Saturday, June 10, 2006

Chess: Understanding the Sicilian Defense (Sveshnikov Variation) Part I

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5
6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Bxf6 gxf6
10 Nd5 f5 11 exf5 Bxf5 Line




Also available:
Chess: Understanding the Sicilian Defense
(Sveshnikov Variation) Part II

http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/09/chess-understanding-sicilian-defense.html
Chess: Understanding the Sicilian Defense
(Sveshnikov Variation) Part III

http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/09/chess-understanding-sicilian-defense_03.html
Chess: Understanding the Sicilian Defense
(Sveshnikov Variation) Part IV

http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/09/chess-understanding-sicili_115733177926001119.html
Chess: Understanding the Sicilian Defense
(Sveshnikov Variation) Part V

http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/09/chess-understanding-sicili_115733582743993846.html
Chess: Understanding the Sicilian Defense
(Sveshnikov Variation) Part VI

http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/09/chess-understanding-sicilian-defense_04.html

Variation A

1 e4



Controls d5 and f5 plus opens up diagonals for
the Queen and bishop.

1 ... c5



Takes charge of d4/b4 and makes the a5-d8 diagonal
available to the Queen.

2 Nf3



Preparation for 3 d4. White wants to challenge
Black's hold on that square.

2 ... Nc6



Mobilization towards the contentious d4 square.
The knight also eyes e5 and b4.

3 d4



White wants in on d4. He also liberates the c1 bishop.

3 ... cxd4



Black now has the half open c-file at his
disposal and a center pawn majority.


4 Nxd4



And White gets a centralized knight,
the half open d-file, and an edge in space.
Please observe how from d4 the knight
attacks 4 squares (b5, c6, e6 and f5) within
enemy territory whereas from f3 it assails
only two (e5 and g5).


4 ... Nf6



Development with attack.

5 Nc3



Securing the e4 pawn from 5 ... Nxe4.

5 ... e5



This move initiates the Sveshnikov Variation
of the Sicilian Defense. Black displaces the
knight from the empowering d4 square.
He also frees his f8 bishop.


6 Ndb5



Evading capture and threatening 7 Nd6+.

6 Nf5
6 Nde2
6 Nb3
6 Nf3
6 Nxc6


6 ... d6



Occupying the knight's intended destination square.

6 ... h6
6 ... Bc5
6 ... Bb4
6 ... a6


7 Bg5



Since d5 has been weakened by 5 ... e5,
White now turns his attention to acquiring it.

As an initial step, he nullifies the knight's d5
influence by pinning it to the Queen.


7 Nd5
7 a4
7 Be3
7 Na3
7 Be2


7 ... a6



Attacking the errant knight.

7 ... Be6
7 ... Be7


8 Na3



An unsightly retreat, but, the knight can
always come back into the game (Na3-c2-e3)
to assist White's d5 invasion.


8 Bxf6

8 ... b5



Gaining queenside space and threatening to fork the
a3 and c3 knights (9 ... b4).

8 ... Be6
8 ... d5
8 ... Nd4
8 ... Be7


9 Bxf6



A two-fold maneuver:
(i) Eliminates entirely the knight's d5 influence.
(ii) Compromises Black's pawn structure.

9 Nd5
9 Nab1


9 ... gxf6



9 ... Qxf6 exposes the Queen to unnecessary
harassment after 10 Nd5. The Queen is too
valuable a piece to expose to the attack of
lesser forces!

9 ... Qxf6

10 Nd5



As per plan!

10 Nab1
10 Naxb5


10 ... f5



(i) Attacking the e4 pawn and thus undermining d5.
(ii) Opening up the d8-h4 diagonal for the Queen.

10 ... Bg7
10 ... Be6
10 ... Be7
10 ... Bd7


11 exf5



11 Bd3
11 c3
11 Bxb5
11 g3
11 Nxb5
11 Qd3
11 Qh5
11 g4
11 c4


11 ... Bxf5



11 ... b4
11 ... Nd4


12 c3



d4 and b4 come into the pawn's view and the a3 knight
is given a retreat square on c2. Black has a considerable
advantage after 12 Qf3 Nd4 13 Nc7+ Qxc7 14 Qxa8+ Ke7
15 c3 b4! 16 cxb Bh6!; 12 Bd3 e4! 13 Qe2 Nd4 14 Qe3 Bg7,
with a small advantage for Black.

