What's New- April '02
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Hello everyone! Hope April finds you all well. |
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You can also enter the specific ECO code if you are only interested in a particular opening. Download PGN of April '02 Open Sicilian games
Scheveningen [B80 to B89]
Lets start off with [B86], the 'Sozin vs the Najdorf'. We see 2 interesting examples.
In Rogers-Fedorowicz I won rather easily. (Those f3 lines in the Richter-Rauzer have made me take up the Najdorf, so far with good results). My opponent's opening play looked too slow. White needs to find the happy medium.
In Morozevich-Ljubojevic White's play deserves attention. In my opinion this is the best try; at least, that I've seen. 8 Bg5 looks better than f4 which if anything might be over-aggressive. Black has some decent ideas, but Ljubo's plan didn't work-out well.
Next up 2 English attacks with Black playing ...Nc6:
In the [B80] section Kaufman -Kacheishvili saw Black get easy equality with his 9...d5 break. White could have kept things from getting out of control with 12 Nxc6. After 12 Nb3? Black had an easy time of it.
Vasquez-Abreu was the same as above with Black playing more in anti-Keres Attack fashion. White overplayed his hand and bit the dust. My choice of these 2 would be 9...d5. I just don't trust Black's counterchances without it. White's k-side stuff looks easier to play.
Paulsen/ Taimanov [B40 to B49]
Our B40 to 49 group sees some action.
Nakamura takes care of Bokros in style, [B45]. Black's opening is tricky, but more often his play hits the wall and gets pushed back. Another good thing about White's opening is it avoids the very boring ...Bb4 variation.
Move-order tricks play an important part in chess, one must be alert as our next game shows in [B43]. GM Christiansen had a one move lapse allowing Mr. Bennett a huge initiative that Black couldn't recover from. The simple 8...Qc7 takes the starch out of White's a4 idea.
Richter-Rauzer [B60 to B69]
We close with Almasi-Topalov in the Richter Rauser section, [B67]. Black uses the Kozul, ...Ra7, gets a miserable position and wins on the dark squares anyway! How many times have we seen that happen?
With the 9 f3 lines doing so well why even bother with 9 f4 ? I learned my lesson that's for sure!
Good Luck, see you all in May!
Fed