Download PGN of April ’20 Anti-Sicilian games
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Grand Prix Attack 2.Nc3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.f4 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.0-0 [B23]
This is a common line which can arise from the Grand Prix Attack when Black plays with ...d6:
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Kovalev, V - Visakh, N is a good demonstration of White’s chances, although Black had no problems from the opening.
2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nf3 Nxb5 5.Nxb5 [B23]
This line, a commonplace on the English weekend circuit, is obviously fine for Black as demonstrated in Zviaginsev, V - Kunin, V.
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Black played accurately with 5...d5! 6.exd5 a6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d4 (8.0-0!?) 8...Nxd5, and was soon better.
Rossolimo 3...g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7 8.Be3 e5 9.Qd2 h6 10.0-0 b6 [B31]
Swiss GM Noel Studer has had his fun in this line as Black, as we saw in a game against Inarkiev in a previous update. Petrov, N - Studer, N also went swimmingly for Black after 11.Nh2 Nf8 12.a4 Ne6 13.a5 Ba6:
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when White wasn’t aggressive enough on the queenside or the kingside and was overrun by Black’s bishop pair and subsequent space advantage.
Delayed Queenside Fianchetto 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 b6 4.Bb2 Bb7 5.Nc3 a6 [B40]
In Smirin, I - Givon, A, White essayed 6.d4 cxd4 7.Qxd4:
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The game was very complicated and, ultimately, very one sided in Black’s favour.
3 c3 Variation 3...Nf6 4.Be2 Nbd7 [B50]
In Tregubov, P - Ftacnik, L, Ftacnik showed a good way to defend after 5.d3 b6 6.0-0 Bb7 7.Nbd2, namely 7...e6:
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Further precise play resulted in easy equality.
Moscow Variation 3...Nd7 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 a6 6.c4 g6 7.Nc3 [B51]
Jumbayev, R - Kozionov, K was a typical game in the topical sideline 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 a6 6.c4 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.h3 0-0 9.d3:
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White generated some pressure on the queenside, and Black overreacted, allowing a decisive exchange sacrifice.
Moscow Variation 3...Nd7 4.0-0 a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 Bb7 8.Qe2 [B51]
In Gruenfeld, Y - Rodshtein, M, after 4.0-0 a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 Bb7 8.Qe2 Rodshtein essayed 8...c4, as tried by MVL in the last blitz world championship:
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The game is a model of Black’s ideas in this line, and in the closed Ruy Lopez positions which often arise in this variation.
Moscow 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 g6 9.f3 Bg7 10.Be3 0-0 [B52]
In Predojevic, B - Risting, E, White repeated one of his previous games after 11.Rc1 a6 with 12.Nxc6:
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Black played aggressively and earned a draw, but objectively his plan with ...f5 ought to have led to a difficult position.
Till next time, Sam
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