Download PGN of May ’17 Anti-Sicilian games
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c3-Sicilian: 2...Nf6, 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 d5 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.0-0 Be6 [B22]
This line has been known for decades, and theory's (correct) evaluation has always been that Black is fine. In Schebler, G - Huschenbeth, N, two German GMs reached this position in the Bangkok Open and White (now rated under 2400) played the rare 10.Na3 dxc3 11.Bxe6!?:
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This is a line covered in some detail on the site before, and while Black is fine, he can reach positions of the type seen in the game, where he has a doubled extra pawn but zero winning chances and a rather passive defence. Huschenbeth erred in his defence and Schebler went on to score a good upset over his 200+ higher-rated opponent.
c3-Sicilian: 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 e6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Na3 [B22]
Schebler again relied on the c3-Sicilian in his next round of the Bangkok Open against another strong German GM, Jan Gustafsson (Schebler, G - Gustafsson, J). Gustafsson picked a line which, in my view, is a much better choice if Black wants to play for a win. After 6...Qd8, instead of 7.Nc4 Schebler chose the less critical 7.Nc2:
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and the players reached a rich position with chances for both sides. After mutual errors a draw resulted.
c3-Sicilian: 2...d5 3.exd5 Nf6 [B22]
Ivan Ivanisevic likes to sacrifice a pawn in many of his black openings, and used this gambit line against a much weaker player in Pilhoefer, A - Ivanisevic, I. After 4.d4 cxd4 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.Qxd4 g6 7.d6!:
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Ivanisevic chose the new 7...Bg7 and, despite the result of the opening and the game, White ought to be a little better if he declines the pawn sacrifice.
Anti-Sveshnikov: 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 Nf6 [B30]
We have seen several recent examples of White playing dynamically with Ng5 and f4, but in Muzychuk, A - Paehtz, E White played the more positional 6.Bg5:
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Paehtz responded well, "playing around" the knight on d5 and generating fully sufficient counterplay on the queenside. A good game which shows ideas which are useful in all Sicilian variations where Black concedes an outpost on d5.
Moscow Variation: 3...Nd7 4.c3 Ngf6 5.Qe2 [B51]
This line is a good choice for those white players who wish to play in Spanish style against 3...Nd7, which seems to be the modern main line of the Moscow Variation. In Grandelius, N - Sadzikowski, D, we see a Dave Smerdon novelty after 5...a6 6.Ba4 b5 7.Bc2 Bb7 8.d4 e5 9.0-0 Be7 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.d5 c4, namely 12.b4 cxb3 13.axb3:
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Grandelius won a nice attacking game but Black had no problems from the opening after executing the thematic ...f5 break.
Moscow Variation: 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7, 10...Qa5 [B52]
This system, developed by Anand and his team, has become increasingly popular and White has struggled to demonstrate anything against it. Recent high level games have focussed on 11.Bd2:
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but, as summarised in the notes to Ni Hua - Li Chao and Kryvoruchko, Y - Zhou, W, Black is fine in these lines.
Moscow Variation: 3...Bd7 4.c4 [B52]
In Rozentalis, E - Brkic, A, Rozentalis gave an excellent demonstration of White's chances in the typical position arising after 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 g6 8.f3 Nxd4 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.Qxd4:
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In the first phase, he focussed on restraint, before increasing his space advantage all over the board and winning a good endgame.
Till next time, Sam
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