Download PGN of September ’24 Open Sicilian games
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Kan 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 [B41]
We start with Gascon del Nogal - Kuzubov, Y, where Yuriy employed the relatively rare 7...Qc7 to confuse his lower-rated opponent:
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Jose Rafael reacted well with 8.a3 and obtained a slightly better position due to his bishop pair. The really critical moment of the game came on move 18, when the careless 18.Qf5? put White on the verge of collapse.
Taimanov 6.Be3 a6 7.Qf3 b5 [B48]
The new position (for our site) after 7...b5 was recently tested in the Niemann - Bacrot match:
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In the position after 9.Bd3 Etienne first tried the original 9...Ba3 in Niemann, H - Bacrot, E, but it didn't confuse his opponent. Hans quickly obtained the better position, and only a few impulsive decisions such as 18.Rda1?! and 22.d5?! allowed Black to solve his issues and eventually score a win.
The other game, Niemann, H - Bacrot, E featured 9...h5:
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where both players were equipped with deep preparation. Etienne's creative and energetic play enabled him to emerge with sufficient counterplay on the kingside, but the premature 16...h4?spoiled all his efforts. A convincing victory for GM Niemann.
Taimanov 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Be7 9.g4!? [B48]
The next spectacular game, Aronian, L - Wong, Z saw the players following Yu, Y - Erigaisi in the rare line with 9.g4!?. Levon came up with 17.f4:
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and this seems to offer White sufficient compensation for an exchange. A few moves later Black erred with 19...Rg8? but Levon returned the favor with 22.Nd6?, spoiling all of his advantage. As the result of this, the intrigue was kept till the end, when only 34...Kg6?? allowed White to score a win.
Najdorf 6.Nb3 [B90]
The game Bartel, M - Sarana, A saw Mateusz deviate from his play in the memorable encounter Bartel - Wojtaszek with 7.Be3!?:
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It looks like Alexey got somewhat confused by this choice and soon inaccurately played 13...Be7?! and came under pressure. However, GM Bartel didn't manage to set his opponent serious problems, and the game ended in a draw after a long struggle.
Najdorf 6.a3 e5 [B90]
In the game Ziska, H - Yilmaz, M Mustafa decided to surprise his opponent with the rare 11...Nd7:
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deviating from 11...Be6, which could have led to a forced draw. It was hardly a good practical choice - GM Ziska managed to handle it properly, and the critical position after 17.0-0 was reached. At this point Mustafa played the impulsive 17...Nxc5? that should have led to a quick collapse. Helgi soon returned the favor, but he was still luckier on this day.
Najdorf 6.Bd3 g6 [B90]
We end with 2 games in the fashionable 6.Bd3 line. First, in Garrido Outon, A - Vzaguez Igarza, R Black chose the Dragon setup, and prematurely played the ambitious 12...b5?:
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Luckily for Renier, White missed 15.exd5! and after committing a few more mistakes Black scored a full point.
The game Niemann, H - Giri, A saw the players quickly deviate from known paths - the position after 9...Nc6 is already unexplored:
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Anish managed to prove that Black shouldn't face serious problems in this kind of position. Moreover, the inaccurate 17.Na4?! allowed him to seize the initiative and he was very close for defeating his opponent in the endgame.
See you next month, Michael
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