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Hi all,
Some high level games this month, with the white pieces being handled by current or former World Champions in three games.

Download PGN of May ’18 Anti-Sicilian games

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Anti-Sveshnikov Variation 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 Nf6 [B30]

Navara, D - Radjabov, T featured an enterprising pawn sacrifice after 6.Ng5 0-0 7.f4 exf4 8.Bxf4, namely 8...d5!? 9.exd5 Nd4!:

Radjabov easily equalised and, as the notes show, Black appears to have a good game in all variations.



Rossolimo Variation 4.Bb5 Qc7 5.Bxc6 Qxc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qc7 [B30]

In Kryvoruchlo, Y - Tabatabaei, M White essayed the interesting 8.Ndb5!?, a move which poses immediate problems for Black:

Tabatabaei went wrong on move 11 and lost quickly.


Rossolimo Variation 3...g6 4.Bxc6 [B31]

Vishy Anand gave a masterclass on the white side of the Rossolimo en route to winning the rapid section of the Tal Memorial.

Anand, V - Dubov, D featured the enormously popular 4...bxc6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Re1 Nh6 7.c3 0-0 8.h3 f5 9.e5 Nf7 10.d3. Here Dubov uncorked a new plan with 10...a5!?, with the subtle idea of bringing the rook into play along the seventh rank:

He went badly wrong but the idea seems excellent, and poses yet another headache for White in this line.

Anand, V - Grischuk, A saw a previous tabiya of the Rossolimo after 4...dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be3 b6 9.Qd2 e5 10.Bh6 Qd6 11.0-0-0 a5:

Black’s chances seem no worse in this sharp position, although Anand ultimately won with the help of a stunning tactic.



Kingside Fianchetto 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.g3 b5 5.Bg2 Bb7 [B40]

This line leads to complicated play in which the stronger player typically prevails, and so was a brave choice in Zherebukh, Y - Caruana, F. After 6.d3 Nc6 7.0-0 d6 White essayed 8.Ng5!?, an old idea of Simagin’s:

Caruana was doing well throughout and won easily.



Moscow 3..Nd7 4.0-0 a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 b5 7.c3 Bb7 8.Bc2 c4 9.a4 e6 [B51]

This is probably the main line of the Moscow these days, and in Mamedov, R - Karjakin, S the players demonstrated some key points of the critical variation with 10.axb5 axb5 11.Rxa8 Qxa8 12.Na3 Bxe4 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.d3 cxd3 15.Nxb5 Qb7:

Black needs to know or calculate the next few moves to reach safety, but Karjakin had no difficulties in steering the game towards a drawn endgame.



2. Nc3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 [B23]

In Carlsen, M - Wojtaszek, R, the World Champion used an old favourite of Gashimov, but with a new idea to meet 4...Nc6 with 5.Qd2 Nf6 6.b3!?:

I have no doubt that this move will receive further practical tests, especially since Black’s defence was far from accurate.


Zaitsev Variation 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Qd3 [B53]

Vallejo Pons, F - Sadzikowski, D is a typical game where White plays for a Maroczy Bind with the bishop on b5 (as in the 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.c4 line):

Black mixes something up in the opening and puts a knight on a5, which is quickly lost.



Till next time, Sam

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