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Hi all,
I've included some games from recent OTB tournaments (most notably the Croatian Championship), in addition to the top level online stuff we've come to know and love over the last few months.

Download PGN of July ’20 Anti-Sicilian games

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GPA 2.Be2 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Qe1 Nf6 7.d3 0-0 [B21]

In Shahinyan, D - Davtyan, A, White tried 8.Nc3:











Black got very comfortable play from the opening, although White played a model game before he lost the thread.



Anti-Sveshnikov 6.Nd2 Nf6 7.Nf1 Nd7 [B30]

Mihok, O - Mikes, J is a good example of Black's chances in these closed positions. Mikes quickly seized the initiative after 8.Ne3 0-0 9.0-0 Nb6 10.Ncd5 Kh8:











followed by a quick ...f5.



Rossolimo Variation, Jobava's 3...e5 4.0-0 Bd6 [B30]

Magnus Carlsen tried this Jobava favourite in several of his recent online campaigns. In Grischuk, A - Carlsen, M White essayed the interesting novelty 5.d4!?:











while we look at the alternatives (including the most common move, 5.c3) in Caruana, F - Carlsen, M.



Moscow Variation 3...Nd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.Nc3 [B51]

This sideline is becoming very popular.

In Carlsen, M - Giri, A, Giri played the opening in model fashion, quickly equalising after 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.a5 Bg7 7.0-0 a6 8.Be2 0-0 9.Re1 b5 10.axb6 Bb7:











and taking on b6 with the knight. Carlsen was under some pressure before he blundered and lost, and White needs an improvement here.

Black adopted a different approach in Plenca, J - Palac, M, going for 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 b6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 e6, a flexible approach we've seen before:











Black was comfortable from the opening before an early draw was agreed.


Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 [B51]

In Zelcic, R - Bosiocic, M, Black met 6.Bxd7+ with the enterprising 6...Qxd7!?:











White ended up with a Maroczy Bind and a very promising space advantage, with Black only securing counterplay deep into a lost endgame.


Moscow: 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 g6 9.f3 Bg7 10.Be3 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Qd3 [B51]

In Giri, A - Ding, L, Ding avoided Jorden Van Foreest's new idea 12...Rfc8 13.b3 b5 in favour of 12...Rab8 13.b3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 b5:











He equalised and went into a tenable rook endgame before the vagaries of online chess cost him a draw.



Till next time, Sam

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