Download PGN of June ’24 Open Sicilian games
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Sveshnikov 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Bg5 [B33]
The first game, Ganguly, S - Hamdouchi, H saw Black opt for a relatively uncommon line with 12...Bg5, and then 17...Be6:
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Perhaps this is a safer alternative than 17...g6 - in fact, the position that occurred after 24.Rd2 should be acceptable for most Sveshnikov players. Still, starting from 24...e4?! Hicham went astray, and he was convincingly outplayed.
I expect further practical tests of 17...Be6.
Kan 5.Bd3 Nf6 5.0-0 Qc7 [B42]
In Praggnanadhaa, R - Carlsen, M Black chose a relatively uncommon line to confuse his younger opponent. Indeed, the timid 10.h3:
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could have justified Magnus's choice, but it looks like it wasn't his day. In fact, the inaccurate 10...b6, followed by 13...Qd7? let White quickly expand his initiative on the kingside and decide the game by a direct attack.
The Four Knights 6.Qd3 [B45]
The next game, Rodshtein, M - Delorme, A, saw Maxim opt for the relatively rare 6.Qd3 to confuse hus lower-rated opponent. This decision fully paid off, as after 6...Bb4, followed by 7...bxc6:
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Maxim managed to seize the initiative. The critical moment came soon, when Black played 10...g6?, radically weakening the dark squares around his king. Instead, 10...Nxc3 would have kept it unclear.
Taimanov 6.Ncb5 [B47]
The game Nihal, S - Bacrot, E saw Nihal trying to improve over White's play in Viidit - Bacrot with 10.Nxc6:
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I am not sure what Sarin's preparation was based on, but it doesn't seem to set Black any problems. The game was actually decided by Etienne's blunder at the very end, when he played 24...Nh5?.
In general, 7...Nf6 looks like a good response in this line.
Classical Richter-Rauzer 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be7 [B66]
In the next game, Anand, V - Amin, B, Black played 13...Bd7, deviating from the previously covered Anand - Kramnik.
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Vishy responded quietly with 14.Qe3, but it doesn't seem to pose Black serious problems. Moreover, at some point Black could have put his opponent's king in bigger danger by pushing the a-pawn. Actually, the game was decided by a big blunder 23...Qf2??, when Black still was fine.
Najdorf 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Ne7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 Be6 10.Re1 [B92]
The next game, Vachier Lagrave, M - Karthik, V, saw Black keep the queen's knight on its initial spot with 10...Qc7:
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Karthik's plan with 11...Rc8, followed by 13...h6 seems to offer Black a flexible position with decent counter-attacking prospects on the queenside. Even so, the inaccurate 18...Nc4?! could have put Black under strong positional pressure. Luckily for GM Karthik his higher-rated opponent wasn't in an aggressive mood, so the game ended in a draw by repetition.
Najdorf 6.Bg5 e6 7.a3 [B95]
The game Kozak, A - Juhasz, A saw White quickly deviate from known paths with 7.a3:
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This move isn't as harmless as it looks, but Black responded very precisely with 8...h6! followed by 9...Ng4 and managed to quickly solve all the issues, to say the least. However, he soon started to go astray, and after 17...0-0 ? Black was crushed by a direct attack.
Najdorf 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Nb3 [B97]
In the last game, Albornoz Cabrera, C - Ter Sahakyan, S, White introduced a relatively fresh idea with 9.Qd2!?:
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In the key position after 14...Nc5 White went for the straightforward 15.Nxc5 dxc5 16.e5, but it looks like 16...c4! came as a sort of surprise. Alas, this exciting game was mainly decided by the careless 25.Bc2? that allowed Black to quickly develop a crushing attack.
As the analyses prove, there is still room for improvement, so I expect further tests of 9.Qd2!?
See you next month, Michael
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