Download PGN of January ’22 Anti-Sicilian games
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2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 e6 [B30]
This offbeat line was tried in Van Foreest, J - Praggnanandhaa, R, leading to interesting play after 3...e6 4.0-0 d5:
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White sacrificed a pawn for full compensation but Black had no problems from the opening.
Rossolimo Variation: 3...e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.d4 [B30]
Shuvalova, P - Warmderdam, M featured this topical line and continued 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ng6 7.Be2 Be7 8.c4 0-0 9.Nc3 b6 10.Be3 Bb7:
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After the new move 11.Ndb5 a balanced position arose.
Rossolimo Variation: 3...g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 [B31]
This line was tested a few times in both sections.
In L’Ami, E - Zhu, J, White tried the quiet 5.Re1 e5 6.d3:
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which led to interesting play.
Rossolimo Variation: 3...g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.c3 e5 6.d4 [B31]
In Warmerdam, M - Zhu, J, the dangerous 5.c3 e5 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 exd4 8.Bf4 was tried:
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White got an overwhelming advantage from the opening after inaccurate play.
Rossolimo Variation: 3...g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 0-0 7.d4 d5 [B31]
Caruana, F - Carlsen, M continued the Rossolimo dispute from their World Championship match with 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 0-0 7.d4 d5 8.e5 Ne4 9.Be3 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qb6:
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Caruana had no advantage from the opening and was convincingly outplayed.
Kingside Fianchetto 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d5 [B44]
After 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.0-0 Nf6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 we raech an IQP position:
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After a couple of errors Black was unable to hold the endimg in Erigaisi, A - Bjerre, J.
Moscow Variation: 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.c3 Ngf6 6.Qe2 [B50]
In Dubov, D - Grandelius, N a very fresh position arose after 5.c3 Ngf6 6.Qe2 e6 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 d5 9.e5 Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Bxd2+ 11.Nbxd2 Ng8 12.0-0-0!?:
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Black’s play is probably easier and Grandelius quickly generated a powerful attack, although he only won very deep in the endgame after a late mistake.
Moscow Variation: 3...Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.0-0 e6 [B51]
In Nguyen, T - Warmerdam, M, a standard Maroczy position arose after 6...e6 7.c4 Be7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Bxd7 Bxd7:
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The game was drawn after chances for both sides.
Till next time, Sam
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