Download PGN of November '15 Anti-Sicilian games
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Wing Gambit 3 a3 bxa3 [B20]
But first, I can't help myself. Another Wing! Check out Armanda - Deur to get all the analysis you need to be able to handle the (in my opinion) dubious 3...bxa3?!:
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Rossolimo/Moscow hybrid 6 h3 [B51]
There were so many interesting new ideas coming out of the recent World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Berlin. I was always interested to see what the World Champion came up with every round, and his game with Akopian really caught my eye.
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It's particularly interesting to many of us ChessPub folk because it cuts out the nifty ...Bg4, ...e6 setup I have been proposing for a black anti-3.Bb5 repertoire. For that reason alone it's worth paying attention to this game, although Black should have no problems after a few accurate moves, see Carlsen - Akopian.
Rossolimo Variation 3...e6 4 0-0 Nge7 [B30]
The recent Millionaire Open was interesting for various reasons. In a tight semi-final, Nakamura eventually prevailed against the talented Chinese GM Yu Yangyi, but Yu's 5...d5!? followed by recapturing with the knight seems to give Black decent chances of equality:
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although it is a little passive for my tastes, see Nakamura - Yu Yangyi.
King's Indian Attack 3 g3 [B40/C00]
With McShane - Caruana I will once again trespass onto French territory with another KIA game. At least this time it came about via our typical 2...e6 Sicilian move-order. Luke repeated Carlsen's 8.exd5!, the benefits of which I have been extolling for some time:
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It really seems to give White excellent chances and Luke captured a big scalp in this game.
Moscow Variation 3...Nd7 4 0-0 a6 5 Bd3, 7...g5! [B51]
Then we move into the heavy stuff. It all starts from the following topical diagram:
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This variation got a serious hit-out in Berlin. All three games that we discuss this month involve 8.cxb5, starting with a fine attacking victory for White in Mamedov - Anand. However, pay close attention to the note to 8.Nxg5 in this game. We're still in the early days of development of this variation and the final word is a long way off being spoken, but this note could be a path for White in the future.
Bartel - Grischuk and Mamedov - Grischuk then discuss the complications that arise from the following position:
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I can definitely appreciate that this position looks messy, and the tangled jungle of lines in these games also seem to suggest that an astute memory is required. At the moment I think there are lots of improvements to be found for both colours, as I show in the notes. However, if you're put off by wild complications, let me refer you back to the note about 8.Nxg5.
Zaitsev Variation 4 Qxd4 a6 5 c4 [B53]
Finally, we finish with a little heartbreak. Svidler - Karjakin was one of several climactic moments of their epic World Cup final tiebreak. Svidler came very well prepared with 6.Qe3:
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and seemed to achieve a slight advantage with little trouble. That's the good news, theoretically, for us. The rest of the game was dramadramadrama, but I'll let you check it out for yourself.
It's getting colder! Dave
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