engines suggest 28...Nb7 but agree White is winning, eg 29.Rc7 h6 30.Ra3 with Rf3 to come. Indeed Stockfish15 reckons Black should sacrifice the knight with 29...Nxa5!? 30.Rxa5 Rxb6, which at least keeps the game going.
29.Rd1 Bc8
Or 29...Rf8 30.Rdd7 (30.b7 also wins) Bc8 31.Rd5 Ba6 32.b7, when the threat of 32.Rdd7 followed by Rxf7+! cannot be successfully met.
30.Re8 1-0
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