Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Qc7!?
More popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database are 5...d5 and especially 5...Ne7, although the text is the top choice of Stockfish17 and, for a long time Dragon1, although given plenty of time the latter switches to the even more obscure 5...Rb8!?
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| How should White respond? |
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6.e5!?
6.e5!?
One of the issues for Black in 4.Bxc6 lines is finding a role for the light-square bishop. The point of the text is to make it less easy for Black to play ...e5, with ...d6 or ...d5 to come, opening the c8-h3 diagonal. However the main move in Mega25 is 6.0-0, and if 6...e5, Dragon1 recommends 7.c3, with d4 to come, while Stockfish17 prefers 7.Nh4!?, with f4 to come.
6...Ne7
The engines fluctuate between the text and the more popular 6...f6!?, with Stockfish17 coming to prefer the latter, after which the main line in Mega25 runs 7.Qe2 fxe5 8.Nxe5 Nf6, with an equal game, according to the engines.
7.Qe2 Ng6 8.h4 d6?!
FK offered a draw, having made a move the engines reckon is much inferior to 8...f6!?
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| How should White proceed? |
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9.b3!?
All three games in Mega25 saw 9.exd6 Bxd6, after which the engines like 9.Na3 or 9.Nc3. However they reckon best is the positional pawn sacrifice 9.h5!?, which is not in Mega25. After 9...Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.h6!? they reckon White has at least the upper hand. The text, which is also a novelty, has similar ideas to 9.h5!?, but is less forcing.
9...Nxe5
The engines suggest 9...f6, but give White at least a slight edge after 10.exd6 or 10.h5!?
10.Nxe5 dxe5
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| White is a pawn down but has a positionally won game, according to the engines |
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11.Bb2 f6
This is the engines' main move.
After 11...Bd6 12.Nd2 Black will probably be obliged to play ...f6 anyway. However White should avoid 12.f4? exf4 13.Bxg7 Rg8 as Black will get in ...e5, freeing the light-square bishop while remaining a pawn up.
12.Nd2 Ba6 13.0-0-0 Qa5?!
The queen was usefully employed on c7, covering c6 and e5 (the latter being important as e6 is unprotected).
Getting on with development looks sensible, perhaps starting with joining White in castling long.
14.Kb1
Even stronger is 14.Qh5+, and if 14...g6 then 15.Qf3, with threats to c6 and f6.
14...Rd8?
Definitely better is 14...0-0-0.
15.Qh5+ g6
The engines suggest giving up castling rights with 15...Ke7 or 15...Kd7.
16.Qf3 Be7
This is the engines' top choice, but White is left with almost an embarrassment of good replies.
17.h5!? Kd7?!
It is almost certainly better to offer back the pawn, but keep lines closed, with 17...g5 18.Qxc6+ Kf7 19.Qf3 Qc7 (or Stockfish17's interesting exchange sacrifice 19...Rd4!?).
18.Qe4
Even stronger is 18.Ne4!, one idea being 18...f5 can be met by 19.Bxe5! (I missed that 19...fxe4+?! runs into 20.dxe4+).
18...Qb4 19.Nc4!?
This lets Black swop off the light-square bishop, but that opens the d file with tempo.
19...Bxc4 20.dxc4+ Kc7 21.hxg6 hxg6
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| What should White play? |
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22.Rxh8??
The simple 22.Qxg6 keeps a large advantage.
22...Rxh8??
Missing 22...Rxd1+ 23.Bc1 Qd2, when White is lost, eg 24.Kb2 Qxc1+ 25.Kc3 Qa1#.
23.Bxe5+ Kb6 24.Bb2
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| Black cannot avoid going a pawn down, and with an unsafe king |
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24...Rd8
There is nothing better.
25.Rxd8 Bxd8 26.Qxe6 Qd2
This is the best try, according to the engines.
27.Bxf6!
Safely grabbing a second pawn.
27...Bc7 28.Qe3 Qd1+ 29.Kb2 Qh5 30.Be7 Qf5 31.b4 Be5+ 32.c3 Qd7!?
Setting a trap.
33.Bxc5+ Kb7 34.Bd4
But not 34.Qxe5?? as Black has perpetual check starting with 34...Qd2+.
The game finished:
34...Bb8 35.Qe4 a6 36.Qxg6 Be5 37.Bxe5 1-0
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