Chess Pundit

I’m back, baby! It was great to win again, against a 1900 player. The key difference is that this time control was 30/90’, G/30’ instead of between G/30-G/60. I had time to think about the position and candidate moves. What’s interesting about this closed Sicilian game is that it turns into a position that resembles the French defense. Not a bad pyschological plus though. Most Sicilian players wouldn't be comfortable in a French position

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. f4 a6 4. Nf3 b5 5. g3 Bb7 6. d3 Nf6 7. Bg2 d5 8. e5 Nd7 9. O-O Be7 10. d4 Nc6 11. Be3 Qc7 12. Nce2 Nb6 13. b3 c4 14. g4 I played this move to force a decision about which side he was going to castle. I felt my pieces were fluid enough to mount an attack on either side.



14...O-O-O?! Both a queenside and a kingside castle could be dangerous. Here, keeping the king in the center is probably best. 15. a4 g6 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nc3 b4 18. Nb5 Qd7 19. c3 bxc3 20. Nxc3 Bb4 21. Nb5 Na5 Here is a critical point and without proper black, white could find himself quickly loosing. 22. bxc4 Nbxc4



23. Qa4!! Bc6 Here 23…Nxe3 fails to 24. Qxb4 Nxf1 25. Qxa5 where Ne6+ or Rc1+ are devastating threats. 24. Qxb4 Bxb5 25. Rfc1 Kb7 26. Bf1 Ra8 27. Rxa5 Rxa5 28. Bxc4 Kb6 I liked how the bishop on e3 was hanging for fives moves! 29. Bd2 Rc8?? 30. Qxa5 1-0. Black blundered badly, but his game was rather lost anyway. Both Rha8 and Ra4 lose at least a piece after Qc5+.

The game in pgn:
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. f4 a6 4. Nf3 b5 5. g3 Bb7 6. d3 Nf6 7. Bg2 d5 8. e5 Nd7 9. O-O Be7 10. d4 Nc6 11. Be3 Qc7 12. Nce2 Nb6 13. b3 c4 14. g4 O-O-O 15. a4 g6 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nc3 b4 18. Nb5 Qd7 19. c3 bxc3 20. Nxc3 Bb4 21. Nb5 Na5 22. bxc4 Nbxc4 23. Qa4 Bc6 24. Qxb4 Bxb5 25. Rfc1 Kb7 26. Bf1 Ra8 27. Rxa5 Rxa5 28. Bxc4 Kb6 29. Bd2 Rc8 30. Qxa5