Annotated chess game: Gambito #339

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ANNOTATED GAME

Gambito #339
Sagart (1967) vs. byakuugan3 (1881)
Annotated by: byakuugan3 (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B90), Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack

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1. e4 c5

This game features a nice attack with my favorite variation of the Sicilian Najdorf. I never have any problems playing Sicilian as Black, and I've upset a lot of high rated players with Sicilian. I quit playing e4 a long time ago when I couldn't find any good openings against Sicilian. This is only my theory, and you can disagree, but Sicilian is just good for Black, if Black plays completely accurately. Excuse my bold statement about this position being winning for Black, but I am very serious about my Sicilian. Although the opening only matters if both sides play 100% accurately throughout the game, which no players will, so you can play whatever opening you want if you're not a grandmaster, but if you're looking for a sharp opening against e4 that you'll never want to quit playing, then I advise you to go over this game and learn to play Sicilian the way I do, I explain a lot of my sicilian repertoire throughout this annotation.

2. Nf3

Against moves like this that don't reveal White's plans, I recommend the standard 2...d6 adding control to the central dark squares. White has committal moves like f4 and c3, where Black needs to play differently than he would against the non-comittal moves. Against 2.f4, Black should play 2...g6 immediately and develop like Dragon, since playing in the center will allow White's f4 to have a purpose. Against Dragon setups, f4's only purpose is to play f5 attacking g6, which isn't anything to be afraid of, and is why f4 isn't advisable against Dragon. Black can develop and castle quickly in the dragon setup, and take advantage of the f4 weakness later. Against another comittal move 2.c3, I recommend the most common response 2...Nf6, since White has blocked his own knight from developing to c3, Black's knight on f6 will be stronger when White cannot control the same squares with Nc3 anymore, so White almost always plays 3.e5, and after Nd5 d4 cxd4 Nf3 Nc6, Black's play will pretty much all be on the queenside, where he has both knights there, and lots of flexibility, and it will take White awhile to develop play on the kingside, while his pawns are slightly overextended.

2... d6

I think this is sharper than the other common moves. 2...Nc6 takes away the option of developing the knight to d7, 2...g6 commits to fianchettoing the bishop too early, and 2...e6 blocks in the bishop and the only points I see to 2...e6 are to block the g8-a2 diagonal and prepare for a d5 boost. Black can block that diagonal with e6 anytime, and early d5 is not necessary in the Sicilian, so to me 2...d6 is the only logical move, and Black will wait to see how White responds to decide what kind of setup to play. The lines after 3.Bb5 Bd7 Bxd7 Qxd7, tend to be somewhat equal, but with a slight advantage for Black.

3. d4

White decides that the only chance to fight for advantage is to take away Black's control of d4, while opening up the position with a lead in development, but Open Sicilian to me is easier to play against than the annoying anti-sicilians where the plans are unclear. Against lines where White delays or doesn't play d4, then Black has many ways of getting an at least equal position, usually with a slight advantage. Against early Bc4, Black can develop normally with e6 a6 Nf6 Be7, and because of e6 and a6, the bishop is useless on that diagonal, Black can continue development Nc6 Bd7 and his position is completely solid with queenside expansion ideas. Against non-committal moves like Nc3, Black can just play Nf6 and White will almost have to play a committal move like d4 and go into mainline. If White plays passively, then Black should go into a Dragon setup and have an advantage. Dragon is only bad when played against a 100% accurate Open Sicilian, but not against passive play by White. If you don't know dragon well and don't want to study it, then e5 is playable in some lines.

3... cxd4

Qxd4 is a sideline here, but it is nothing to be afraid of. Black can simply play a6 stopping Bb5 and then Nc6 attacking the queen with tempo. Black can play a dragon setup, which is good against almost any passive play by White.

4. Nxd4 Nf6

Black usually wants to play e5, but if e5 immediately then Bb5 then Nf5 is annoying. Black should catch up in development and control the b5 square before playing agressively

5. Nc3

White has passive moves like Bd3 or f3, where White doesn't want Nc3 so he can play c4 and go into a Maroczy Bind. Against the passive moves that defend the e-pawn, Black could just go ahead and play e5 to exploit White's passive play, since the Bb5 Nf5 moves are not effective when Black can play the d5 boost with a strong center.

5... a6

This is the key position of the Sicilian Najdorf, and where White has a lot of options. Against Sozin Attack 6.Bc4, Black should play e6 blocking the diagonal, and White usually plays Bb3 to stop b5-b4 winning a pawn. Black gets a solid comfortable position after developing Be7 Bd7 Nc6 and the f6-knight can retreat to e8 if it ever gets harassed by g4-g5. Against the agressive 6.Bg5, Black needs to play slightly defensively and develop e6 Nbd7 Qc7 b5 Bb7 to solidify everything and make sure White cannot penetrate. Black needs to be aware of potential sacrifices in that line, such as Nf4 enticing exf5 opening the e-file before Black castles, and Nxb5 sacrifices that leave the queenside wide open. There are a lot of cheap sacrifices in the 6.Bg5 line that Black needs to foresee, but if you develop like I said, then Black catches up in development, and White's position is slightly messed up because of the early attacking attempts Against 6.f4, Black should play 6...g6 like dragon, since like i said before, f4 is not good against dragon, and playing in the center with e6 or e5 allows f4 to have a purpose. Against 6.Be2 and other passive moves, Black can play almost anything and be at least equal with moves like e6 or e5. But I recommend g6 against this move also, since dragon setups are good against passive moves, and the way I see it, Black gets the useful a6 move in exchange for White's wasted Be2 move.

