Download PGN of October ’24 Anti-Sicilian games
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The Wing Gambit: 2 b4 cxb4 3 a3 d5 [B20]
After 1 e4 c5 2 b4!? cxb4 3 a3 the engines are slightly sceptical of White’s objective compensation, but there is certainly sufficient practical compensation for a pawn:
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Here 3...d5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Nf3 is the main line when 5...e6!? turns out to be new to ChessPub, but is recommended in the recent King’s Anti-Sicilians for Black, so it was high time to take a look, as well as at Black’s fifth-move alternatives. A creative counter after 6 Bb2 Nf6 is 7 Bd3!?:
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Black should though be solid enough, as we’ll see in the dramatic encounter Bortnyk, O - Bok, B.
The Wing Gambit: 2 b4 cxb4 3 a3 e5 [B20]
An important alternative is 3...e5!?, which continues to grow in popularity and which after 4 Nf3 Nc6 can lead to some fascinating lines, such as 5 Bb2 Qb6 and 5 Bc4 Nf6, intending 6 Ng5?! d5!:
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This is a version of the Two Knights Defence White should likely avoid, as explained in Pranav, V - Gabrielian, A.
The Wing Gambit Accepted: 2 b4 cxb4 3 a3 bxa3 4 d4 d5 [B20]
Finally, 3...bxa3 can hardly be terrible, with 4 d4 d5 our main focus, where White should go 5 exd5!, looking to open lines, not allow 5 e5?! Bf5. That did, however, lead to quite the scrap in Savitha, S - Pyrih, R, which landed up in this position:
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Can you spot the gorgeous idea the young Indian WGM had planned after 24 Qa3! hxg5?
The 2 a3 Sicilian [B21]
After 1 e4 c5 2 a3!? White hints at b2-b4 and Black has a wide range of options.
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The critical move is 2...g6, but we’ll round everything else up, including the greedy 2...Nc6 3 b4 cxb4?! (the Smerdon-endorsed 3...e5! carries much more punch) 4 axb4 Nxb4 5 d4 in Sale, S - Stojkovic, A.
The theoretically-approved defence is 2...g6 when White has a few options, including 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Bc4 e6 5 d3 Ne7 (5...Nc6 6 Ba2 Nf6!? could be critical, as we’ll see) 6 Ba2, as championed by GothamChess, aka IM Levy Rozman.
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White wisely tucks the bishop out of harm’s way while preparing to sound the charge, as 6...Nbc6 7 h4! now did in Hadzovic, A - Sutkovic, D.
The c3 Sicilian: 2...d5 3 exd5 Nf6 [B22]
And so to that wonderful game from Hammersmith CC, where 1 e4 c5 2 c3 was met by the trendy 2...d5 3 exd5 Nf6!?. After 4 Bb5+ I’d still recommend 4...Nbd7, as covered in the previous update, but 4...Bd7 5 Bxd7+ Qxd7 6 c4 e6 must also be playable:
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Beginning with 7 Qe2, an English FM and leading c3 Sicilian connoisseur began to take control in Harley, A - Gallana, M, only for Black to roll the dice at the right time and counter in bold fashion. If ever you wanted evidence that pointing all the pieces straight at the opponent’s king can work well in practice, this game is it!
The Portsmouth Gambit: 3...cxb4 4 d4 d5 [B30]
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 b4!? is known as the Portsmouth Gambit, although it’s clearly closely related to the Wing Gambit. After 3...cxb4 4 d4 d5 5 exd5 Qxd5 6 c4! bxc3 7 Nxc3 Qa5 8 d5 an important tabiya is reached:
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To maintain equality, Black needs to know the move 8...e6!, intending 9 dxc6? Bb4. White does better with 9 Qd2 when both sides need to know their stuff, as we’ll see in Bellahcene, B - Travadon, L.
A lively update! Let’s hope for more attacking games next month, Richard
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