Download PGN of May ’25 Open Sicilian games
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Sveshnikov 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8 9.c4 [B33]
We start with Prraneeth, V - Paravyan, D, where the players entered the relatively rare but sharp position after 13...Bxd6:
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Vuppala went for 14.Bg5!?, but it hardly got David confused and he reacted well with the novelty 16...h6! Black obtained sufficient compensation for an exchange, but at some point went astray with 23...Nh5?, which could have led to defeat. Frankly speaking, Vuppala's practical task was tough, and after 29.Rxd6?, followed by 32.Rxh6? Paravyan's risky strategy fully paid off.
Pin Variation 5...Bb4 6.e5 Nd5 7.Qg4 [B40]
In the next game, Sokolovsky, Y - Mendonca, L, Black chose this relatively rare and risky line that recently gained some popularity. In the position after 7...Kf8:
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White has a decent choice between a few attractive options, such as 8.Bd3!? Yahli's continuation 8.Qg3 is hardly the best, but had White played 11.Ra4! Black would still have faces definite practical problems. Alas, the impulsive 12.Qxe5? practically killed the intrigue in this game - GM Mendonca managed to convincingly convert his material advantage into a full point.
Kan 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Ba7 [B42]
This time we have 2 games in one of the most fashionable Kan lines.
In Amar, E - Kanyamarala, T White chose the aggressive setup with queenside castling, but it looks like Amar wasn't familiar with 9...b5! as the careless 10.Na4?!, followed by 11.f4? could have turned into a quick loss had Black found 12...Nce7! Instead, Tarun's attempt to trap the knight with 12...Nb8? allowed White to develop a stunning attack. The rest of the game was full of mutual mistakes, but very exciting.
The quieter setup with 7.Qe2 Ne7 8.c4 led to a critical position after 14.Rad1 in So, W - Mamedyarov, S:
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Untypically for Shakhriyar, he chose a ''waiting strategy'' by avoiding 14...b5! Black's main positional mistake was 15...a5? which gave White's knight a great outpost on b5. Wesley's precise and energetic play in this game is very instructive.
Taimanov 5.a3 Bc5 [B44]
In the game Ilamparthi, I - Idani, P White went for the rare setup with 6.Nxc6!? bxc6 7.Bd3:
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It looks like it got Pouya a bit confused, and he quickly went astray with 11...d5?! carelessly leaving his king in the center. White returned the favor with 12.Qh5?! and 13.Nf3?!, but soon got another decent opportunity. The really critical moment came on move 17, when 17...a6? allowed White to quickly develop a crushing attack.
The Four Knights 6.Ndb5 Bb4 7.Bf4!? [B45]
The game Can, I - Ohanyan, E is a sort of opening disaster. In the position after 11.bxc3:
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Emin correctly deviated from Caruana - Abasov with 11...g5, but the next (and most common!) move is already a big mistake - 12...Nxg3? Allows White to develop a powerful initiative for free. Black's position was tough to handle, and it isn't surprising that 14...e5? quickly led to a full collapse.
Undoubtedly, 12...Rb8 should be played. At the moment, it looks acceptable for Black.
Classical Sicilian 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.Qd2 a5 [B56]
In the game Artemiev, V - Dreev, A Black avoided the sharpest 11...Nb4, and the following critical position arose:
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Vladislav is known to be an excellent endgame player, but his decision to liquidate into an endgame with 15.Rhe1?!, followed by 16.Qe3 cannot be recommended. A draw would then be the most logical result, but the game was decided by a terrible blunder at the very end.
Classical Richter-Rauzer 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.Kb1 [B67]
The last game, Kraemer, M - Giri, A, saw Anish choosing a fighting, and somewhat risky line of the Classical where he has excellent results as White. In the theoretical position after 16.Ne2:
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Black played the best move 16...a5, but I still do not trust his setup. In particular, the "traditional" plan with 17.Rc1!? and 18.c4 seems to offer White the better attacking prospects. Also, after Martin's 17.Bg5 White could still have posed Black some problems with the energetic 19.c3! It was only the 'inconsistent' 19.Be3?! which allowed Anish to consolidate, and a draw was soon agreed in an equal position.
See you next month, Michael
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