Download PGN of February '12 Dragon Sicilian games

>> Previous Update >>

Yugoslav Attack 9 0-0-0 d5 10 Kb1 [B76]

We kick off with the entertaining Kanovsky - Azarov, featuring 10...Rb8!?:

Previously we have investigated 11 Bb5 and 11 Ndb5 but here we take a look at the main game continuation of 11 Be2 whilst checking out the Harvey Williamson submission of 11 h4 (thanks for that Harvey!). Black is of course destined to play ...e5 and with b-file action imminent, fireworks ensue. As it happens a thought provoking endgame is reached in this game which although not studied in detail here, certainly leaves one wondering!

Yugoslav Attack 9 0-0-0 d5 10 exd5 with ...Bxd4 [B76]

Well, first it was Magnus Carlsen and now these days it appears to be another young gun, Hikaru Nakamura, extolling the virtues of the Dragon. Here on ChessPublishing we all know how trendy the 12...Bxd4 line is and with the likes of Peter Heine-Nielsen employing it successfully against strong players Black was already holding his own. No need then for a novelty but along comes the natural looking 15...Rb8!? in Kamsky - Nakamura:

An interesting game sees Black get his fair share of chances in the draw whilst Gawain's suggestion of 16...Qxh2!? looks quite promising too. As my co-host observes though, surely we will see 16 Rhe1 replaced with 16 h4 in the future.

Yugoslav Attack 9 Bc4 Soltis Variation [B77]

All in all the game Bruzon Batista-Cmilyte doesn't appear to be a pleasant one for Black.

Where Kasparov chose 15...b5 against Anand, here 15...Qc7 was selected but Black seemed to get in a bit of a pickle after 16 Bd4!. Even when White set up a bind Black managed to get in ...d5 to provoke some complications but it would appear as though White just about had everything under control and ultimately was able to grind out a nice endgame victory.

Yugoslav Attack 9 Bc4 with ...Rc8 12 Kb1 a6 [B78]

I have to admit that I still have trouble getting my head around this sort of Bednar - Mamedov game as it flies in the face of the original general principles that I first learnt about how White would win a pawn storm race as Black has already moved pawns around his king, thus allowing the enemy rooks to get involved quicker. However, essentially the idea is that if White goes for the quicker 13 h4 approach then (just as Magnus did), Black switches to Soltis mode with ...h5. If though, as in this game, White tries to circumvent that with 13 g4 then Black does seemingly have time to advance his queenside pawns in order to hassle White's queenside situated pieces. A delightfully instructive game with some wonderful combinative play.

Yugoslav Attack 9 Bc4 with ...Nxd4 and ...b5 [B78]

We have seen plenty of the above position before on the site but typically Black takes on d5 now. Instead in Swiercz - Robson Black played 16...Ra8!? not hanging about in threatening mate! After 17 Nxf6+ Bxf6 18 Qxb4 Rb8 19 Qc3 Bxd4 20 Qxd4 Qa5 essentially we reach a standard position with White's pawn on e4 instead of d5. In this intriguing annotation Gawain then runs the rule over the pros and cons of this particular structural difference.

Yugoslav Attack 9 Bc4 Nxd4 10 Bxd4 Be6 [B77]

Okay, the game Giri - Nakamura isn't a game to set the pulses racing, nor is it why lots of us took up the Dragon in the first place. However it sees Black employing a relatively old side variation 9...Nxd4 10 Bxd4 Be6:

Generally in old texts it had been decided in the past that White could get a small but comfortable edge in this variation but Hikaru's adoption of this line questions whether White gets anything much at all. What is clear is that he didn't in this game with 14 Bxf6 but this annotation looks at whether Black needs to fear the alternatives either. I wouldn't be surprised in Nakamura was well prepared for any resulting endgames but the negative for the Dragon playing club players is that Black winning chances seem to be at a minimum.

Back real soon, Chris and Gawain

>> Previous Update >>

To get in touch with me subscribers can email me at Chris Ward@ChessPublishing.com.