Download PGN of June ’20 Anti-Sicilian games
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c3-Sicilian: 2...Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 e6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 b6 [B22]
This old recommendation of Joe Gallagher seems a bit dubious these days, and Vysochin, S - Mchedlishvili, M saw Black get into trouble after 7.Bc4 Bb7 8.0-0 Na6?!:
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a favourite of Jansa but a very dodgy line.
c3-Sicilian 2...Nf6, Delayed d4, 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 c4 7.Bc2 d5 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.0-0 Bg4 [B30]
This is one of Black's best options to play for a win against the c3-Sicilian, as shown by Nakamura, H - Dubov, D. After 10.Qe2 0-0-0 11.Na3 Qe6 12.Qxe6+ Bxe6:
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Nakamura rejected the critical pawn grab 13.Ng5, instead playing 13.b3 and losing a long technical game with an inferior structure.
Rossolimo, Move-order tricks, 4...Qc7 5.0-0 Nd4 6.Re1 [B23]
I've been critical of this variation before, and Jones, G - Martirosyan, H is a great illustration of the dangers facing Black. After 6...Ng4, Gawain sacrificed a pawn with 7.e5 Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3 Nxe5 9.Qg3:
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quickly winning a fine game. Black could have improved, but so could White, who enjoys excellent chances in this line.
Rossolimo: 3...g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7 8.Be3 e5 9.Qd2 h6 [B31]
Noel Studer has been playing this line successfully with Black, and his good run continued (not without some scary moments) in Eljanov, P - Studer, N. After 10.a3 b6 11.0-0 Nf8 12.b4 Ne6 13.bxc5 f5 14.exf5 gxf5 15.Qe1 0-0:
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Eljanov varied from Wang Hao - Carlsen with 16.cxb6. The position was quite unclear from the opening, before Eljanov made the last couple of mistakes.
Rossolimo Variation 3...g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Re1 Nh6 7.c3 0-0 8.h3 f5 9.e5 Nf7 [B31]
The Dubov variation (or, at least, one of them!) was essayed in Ding, L - Dubov, D. The players followed Dubov's previous game against Svidler with 10.d4 cxd4 11.cxd4 Bb7 12.Na3 c5 13.dxc5 Qa5 14.Be3 Qb4:
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but Ding went in a different direction with 15.Nc2 Qxb2 16.Ncd4!?. There were lots of interesting points in the opening, but Ding won a very fine game.
Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 b6 [B51]
Carlsen, M - Wei, Y saw this interesting line, and after 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Bb7 9.0-0 Wei Yi chose a Scheveningen setup with 9...e6:
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Black was doing fine from the opening, but Carlsen accelerated in the middlegame and won.
Moscow: 3...Nd7 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 a6 6.c4 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 [B51]
In Nakamura, H - Duda, J the players contested this stodgy line, which is reminiscent of structures arising from the English Opening (but with White's bishop on a4 instead of g2):
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Duda was doing fine out of the opening, but Nakamura uncorked a very impressive attack late in the game.
Moscow: 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.0-0 Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 [B52]
Nakamura often essays this line with Black, but found himself on the white side in Nakamura, H - Dubov, D. After 7.c3 Be7 8.d4 0-0 9.e5 Ne8:
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the central tension was quickly resolved and a well-played game ended in a draw.
Till next time, Sam
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