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This Update was not planned to concentrate on one variation in particular. Instead, I searched for interesting recent games played by strong players and it turned out they were all in 3.Bb5 systems. Appropriately, for some of the variations, all the games were played in Moscow.

Download PGN of February '11 Anti-Sicilian games

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Rossolimo [B30]

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 then 3...Nf6 is an interesting way to answer the Rossolimo (and particularly relevant to Sveshnikov fans due to the move order 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5):

By transposition Amonatov - Pridorozhni features 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Qc7 and now the interesting move 5.d3!? takes the sting out of many of Black's intended plans:

Safarli - S. Zhigalko shows a related but separate system that is also causing Black some problems, 5.0-0 Nd4 6.d3!?:

Safarli - Grachev is a Rossolimo game in the 3...e6 line, although it gets there in the move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5. Then after 4...Nd4 5.0-0 a6 6.Bd3:

Black gives a perfect demonstration of a plan I highly recommend: exchange knights on f3 and put the bishop on e5.



Moscow Variation [B52]

After 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Zhigalko - Sjugirov features 5...Nc6 which allows White to play a pawn sacrifice, 6.c3 Nf6 7.d4:

Sadly for White, the game suggests Black can hold a draw quite comfortably.

The next two games show 5...Nf6 instead of 5...Nc6.

Kuderinov - Kokarev continued 5...Nf6 6.Re1 Nc6 7.c3 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2:

This is a line with a completely harmless reputation. White successfully tried a sharp new approach, but Black should have been okay.

Yandemirov - Amonatov shows a wild idea for Black in a seemingly quiet position. After 5...Nf6 6.Qe2 Nc6 7.Rd1 the lunge 7...g5!? makes a huge amount of sense:


Moscow/Rossolimo hybrid [B51]

Moving on to 3...Nc6 rather than 3...Bd7, in Kuzubov - Sjugirov the game continued 4.0-0 Bd7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.h3:

This is a way for White to start a middlegame rather than fight for an opening edge. As the game shows (and others in the notes) there is plenty of play.



Regards, John Shaw

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Please post you queries on the Anti-Sicilians Forum, or subscribers can write to me at js@ChessPublishing.com if you have any questions or queries.