Download PGN of May ’24 Anti-Sicilian games
>> Previous Update >>
Alapin with 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 [B22]
First up, a return to a pet line of mine with Quillan, G - Fernandez, D. Usually, I only play 2...e6 if I am facing a near-guarantee of an Anti-Sicilian, because I find the Rossolimo rather more annoying than the likes of 2...e6 3.g3 or 3.b3. As things turned out, I got the line 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 and here a move I have played a number of times before, 6...b6:
             |
While there are some nuances in the move-orders, I suspect my opponent’s choice of 7.a3 was less critical than say 7.Bc4.
Hyper-Accelerated Dragon with 3.c3 [B27]
Next, a couple of games starting with the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 d5 4.e5 Bg4 5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.0-0 c4:
|
|
The first, and presumably the inspiration for the other one, was Gukesh, D - Nakamura, H from the Candidates. White chose 8.d3 (8.d4 may be a better version of the same thing) and we also investigate the natural 8.b3. White got relatively little from the opening in this game, which after 12-15 moves strongly resembled some kind of Caro.
The second was Gavrilescu, D - Vakhidov, J in which White tried 8.Re1 instead. I suspect Nakamura’s intention here would have been 8...Nh6, since after the game’s 8...Bg7 9.b3 Black appeared to be under some pressure already.
Rossolimo with 3...e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Qc7 [B30]
Last month we checked 5...Ne7, and this month 5...Qc7 crossed my radar in the game Krzyzanowski, M - Petrosyan, M. Black often requires the move ...e5 at short notice in these structures, and in fact rather than debate the matter at all, White now went for play elsewhere with 6.h4 e5 7.h5:
|
|
I don’t really believe White stands better or worse than after the alternative approaches, so this bayonet thrust seems to me quite an interesting way of gaining space and softening up some of the light squares in Black’s camp, particularly f5. The game is well worth playing through in its entirety.
Delayed Alapin with 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Bd3 [B40]
One of the sharpest games from Sharjah this time round, and also one of the nicest upsets, was the game Esipenko, A - Vokhidov, S. Black went for the cut-throat line with 4....d5 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bc2 c4, and after an interesting novelty from White on move 9 and Black’s consequent acceptance of a hot pawn, the following position was reached:
|
|
Black continued with 13...a6 here, and while the b5-square is certainly important to cover it turns out not to be worth a whole tempo. Instead, 13...Nxd3 should be preferred, and in some lines it is Black that sacrifices quite a considerable amount of material.
Anti-Sicilian with 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Bd3 [B40]
This is one of several lines on the boundary of the Anti-Sicilians, which just consist of developing pieces in some semi-logical fashion. The way engines work nowadays, you can delve quite deeply into such lines and prepare quite a detailed minefield for an opponent. Indeed, that is what looks to have happened in Sadhwani, R - Gavrilescu, D. Black responded with 5...Nc6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bf4 d5 8.Nd2 (note White’s slight lead in development) and now Black has a choice of development configurations.
|
|
It seems that the game’s 8..g6 9.c3 Bg7 10.Qa4 Qb6 is fully valid, but maybe only with the aid of a specific piece sacrifice which is seen in the notes.
Zaitsev with 6.Qd3 [B53]
The other Anti-Sicilian of any note which I played this month, went down the yellow brick road of the (by now no longer so fashionable!) 6.Qd3 line, reaching the following position after 10...a6:
|
|
I’m not so optimistic about White’s chances of an edge in case of 11.Bxc6, but in Fernandez, D - Macak, S I made a case for the possibility of 11.Ba4. White does, however, need to manage the security of the c4- and e4- pawns quite carefully.
Zaitsev with 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qe3 [B53]
By transposition, we revisit a position discussed in Erigaisi-Vogel from last month. There I opined that instead of that game’s 9...Nd7, Black should prefer a queenside fianchetto along the lines of 9...b6:
|
|
This month provided us with a test of precisely that idea in the form of Sanal, V - Mendonca, L. It was noteworthy that White still had a few chances of playing for an opening advantage, particularly after Black played what seemed to be too many pawns to the sixth rank.
All the best, Daniel
>> Previous Update >>
Please post you queries on the Anti-Sicilians Forum, or subscribers can write to me at support@ChessPublishing.com if you have any questions or queries.