U2000
Sicilian Closed
1.e4 d6 2.Bc4!?
There is nothing special about this move, except it probably puts both players on their own resources at a very early stage.
2...Nf6 3.d3 c5!?
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| We now have a Closed Variation of the Sicilian, but with the white light-square bishop developed outside of the pawn-chain |
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4.Nf3
There are 12 games of Serbian grandmaster Miodrag Savić with this position as white in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database. His score of +6=5-1, outperforming his average rating by 53 elo - 35 is roughly normal - suggests he may be on to something. The 'something', however, may simply be an example of familiarity breeding contentment.
4...Nc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3
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| How should Black meet the attack on the queen's bishop? |
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6...Bxf3!?
Strong grandmasters have played the text, but 6...Bh5 is almost three times more popular in Mega23.
7.Qxf3 Nd4 8.Qd1 b5!? 9.Bb3
Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 much prefer 9.Bd5!? After 9...Nxd5 10.exd5 they reckon White is at least slightly better.
9...Nxb3 10.axb3
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| How would you assess the position now White no longer has the bishop-pair? |
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White has pressure down the half-open a file and has the better bishop (based on the pawn-structure). The engines reckon White has a slight edge.
10...g6 11.Re1!?
This may throw away much of the white advantage. The point is White's pawn-structure suggests kingside play is White's best option, and that would normally include playing f4, in which case the king's rook is already well-placed. I was concerned about holes the move f4 would leave on the white kingside, and I felt I had promising play in the centre.
11...Bg7 12.e5 dxe5 13.Rxe5 Qd6
The engines point out 13...Nd5!?, which blocks the white attack on c5 and reveals a black attack on the e5 rook.
14.Qe2?!
The game is equal after 14.Qf3 (hitting a8) and after the retreat 14.Re1. according to the engines.
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| How can Black exploit White's last move? |
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14...Ng4!
Also good, according to the engines, is 14...Nd5, but the text makes it easy for White to go wrong.
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| What should White play? |
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15.Rxe7+?
Even worse is 15.Re4?? Qh2+ 16.Kf1 Qh1#, but counterattacking with 15.Qf3 gives White time to save the rook and avoid mate, eg 15...0-0 (15...Qxe5?? 16.Qxa8+ Kd7 17.Rxa7+) 16.Re1 Qh2+ 17.Kf1 Ne5 18.Qg3 Qxg3 19.fxg3 Nc6, although the engines give Black a slight edge.
15...Qxe7 16.Qxe7+ Kxe7 17.hxg4
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| White has a pawn for the exchange, but Black is winning, according to the engines |
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17...Rhe8 18.Nc3 a6 19.Be3 Bd4 20.Nd5+
The engines prefer 20.Kf1 or 20.g5!?
20...Kd6 21.Nc3 Kc6 22.Bxd4 cxd4 23.Ne4 f5!?
Evicting the knight, but creating kingside weaknesses. I thought this was a mistake, but the engines are OK with it.
24.gxf5 gxf5 25.Ng3
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| How should Black proceed? |
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25...Kd5!?
The engines at first much-prefer 25...f4!?, even though that allows 26.Ne4, giving White a strongly centralised knight. However Stockfish15, at least, comes to like the dynamic text, albeit fluctuating between it and 25...f4!?
26.Nxf5 Re2 27. c4+ Ke5
This is Komodo13.02's top choice for a while, but both engines come to plump for 27...dxc3 28.bxc3 Rd2 29.c4+ Ke5.
28.Ng3?!
Probably better is 28.Nh4!?, threatening Nf3 followed by Nxd4.
28...Rxb2 29.Re1+ Kf6 30.Ne4+ Kf7!?
Withdrawing while staying relatively centralised, but the engines prefer 30...Kg6 or 30...Kg7.
31.Nd6+ Kf8!?
This is best, according to the engines, but Black's king is no longer much-more active than its white counterpart.
32.cxb5 Rxb3 33.bxa6 Rxd3 34.Ra1
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| How would you assess the position after the recent flurry of exchanges? |
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Black remains up the exchange for a pawn. White's passed a pawn is threatening, but seems well-contained, and Black also has a threatening passer. Stockfish15 reckons the position is completely equal; Komodo13.02 gives Black the upper hand.
34...Rb3 35.Kf1 d3 36.Ke1 Rb2 37.Nc4 Re2+ 38.Kf1 Re6 39.Rd1 Raxa6 40.Nb2
34...Rb3 35.Kf1 d3 36.Ke1 Rb2 37.Nc4 Re2+ 38.Kf1 Re6 39.Rd1 Raxa6 40.Nb2
Not 40.Rxd3?? Ra1+ and mate.
40...Ra2 41.Nxd3 Rh6 42.Kg1 Rd6 43.Kf1 Rh6 44.Kg1 ½–½
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