Despite this being a belated October update, I hope readers will forgive me for drawing all my main games from a decidedly November event, the European Team Championships. Anti-Sicilians featured pretty heavily in both the open and women's events, with over 50 games featuring some heavyweight clashes. In fact, there were more interesting Anti-Sicilian games played there than I have space to cover in this update, and will have to leave some lines till the November update.
One of the amusing features of the games featured in this update is that two key wins, against Morozevich and Cheparinov, were gained using the analysis and/or previous games of Gawain Jones and Thomas Rendle, two London housemates! It seems the world centre of opening preparation may be shifting...
Download PGN of October '11 Anti-Sicilian games
>> Previous Update >>
The c3 Sicilian 2...Nf6 [B22]
Stevic - Ivanchuk contains material from a variety of c3-Sicilian lines showing the dour equality which arises in IQP structures where White takes on c6 and Black recaptures with the b-pawn:
             |
Carlsson - Istratescu is yet another example of a particular attacking plan for White in the c3-Sicilian. Theory universally proclaims Black to be fully equal, but certain players (notably Vadja) have had notable success with White here:
|
|
Carlsson repeats a line involving an exchange sacrifice which he had lost earlier this year but had prepared a huge improvement; Istratesu varies but fails to contain the activity of the white rooks.
Grand Prix Attack [B23]
Gashimov - Cheparinov is a Grand Prix Attack where a white bishop comes via b5 and c4 to e2:
|
|
Cheparinov uses a clever exchange sacrifice to generate queenside counterplay, but spoils the game immediately thereafter.
Anti-Sveshnikov 6 h3 [B30]
Efimenko - Sebenik is an example of the 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Bc4 system which has a striking similarity to the Anti-Marshall in several lines:
|
|
In the game, Efimenko stabilised the centre and demonstrated a straightforward plan of attack on the queenside against which Sebenik couldn't demonstrate a good response.
Rossolimo 3...g6 4 c3 [B31]
Bartel - Agopov is a game which perhaps demonstrates an interesting way for Black to meet 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3:
|
|
Black went down but missed a table-turning resource.
Moscow/Rossolimo Hybrid 4 Bxc6+ [B51]
Neiksans - Hracek shows the Hybrid Line, 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nc6. In his book, Gawain makes the case that Black must play precisely after 4.Bxc6+. These positions look more comfortable for White and Hracek does nothing to shake this assessment.
Moscow Variation 3...Bd7 [B52]
Delchev - Morozevich is a key test of the 7...g5!? line against Gawain's 7 Rd1 recommendation (after 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7):
|
|
Morozevich plays imprecisely in allowing the white bishop to develop to f4, after which he could not restrain White's initiative.
Howell - Socko shows an interesting and principled approach for Black in the notoriously solid 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 line. Black developed harmoniously and quickly seized the initiative.
Till next month, Sam
>> 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.