Download PGN of November '06 Anti-Sicilian games
2 Na3 [B20]
Jonathan covered Zvjaginsev's 2 Na3 in some detail:
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It is difficult to take this move seriously at first sight but unlike 2 b4 and 2 d4, White leaves himself with plenty of options despite the offside knight with White scoring very well to date.
Anyway, I am taking a look at two more games this month, so you can judge for yourself. In both Game 1 and Game 2 White plays slowly but eventually builds up to a winning kingside attack.
Wing Gambit [B20]
2 b4 cxb4 3 a3 is in my view just refuted by 3...d5!:
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and the game Grekh - Zakhartsov does nothing to contradict this observation.
However, 3 c4!? might be worth a look:
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if you insist on playing the Wing Gambit!
Morra Gambit [B22]
The Morra Gambit is a perfectly serviceable opening below 2300 level. The chances that White gets are perfectly illustrated by Majer - Cafolla although White might have played even better with 12 Nd5!:
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gaining time on the slightly exposed Black queen.
C3 Sicilian [B22]
1 e4 c5 2 c3 d5 3 exd5 Qxd5 4 d4 Nf6 5 Nf3 Bg4 6 dxc5 leads us to a critical position:
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This is a move Gary Lane recommended for White in his video on the C3 Sicilian, as did Sam Collins in a recent repertoire book, and as Jonathan showed a little while ago in Afromeev - Dvalishvilli (see July's update), 6...Qxd1+ might not give Black enough compensation for the pawn, so check out Michalcsak - Becker where Black makes 6...Qxc5 look like the best reply.
Grand Prix Attack [B23]
The Grand Prix Attack gets blown away by Kogan in Game 6 but perhaps that was the fault of 6. Ne5!?. The critical position arises after 12...c4!:
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Now White must get it right or die!
O'Kelly Variation [B23]
Finally, in Game 7 Kevin Spraggett shows another good way to tackle the O Kelly variation with 3 c4!:
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Previously the Roadmaps had only covered 3 c3, the other critical reply.
Thanks for reading, Andrew
Please post you queries on the Anti-Sicilians Forum, or subscribers can write to me at AMartin@ChessPublishing.com if you have any questions or queries.