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ANNOTATED GAME
Slaying the Dragon...
ethansiegel (1793) vs. alabamaboy (1635)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B27), Hungarian variation
ethansiegel (1793) vs. alabamaboy (1635)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B27), Hungarian variation
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This was the first game I ever played against my teammate alabamaboy at the Southern Chess Fall 2006 Invitational.
Black plays the sicilian dragon, but underestimates the strength of the white pieces on the kingside. | |||||
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1. e4 c5 |
The important thing to remember when playing the sicilian is that black's major strength and source of counterplay will be on the queenside, while white will rule the kingside. Notice how the first moves already dictate that this will be the case. | ||||
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2. Nf3 g6 |
The accelerated dragon. Black's plan is usually to delay d6 so that in some variations he can play d5 immediately, gaining a tempo over the main line. | ||||
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3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 |
An interesting alternative at this point is c4, setting up a formation known as the Maroczy bind. I personally (as white) prefer the line I chose in this game. | ||||
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5... Bg7 |
White must address the threat to d4. | ||||
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6. Be3 Nf6 |
e4 is pressured now. | ||||
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7. Qd2 |
Bc4 is more normal here, to force black to play d6 instead of giving him the d5 option. | ||||
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7... O-O 8. f3 |
This allows black the option of transposing back into the main line of the sicilian dragon with d6, or he can try opening up the game while white is still uncastled with d5. | ||||
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8... d6 |
Main line it is. | ||||
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9. O-O-O |
This move, while quite playable, has fallen out of fashion at the top level. More common is Bc4, which prevents d5. Commonly, black will play d5 now, which is why I was somewhat surprised that, having played the accelerated dragon, black didn't play d5 back on his 8th. | ||||
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9... a6 |
Looks Najdorf-esque to me; I typically don't see a6 here -- it's not like white is threatening piece-to-b5... white's typical plan will be to assault black on the kingside. | ||||
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10. Bc4 |
This move prevents d5, but its real purpose is that it pressures the kingside and pins the f7 pawn, which turns out to be important later. | ||||
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10... Nxd4 |
This exchange doesn't favor black, as it doesn't help him develop and it half-opens the d-file, where white has major pieces already posted. | ||||
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11. Bxd4 b5 |
Forcing the bishop to move. | ||||
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12. Bb3 |
! This is the best square for the bishop. Look at what white is doing. His bishops are in great shape, sniping at the enemy king. If he can get his kingside pawns rolling, black won't have much chance for counterplay before he gets crunched. | ||||
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12... Bb7 |
Consistent, but perhaps the defensive Be6 (forcing off the light-squared bishops) was better -- the bishop isn't really threatening much at this point. | ||||
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13. h4 |
And here come the kingside pawns! White's goal in dragon positions is often to castle long, pawn storm, and mate down the h-file. | ||||
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13... Qc7 |
Trying to activate the queen. Notice how black has been focusing on the queenside with his last 5 moves, and as a result, he is ill-prepared to defend his king. | ||||
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14. g4 |
! This move allows white to play h5, where black can do very little about that without losing a piece. | ||||
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14... Rfd8 |
Again, focusing on the queenside and oblivious to the danger on the kingside. Will black really just allow white to proceed with his plans? | ||||
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15. h5 |
Testing the waters. How will black respond? White has a winning advantage here... | ||||
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