Download PGN of November ’23 Open Sicilian games
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Sveshnikov 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Ne7 [B33]
We start with an interesting theoretical discussion in one of the most fashionable lines in Shirov, A - Fawzy, A. In the position after 15.g3:
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Adam correctly deviated from Deac - Banusz with 15...0-0! and after 16.Be2 b5! Black obtained an excellent position with decent play on the kingside. The dynamic balance was kept till the move 22.Rxf4?! put Alexei's king in big danger. Lucily for GM Shirov his lower-rated opponent quickly returned the favor with 24...Bf6?!. However, the really critical moment came at the end, when 32...Rf6? allowed White to parry all the threats and convert his material advantage. Even so, it was a well-played game by both players.
Kan 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Ba7 [B42]
In Kollars, D - Yu, Yangyi White went for the most aggressive setup against the fashionable 6...Ba7. After 10.0-0-0:
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Black correctly deviated from Avila Pavas - Smirin with 10...b4! 11.Na4 d6. After this White's a4-knight felt awkward, and at some point it provoked Dmitry into playing 20.b3 and 21.Nb2. Even so, White's position was acceptable, and after the inaccurate 25...h5? he could have put Black into a very difficult situation with 26.Na4! Instead, the careless 26.Re3?? led White to a quick collapse.
The Four Knights 6.a3 Be7 [B45]
The next game, Kaidanov, G - Sindarov, J, saw a continuation of the theoretical discussion of the 'quiet' 6.a3 from the past Update. The position after 17.Qxf6:
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was previously covered in Albornoz Cabrera - Suleymenov. Javokhir followed my recommendation with 17...Rd8! and managed to fully solve his problems. Moreover, the inaccurate 20.0-0 allowed Black to grab the pawn, although the arising endgame was still drawn. GM Kaidanov managed to defend well for a long time, but 54.Rg3? turned out to be a decisive mistake.
Taimanov 6.g3 h5 [B47]
In the next game, Rodrigue-Lemieux, S - Warmerdam, M, Black chose the rare and aggressive 6...h5. This game well illustrates the potential risk of such a strategy.
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Here the natural, consolidating 15...Nd5?! quickly left Black's king in big danger. Moreover, 17...Qxe5? was already a decisive mistake and let Shawn win in great style. Even though 15...Ng6! may offer Black acceptable play, I still do not trust 6...h5.
Classical Richter-Rauzer 7.Qd2 a6 8.Nxc6 [B66]
In Mishra, A - Ivanchuk, V Abhimanyu chose 8.Nxc6!? to confuse his experienced opponent. Black reacted with the risky 9...d5, and soon came up with a novelty 13...h5:
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In reply GM Mishra went for the most aggressive way by sacrificing a piece, which definitely poses Black practical problems. Indeed, it fully paid off - after 18...Qd8? Black was quickly crushed by a direct attack.
Even so, objectively 14.Bb3!? seems the most challenging move for Black.
Najdorf 6.Bd3 g6 [B90]
The game Saric, I - Caruana, F saw Fabiano follow my recommendation with 9...b5!?:
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Ivan reacted with a new move 11.Nce2, but it hardly came as a surprise for Caruana - 11...d5 seems to provide Black with excellent play in the centre. The critical moment came on move 17, when the impulsive 17.Rxf6? put Ivan on the verge of collapse. Although Black soon went astray with 22...Rc8? Fabiano's eventual victory is well-deserved.
Najdorf 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.h3 [B90]
Another interesting theoretical discussion took place in Saric, I - Vachier Lagrave, M. The position after 12.exd5:
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was recently covered in Kramnik - Matlakov. This time MVL followed my recommendation with 12...Nb6, but I am not sure if it was properly analyzed by Maxime before the game. In fact, he soon committed 2 serious mistakes - 14...Qc7?! and 15...Nbxd5?! and got into a difficult situation. The endgame, that arose after 24.Qxc6 was strategically bad for Black, but Maxime's excellent defence almost allowed him to achieve a draw. Alas, at the last moment Black made a dramatic mistake 41...Kc7? and spoiled all his previous efforts.
Najdorf 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 Be6 9.Nd5 [B92]
The last game, Prraneeth, V - Nihal, S, saw White employ an attempt to improve over the memorable encounter Carlsen - Grischuk, (in the archives) 14.a4!?:
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It looks like this fresh way of handling the position came as surprise for GM Nihal Sarin, and after 17...Qh4?! 18.Nd2! White managed to make lots of progress on the queenside. At some point Vuppala decided to liquidate into an endgame, but 25.Bd3?! let Black solve his problems with the energetic 25...e4! The rest was well played by both till move 33, when 33...Nxe4? was the decisive mistake.
See you next month, Michael
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