Download PGN of June '13 Anti-Sicilian games
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c3-Sicilian: 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5, 5...Bf5 [B22]
In Zhigalko - Guseinov Black tried the risky 8...Bxb1?!:
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but managed to wriggle out of serious trouble. In the notes, however, I show that c3 players should be more than a little happy to see this ambitious bishop sortie appear.
Rossolimo Variation 3...Nf6 [B30]
Moving on to 3.Bb5 Sicilians, Zhigalko has the black pieces against Areshchenko and takes his c8 bishop on its own little adventure to h5 in the rare 3...Nf6 variation:
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Once again, though, regular ChessPub readers won't be surprised to discover that White can maintain a pleasant advantage with accurate play. White didn't manage to do this in the game, however, and Zhigalko finished off a spectacular attack with a flourish, see Areshchenko - Zhigalko.
Rossolimo 3...e5 4.0-0 Bd6!? [B30]
Three recent games of Baadur Jobava have seen the talented Georgian employ a very rare system, never before covered on ChessPub, 3.Bb5 e5 4.0-0 Bd6!?:
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I've done some work to get to the bottom of this variation, which contains a lot more venom than first meets the eye. It seems the best approach to getting an edge with White is to follow the energetic approach of Solak - Jobava, because as we see in Matinian - Jobava (and Bartel-Jobava, contained in the notes), lacklustre play allows Black a relatively easy game.
Moscow Variation: 3...Nd7 [B51]
The white bishop in Carlsen - Svidler adopts a similarly unorthodox location on d3 in a rare Moscow line:
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In the end, Svidler made a reasonably comfortable draw, but with 7.b3! I think White can pose some serious questions in this interesting sideline.
Speaking of Carlsen, Laznicka - Zhigalko (this time, the other one!) followed Carlsen-Anand from last month's update:
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However, here Black dubiously chose to move his other bishop on move 10. The punishment was swift and the Czech Grandmaster produced a fine king hunt, checkmating his opponent's monarch on the opposite back rank.
Moscow Hybrid 2/3...Nc6 [B51]
Finally, Topalov - Ivanchuk features the ...d6/...Nc6 hybrid variation (there must be a better name for this!), where Ivanchuk strangely allowed his bishop to be chased to h5:
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This error should be well known to regular readers, although Topalov deviated from the strong approach of Adams that we've advocated. Still, Topalov achieved a nice edge and, after a grave error from Black, managed to get his pawn to e7 out of the opening where it was only blocked by the black king! Yet another example of poor bishop management by the black pieces this month.
Till next time, Dave
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