Sicilian ...e6
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3!?
This is a relatively obscure continuation, but there 7,492 examples of the move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, including games by Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen on the white side.
3....Nc6 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.Qe2 d6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Rd1 0-0 8.d4
This is more popular, but less successful percentage-wise, than trying to build a classical centre with 8.c3!?
8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4!?
My main analysis engines, Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02, like this. One point is that after ...
10.Rxd4
... the black queen can be developed with tempo.
10...Qb6 11.Rd3!?
Probably a novelty. All eight games to reach the position after 10...Qb6 in Mega23 saw 11.Rd1.
11...Bd7 12.Rb3!?
This was my point in playing 11.Rd3!?, but it is double-edged as rooks are often not well-placed ahead of pawns in the late-opening/early-middlegame as the board is usually teeming with enemy minor pieces and pawns.
12...Qc7 13.Be3 Bc6 14.Nc3 b6 15.Rd1 Rac8 16.Bf4 Rfd8 17.Nb1!? Qb7 18.Nd2 Ba4!?
 |
| After a quiet opening, the game suddenly springs into tactical life |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
19.e5 Nd5 20.exd6 Bxd6 21.Bxd6 Rxd6
 |
| How should White continue? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
22.Qe5?
The engines reckon 22.c4!? and 22.Ne4 are equal, eg 22.c4!? Bxb3 23.axb3 Nf4 24.gxf4 Qd7 25.Kf1 (an only-move, according to the engines) Rd8 26.Ke1 Rd4, or 22.Ne4 Rdc6 23.c4! Qa6 24.Nd2, but both lines are very sharp and it is easy for either player to go wrong.
22...Qd7?!
Probably stronger are the engines' 22...Qc7!? and 22...Rdd8.
23.Ne4
 |
| What should Black play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
23...Bxb3?
Black is slightly better after 23...Rdc6, according to the engines.
24.axb3?
White is winning after 24.Qxd6, eg 24...Qxd6 25.Nxd6 Bxc2 26.Rxd5, or 24...Ba4 25.b3 Bc6 26.Qxd7 Bxd7 27.c4 etc.
24...Rdc6 25.c4 Qc7 26.Qxc7 Nxc7?!
Probably better is 26...R6xc7 27.cxd5 Rc1 28.Rf1! Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Rc1+ 30.Ke2 exd5 31.Nd2 Rc2 with equality (Stockfish15) or at least no more than a slight disadvantage (Komodo13.02).
27.Nd6?!
Almost certainly better is 27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Bxc6.
27...Rxd6 28.Rxd6
 |
| Black to play and draw |
*****
*****
*****
*****
28...Kf8?
Correct is 28...Ne8, and if 29.Rd7 then 29...Rc7 as 30.Rxc7 Nxc7 is at best equal for White (normally rival pawn-majorities would favour a bishop over a knight, but here the significant thing is White's compromised queenside majority).
29.Rd7 Ke8?!
Probably better, but losing a pawn, is 29...Na6!?
30.Bc6 a6?
Definitely better is 29...Na6.
31.Rxc7+ (1-0, 57 moves)
No comments:
Post a Comment