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This update covers many different lines from recent games. As is common in the anti-Sicilians, a recurring theme in the games is one side avoiding theory in search of fresh ground to explore. Traditionally, this is White's ploy, but this month there are also a couple of unusual ideas for Black that I find particularly interesting. One is Drazic's off-beat reply against the Rossolimo and there is also the trendy new idea that top players are using against the Zaitsev variation (see Magem Badals - Inarkiev below).
Anyway, let's get to the games...

Download PGN of November '10 Anti-Sicilian games


The Big Clamp [B20]

The following two games show a 2600+ player (and ex-c3-Sicilian aficionado) making good use of the Big Clamp with Be2.

Stevic - Yilmaz started 1.e4 c5 2.d3 Nc6 3.f4 d5 4.Be2 Nf6, which is a logical and direct approach from Black:

Still, White has decent chances, especially if he is familiar with how the great Bent Larsen used to handle this set-up.

Stevic - Horvath sees Black trying to improve on McShane - Cheparinov, which was a high profile game last year (at least high profile by Big Clamp standards), after 9.Qh4, in this position:

The opening was somewhat unclear but once again White won rather quickly.



2.c3 Sicilian [B22]

One of Black's most popular lines against the c3-Sicilan is 2...Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4Nf3 e6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nb6. This avoids the long dead-level forcing lines of some of the other main lines, but at the cost of offering White more chances of an edge than the dull drawish lines. One of White's critical lines is 8.Bb3 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nc6 10.Nf3!?:

Chirila - Hughes is a recent example of this variation. White has slightly the better of it out of the opening; however, the whole game is worth a look as the finish is great fun.


Rossolimo [B30]

Predojevic - Drazic shows an unusual way to meet the Rossolimo as early as humanly possible:

3...b6 is a very rare move, but it contains some interesting ideas, as the game shows.



The Zaitsev Variation [B53]

In the position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 the reply 6...Bd7 is all but automatic but recently the move 6...Nd7!? has attracted the attention of various world class players:

Magem Badals - Inarkiev is a recent example with several of the other top class games included in the notes.

Nevednichy - Bogosavljvic is another Zaitsev game, but this time in one of the old main lines:

The theory stretches a long way and White still has good chances of an edge - this underlines the attraction of the new line considered in the previous game.



Moscow Variation [B52]

In the following diagram position the usual move 8.d4 is heavily theoretical and, in general, extremely equal:

The game Cuartas - Alsina Leal is an example of 8.d3 - a quiet move that must be harmless in theory, but there are a number of ideas lurking behind it. In any case, White reaches an interesting middlegame, which was no doubt his ambition.



Next time (which I plan to be rather soon) I plan a more specialist update, covering one variation in depth. I think the ever popular c3-Sicilian is the best candidate...

Regards, John Shaw


Please post you queries on the Anti-Sicilians Forum, or subscribers can write to me at js@ChessPublishing.com if you have any questions or queries.