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| River Nene |
Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Nc3!?
There are 1,279 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but more popular are 5.Bxc6!? and especially both 5.Re1 and 5.c3.
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| How should Black respond? |
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5...Nd4
Stockfish19 and Dragon1 marginally prefer the slightly more commong 5...e5!?
6.Bc4!?
This repositioning of White's light-square bishop after the black queen's knight hops into d4 is a common idea in lines of the Grand Prix Attack.
6...d6
Slightly more common in Mega26 is 6...e6!?, although that allows 7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Nb5, which the engines reckon gives White an edge.
7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Qf3 e6 9.Nb5?!
The engines are not too critical of this, but almost certainly better is Ne2, either immediately or after 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7.
9...a6 10.Qa3?
White should play 10.Na3. albeit with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines.
10...axb5 11.Qxa8
Even worse is 11.Bxb5+? Bd7 12.Bxd7+ Kxd7.
11...bxc4 12.Qa4+
This apparent-novelty is a slight improvement on the known move 12.d3.
12...Bd7 13.Qxc4
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| After the flurry of tactics, how would you assess the position? |
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White has pawn and rook for bishop and knight, which is rarely enough, except in some endings. In addition, Black has the bishop-pair, and it will not be particularly easy for White to open files for the rooks. The engines reckon Black's advantage is worth about a minor piece.
White has pawn and rook for bishop and knight, which is rarely enough, except in some endings. In addition, Black has the bishop-pair, and it will not be particularly easy for White to open files for the rooks. The engines reckon Black's advantage is worth about a minor piece.
13...Ne7 14.d3 0-0 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bd2!? d5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Rae1 Bc6 19.g3!?
The engines are not especially critical of this move, although it weakens the light squares around White's king.
19...Qb6 20.Qb3 Qc5 21.a3 Ra8!? 22.Rc1!? Nf6 23.c4 Bf3 24.Qb5
This saves White from mating threats, but after ...
24...Qxb5 25.cxb5 Be2 26.Rfe1 Bxd3
... the number of pawns aside is level, although White's rooks do at last have files to work on.
27.Rc7 Rb8 28.a4 Nd5 29.Rcc1
Or 29.Rd7 Nb6 30.Re7, after which the a pawn hangs, and, perhaps even better for Black than taking the pawn, is 30...g5!? 31.b3 Bf8 32.Rc7 Bd6, when 33.Rcc1 is forced.
29...Ra8 30.b3 Bf8 31.Red1 Bf5 32.Kg2 Kg7 33.h3 e5 34.h4 Ba3!?
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| How should White proceed? |
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35.Ra1
Possible is 35.Rc4!?, as 35...Bd3!? lets White win a pawn with 36.Bxh6+ Kxh6 37.Rxd3, but Black still has a large advantage.
35...Bb2 36.Ra2 Nc3!? 37.Bxc3 dxc3 38.Re1 b6 39.b4?!
This does not help, but there is no good move for White.
39...Be6 40.Rxb2 cxb2 41.Rb1 Bd5+ 42.Kh3 Rxa4 43.Rxb2
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| Black is up a bishop, and has the better pawn-structure |
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43...h5 44.Re2 Ra1 45.g4 Ra3+
The engines point out mate in eight, starting with 45...hxg4+.
46.Kh2 Kf6 47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Rd2 Be6 49.Rd6 Rh3+ 50.Kg2 Rxh4 51.Rxb6 Rxb4 52.Rb8 h4 53.b6 Kf5 54.Kh2 Kf4 55.b7!? Bd5 56.Rh8 Rxb7 57.Rxh4+ Kf3 58.Rh3 Kxf2 59.Rb3!?
Hoping for 59...Rxb3?? (stalemate).
59...Bxb3 0-1
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