Download PGN of April '12 Dragon Sicilian games
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Hyper-Accelerated Dragon 7...Nb6 [B27]
First up a Hyper-Accelerated Dragon and rather than the more popular 7...Nc7 or 7...Ndb4 the game Nedev - Guseinov sees 7...Nb6 for the second time on this site:
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This game takes a rather different road though, as when eventually attacked the white queen swings to h4 rather than dropping back to e2. As you will see Black sacs the exchange for a bit of action and although it could have been somewhat more complicated, it appears that the way the game goes Black gets enough play but for the draw only.
Accelerated Dragon Maroczy Bind 6 Nc2 [B37]
In Roiz - Porat with 8...e6 Black signals his intention to arrange the quick break ...d5:
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He does just that but sadly he never quite manages to either regain the sacrificed pawn nor erect an adequate blockade. Certainly something a little different (8...e6 is very rare) but it could be a case of back to the drawing board as far as deviating from the norm is concerned.
Dragadorf with 8...h5 [B75]
Given that White often tends to meet 8...b5 with 9 a4, in a way 8...h5!? (seemingly played to prevent Bh6) is an interesting waiting move as White isn't going to want to challenge on the queenside after castling on that side:
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In Arslanov - Losev White does logically try to deal with Black's wing play by reacting in the centre but as Gawain points out in the notes, actually Black shouldn't have too many problems with simple play. Simple play though is not what transpires in this game and as it happens it is White who errs the most in the ensuing complications.
Yugoslav Attack 9 g4 Be6 10 Nxe6 [B76]
The game Mastrovasilis - Kanter sees the introduction to this site of the interesting 12...Qa5 and in particular after 13 g5 the response 13...Nh5!?:
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Of course 14 f4 Nf7 follows when White can take on h5 if he wants. Also, throughout the e6-pawn is of course a natural target but Black seeks compensation in other areas.
As we know on ChessPub this whole 9 g4 Be6 10 Nxe6 business has become quite popular and this certainly provides Black with another avenue. A very interesting game.
Yugoslav Attack 9 0-0-0 d5 with 12...Bxd4 [B76]
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Last month we covered 15 Nc5 but this update sees the return of 15 Bc4 after which Gawain plumps for, I guess, the trendy 15...Rb8 as opposed to the previously tried and tested 15...Rd8 (both well covered on this site). Upon that White selects the logical 16 g3 illustrated above to control the f4-square as well as freeing the king's rook from h-pawn defending duties. This whole 12...Bxd4 line is almost edging closer to becoming the main line and Savchenko - Jones is another Black win although nevertheless Gawain criticises some of his own play as inaccurate.
Yugoslav Attack 9 0-0-0 d5 10 Qe1 [B76]
Well another ...Qa5 debut but this time after White plays 16 Qh4 for the first time on this site, a move not to be ignored seeing as in Caruana - Mamedov it is the World no. 6 employing it!
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Black appears to do a lot suffering in this game made worse by the fact that it goes on for such a long time! Worth checking out and then noting that Gawain suggests that Black is better off sticking with the tried and tested 16...h6 instead to prevent Ng5.
Hope you are all well, Chris and Gawain
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To get in touch with me subscribers can email me at Chris Ward@ChessPublishing.com.