Download PGN of December ’17 Anti-Sicilian games
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c3-Sicilian: 2...Nf6 with ...e6 and ...d6, 8...Be7 [B22]
Granedlius, N - Handke, F features the unusual 9.exd6 Bxd6 (8...Qxd6 is much more common):
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White gained some advantage in a symmetrical IQP structure but Handke played well to generate sufficient counterplay.
Rossolimo: 3...e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ng6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Be2 0-0 [B30]
After 9.Nc3, in Nakamura, H - Radjabov, T Black played the novelty 9...Qc7!?:
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White won a good game and seemed to have an edge from the opening.
Rossolimo: 3...g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Re1 Nh6 7.c3 0-0 [B31]
A rare good month for White in this line, where Boris Gelfand has shown the way for Black.
Jones, G - Jackson, J features the aggressive 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 and now 10...Bg4:
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a move which should give White some advantage.
Amin, B - Neiksans, A shows the Egyptian Number 1 (and only African player over 2700) continuing his theoretical debate after 8.h3 f5 9.e5 Nf7 10.d3 d6 11.Bf4 Ba6 12.e6 Ne5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Bxe5 Bxe5 15.Rxe5:
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I prefer White’s chances in the arising endgame (despite the engine’s 0.00 assessment) and this was supported by the course of the game.
Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.0-0 a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 b5 7.c4 g5 [B51]
I was asked to consider this line which has fallen out of fashion. I remain a fan of White’s chances, including after White’s novelty 8.Nxg5 Ne5 9.Bf1 bxc4 10.Na3!?:
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Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.Nc3 e5 [B51]
Hammer, J - Svidler, P is a great example of Black’s chances when White plays for control of d5 with 8.Qd3 Rc8 9.Nd2 Be6 10.Nf1 Be7 11.Ne3:
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Hammer didn’t have a good day and was crushed.
Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.a4 [B51]
Adams, M - MVL shows the French Number One’s home cooking in this topical line, 4...Ngf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 Qa5!?:
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Unsurprisingly, I suggest that you follow his example!
Anton, D - Abarca, N shows a number of thematic ideas in the Italian/Spanish structure after 4...Ngf6 5.Nc3 e5:
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following a later trade of bishops on e6.
Till next time, Sam
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