Download PGN of March '13 Anti-Sicilian games
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c3-Sicilian with 2...Nf6, ...e6, ...Nc6 and 7.Bc4 [B22]
Smerdon - McClement features a new approach (for this site) in a dangerous position, 13.Rb1!?:
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This has been used to great effect by Aussie GM David Smerdon, who won an impeccable game. However, I (or more precisely, Houdini) have refuted the line - see the note to Black's 15th.
2...d5 mainline 6.Bd3 [B22]
Smerdon - Croad features a new (again, for this site!) approach in the IQP line, 16.h3:
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This quiet move cuts out ...Ng4 ideas and is just a useful move. Again, Smerdon won a nice game but Black could have levelled the chances.
2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 [B40]
Thorhallsson - Yu featured the same line with an early Qe2 as used by Michael Adams against Judit Polgar in London:
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However, Thorhallsson's 8.c3?! was a waste of time and the game is instructive in demonstrating Black's resources in this structure.
Moscow Variation Hybrid 3...Nc6 [B51]
Vachier Lagrave introduced an aggressive novelty in a well known position against Wei, 13...Nh5, aiming to play on the kingside:
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However, something went badly wrong and Black never seemed to have enough compensation, see Wei - Vachier Lagrave.
Moscow Variation 3...Nd7, 4...cxd4 [B51]
Kristjansson - Cheparinov was another Black win with an early ...e5. Here Cheparinov delayed advancing his kingside pawns with the novelty 10...Qa5!?:
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and developed promising play.
Moscow Variation 3...Bd7, 5.c4, 9.b3 [B52]
Negi - Jianu featured a line used regularly by Andrew Greet, 9.b3:
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This gives rise to positions with a bishop on b2, and poses Black some fresh problems, which is welcome since Black's method of equalising against the standard Maroczy Bind approach appears well known by now.
Zaitsev Variation 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 [B53]
Sjurigov - Massoni featured a Maroczy Bind with an early Ba3:
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Black failed to respond adequately to an early Nd5 shot, and lost a miniature.
Till next time, Sam
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