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This month I’ve focussed on games between young talents at the Iranian Championship and the Polgar Challenge.

Download PGN of April ’21 Anti-Sicilian games

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Morra Gambit: 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 e6 6.Bc4 a6 [B21]

Mosadeghpour essayed his childhood favourite a couple of times in the Iranian Championship, as can be seen from Mosadeghpour, M - Daghli, A. After 4...dxc3 (4...Nf6 is always available to the less adventurous amongst us) 5.Nxc3 e6 6.Bc4 a6:

Black was doing very well from the opening, but an error in the early middlegame resulted in a vicious attack.



Carlsen Variation: 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd2 Nf6 6.b3 e6 7.Bb2 d5 [B23]

In Liang, A - Bjerre, J Black essayed the most direct response, 6...e6 7.Bb2 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.0-0-0 Be6:

securing an outstanding position for Black after a couple of inattentive natural moves by White.



Rossolimo Variation 3...e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.d4 [B30]

In Darini, P - Maghsoodloo, P, White went for Wesley So’s recommended 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ng6 7.Be2 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.c4:

Black secured good counterplay with ...f5 and won a complicated battle.


Rossolimo Variation 3...g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 [B31]

In Darini, P - Gholami, A, after 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.d3 Qc7 White avoided the 8.a3 of the Carlsen - Caruana World Championship match, instead playing 8.a4:

A very complicated battle was ultimately drawn in strange circumstances.


Rossolimo Variation 3...g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qxd4 [B31]

In Idani, P - Daghli, A White played the direct 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qxd4 f6. After 7.c4 d6 8.0-0 c5 9.Qd3 Bg7 10.Nc3, Black played the dubious 10...Rb8?!:

and White won a thematic game exploiting his superior development.



2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 dxe5 5.Nxe5 [B50]

In Abdusattorov, N - Keymer, V, White obtained good chances in the innocuous position after 5...a6 6.a4 Qc7 7.d4:

But only after a couple of inaccuracies.



Delayed Alapin 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Bd3 d5 [B50]

Ghaem Maghami, E - Idani, P featured a sideline of a sideline after 3...Nf6 4.Bd3 d5:

This is really dubious but wasn’t punished.



Moscow Variation 3...Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Be2 [B51]

In Jahedi, M - Tabatabaei, M White played a plausible but very poor novelty after 6...Ngf6 7.0-0 g6 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bg7, namely 10.Rd1?:

Check the game for the refutation!



Till next time, Sam

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