Download PGN of July ’20 Anti-Sicilian games
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GPA 2.Be2 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Qe1 Nf6 7.d3 0-0 [B21]
In Shahinyan, D - Davtyan, A, White tried 8.Nc3:
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Black got very comfortable play from the opening, although White played a model game before he lost the thread.
Anti-Sveshnikov 6.Nd2 Nf6 7.Nf1 Nd7 [B30]
Mihok, O - Mikes, J is a good example of Black's chances in these closed positions. Mikes quickly seized the initiative after 8.Ne3 0-0 9.0-0 Nb6 10.Ncd5 Kh8:
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followed by a quick ...f5.
Rossolimo Variation, Jobava's 3...e5 4.0-0 Bd6 [B30]
Magnus Carlsen tried this Jobava favourite in several of his recent online campaigns. In Grischuk, A - Carlsen, M White essayed the interesting novelty 5.d4!?:
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while we look at the alternatives (including the most common move, 5.c3) in Caruana, F - Carlsen, M.
Moscow Variation 3...Nd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.Nc3 [B51]
This sideline is becoming very popular.
In Carlsen, M - Giri, A, Giri played the opening in model fashion, quickly equalising after 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.a5 Bg7 7.0-0 a6 8.Be2 0-0 9.Re1 b5 10.axb6 Bb7:
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and taking on b6 with the knight. Carlsen was under some pressure before he blundered and lost, and White needs an improvement here.
Black adopted a different approach in Plenca, J - Palac, M, going for 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 b6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 e6, a flexible approach we've seen before:
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Black was comfortable from the opening before an early draw was agreed.
Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 [B51]
In Zelcic, R - Bosiocic, M, Black met 6.Bxd7+ with the enterprising 6...Qxd7!?:
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White ended up with a Maroczy Bind and a very promising space advantage, with Black only securing counterplay deep into a lost endgame.
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 11.0-0 a6 12.Qd3 [B51]
In Giri, A - Ding, L, Ding avoided Jorden Van Foreest's new idea 12...Rfc8 13.b3 b5 in favour of 12...Rab8 13.b3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 b5:
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He equalised and went into a tenable rook endgame before the vagaries of online chess cost him a draw.
Till next time, Sam
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