6. Be3

This is the mainline, and usually a signification that White wants to play f3 (stopping Ng4) Qd2 O-O-O and attack on the kingside. Here White delays f3 so that Ng4 is tempting, but Ng4 isn't good, White can play Bg5 and Black's knight is out of place, or even Bc1 and offer a draw if Black retreats his knight back. The moves against the other varitions like g6 and e6 aren't sharp here. Dragon is not good against a 100% accurate open sicilian, while e6 is too passive and allows moves like g4. The reason e6 is good against moves like Bc4 and Bg5, is because Black needs to play solidly to stop the early cheapos, and can take advantage of White's dubious bishop moves later. Against Be3 and f3, White doesn't have any early cheap shots and is closer to castling queenside, so Black needs to play agressively to prepare for a quick queenside counterattack.

6... e5

White's knight has 4 squares to go to, and White usually plays 7.Nb3 preparing to defend where he will castle. 7.Nf4 can be exploited with Bxf4 and then d5, Black gives up the bishop pair to get a strong center, which isn't a problem since White's bishops can't do much, and Black has an extra knight. 7.Nde2 is a rare move, because it blocks the paths of two pieces, and Black can play Ng4 because if bishop retreats, then Qb6. Against 7.Nf3, I recommend Qc7 stopping Bc4, and Black usually gets an advantage if he succeeds in making the d5-pawn break, that can be prepared after b5 Bb7 Nbd7 Nb6 and Rd8 if needed. Black also might want to play Be7 earlier so that he can castle in one move when needed.

7. Nb3

The only downside to this move is that Black gets a quicker queenside attack after b5-b4-a5-a4 since a4 will be played with tempo. White could still decide to castle kingside, in which Black can employ the same ideas in the 7.Nf3 variation, where he plays for d5, except now the bishop can be developed Be6 instead of Bb7 since the knight isn't on f3 to harass the bishop with Ng5.

7... Be6 8. f3 Be7

Black has the idea of playing for d5 in the passive lines, but should not be done now since Qd2 O-O-O owns the d-file in which the d5 boost would benefit White. Black needs to just castle immediately and wait to see what White does. If White goes for a cheap attack g4, then Black can go ahead with the d5 boost now that he is better developed and ready to castle. Play could continue g4 d5 g5 d4 gxf6 Bxf6 and Bh4 is coming if White doesn't play Bf2, in which dxc3 leaves White with doubled isolated pawns in the endgame

9. Qd2 O-O

Once again if White plays g4 phish attack attempt, then d5 is good for Black.

10. O-O-O Nbd7

b5 is also playable here, but i like to complete development before I start attacking. So far this is still main line, now both sides will pawnstorm toward the others king, and then it's a matter of whose attack is completed first. Black's attack looks more promising, since Black gets 2 tempo moves (b4 and a4) while White only gets 1 tempo move (g5), and the space is already clear for Black's major pieces to dominate the queenside files, while it will take White a little more time to coordinate his pieces on the kingside.

11. g4 b5 12. g5 b4

This is sharper than retreating immedeiately. If you are familiar with lines of Calishnikov then you know gxf6 is not advisable because after bxc3 Black's open files to White's king are more dangerous than White's open g-file, since Black can just defend g7 with moves like Ne8 and Bf6, and Black can push the a-pawn

13. Ne2 Ne8

The old main line was Nh5, which stalls White's play on the kingside, but modern theory prefers Ne8. Black should get all his pieces coordinated in the attack, rather than trying to stop White's attack. BLack's knights will get good outpost squares and Black's attack is quicker, the way Black's minor pieces are coordinated, they both defend the kingside and prepare to attack on the queenside.

14. Ng3

14.Qxb4 is dubious, because once again, Black's open files on the queenside will be of more use than White's open g-file after Bxg5. This is where my book line knowledge dies down, because I am more familiar with the main line h4, in which Black plays a5-a4-a3 and gives White a weakness on the dark squares. I wasn't familiar with this line and wasn't sure if I should be afraid of Nf5.

14... a5

After 5.Nf5 a4, White's knight has to retreat to a1 and also a2 hangs and the e7 bishop isn't important at the moment so White pretty much has to play Kb1 so the knight can retreat to c1. White has to defend during the middle of his attack, while Black can just simply attack.

15. Kb1 Nb6

15.Nb6? bad move. I lack book knowledge in this line, but I really should've played a4-a3 here, but this move just seemed natural to me. 16.Nf5 is correct book move in this position, and it scores good for White. After a4-a3 White has to respond to the threats and Black's attack gets dangerous while White has yet to pawnstorm and coordinate his pieces toward my king. but luckily White didn't play Nf5 so I maintain the advantage I had since the 1st move.

16. f4

I don't really understand this move, despite Nf5 being better, White shouldn't be trying to break up my center, since this is a double-edged attacking position. In lines where White plays f4, exf4 is almost forced since f5 is unpleasant.

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