12 Bd3
12 Qf3


12 ... Bg7



Hoping to see some action along a1-h8 and f8-h6.

[12 ... Be6 13 Nc2 Bh6!? 14 a4 (14 g3!?) 14 ... 0-0!,
with complications or equality]

12 ... Be6
12 ... Be4


13 Nc2



13 Be2
13 Qf3
13 Bd3
13 Ne3


13 ... 0-0



13 ... Be6
13 ... Ne7


14 Nce3



And the knight is back into the swing of things!
Not only does it attack the f5 bishop, but it
also supports its d5 counterpart.

14 a4
14 Be2
14 Bd3
14 Be2


14 ... Be6



Black is worse off after 14 ... Bg6 15 h4 h6 16 g4.
Following 14 ... Be4, White attains a minimal
advantage via 15 Bd3.

14 ... Bg6
14 ... Bd7
14 ... Be4
14 ... Be6


15 Bd3



Taking aim at Black's kingside.

15 g4
15 g3
15 Qh5
15 Be2


15 ... f5



Preparation for 16 ... e4. The idea is to limit the
d3 bishop's scope.

[15 ... Ne7 16 Nxe7+ Qxe7 17 Qh5 h6 18 Be4 Rac8
19 0-0]

15 ... Ne7
15 ... Ra7


16 Qh5



Pressurizing Black's kingside.

16 O-O
16 Bc2
16 a4


16 ... e4



[ 16 ... Ra7 intending Raf7]

16 ... Qd7
16 ... Ra7
16 ... b4
16 ... Qc8


17 Bc2



17 Bb1

17 ... Ne7



The knight attacks d5 a second time and also poises
itself for kingside relocation.

[17 ... Be5 18 g4; 17 ... Ne5 18 Nf4]

17 ... Kh8
17 ... Ne5
17 ... Qd7
17 ... Bxd5
17 ... Be5


18 Rd1



Protecting d5 and assuming control of the half open
d-file.

[18 Bb3 Kh8 19 Nf4; 18 Nf4 Bf7 19 Bb3 d5 20 Qg5]

18 Nf4
18 Bb3
18 O-O-O
18 Nxe7+


18 ... Ng6



18 ... b4
18 ... Rc8


19 g4



19 f4

19 ... Nh4



19 ... fxg4
19 ... Bxd5


20 gxf5



20 ... Bxf5



20 ... Bxd5

21 Nxf5



21 Nf4
21 Kd2


21 ... Rxf5



22 Qg4



22 Qe2

22 ... h5



23 Qh3



23 Qg3

23 ... Qg5



23 ... Nf3+

24 Ne3



24 Qg3

24 ... Re5



24 ... Rf4
24 ... Rf6
24 ... Nf3+


Variation B

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5
6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Bxf6 gxf6 10 Nd5
10 ... f5 11 exf5 Bxf5 12 c3 Bg7 13 Nc2:




13 ... Ne7



13 ... O-O
13 ... Be6


14 Nce3



14 Bd3
14 Nxe7


[ 14 Nxe7 Bxc2 15 Qxc2 Qxe7 16 a4 0-0]

14 ... Be6



14 ... Be4

15 g3



White wants to fianchetto the f1 bishop in order to
strengthen the d5 outpost and also keep an eye on
the h1-a8 diagonal.

15 Nxe7
15 a4
15 Be2
15 g4
15 Qf3


15 ... Nxd5



[15 ... 0-0 16 Bg2 Ra7 17 0-0 Nxd5 18 Bxd5!]

15 ... O-O
15 ... Rc8


16 Nxd5



16 ... 0-0



16 ... f5

17 Bg2



17 a4
17 Qd2


17 ... a5



Gaining queenside space.

17 ... f5
17 ... Rb8
17 ... Kh8
17 ... Rc8


18 0-0



18 Qe2
18 Qd2


18 ... Rb8



Avoiding potential contact with the g2 bishop
and facilitating ... b5-b4.

18 ... f5

19 Qe2



Her ladyship makes room on d1 for the a1 rook.

19 Qh5
19 Qd2
19 Ne3
19 Re1


19 ... Qd7



Black wants to pressurize d5 further by transferring
the Queen to f7.

19 ... f5
19 ... b4


20 Rad1



20 Rfe1

20 ... f5



Making room for the Queen on f7 and attacking e4/g4.

20 ... Kh8

21 f4



White needs to hold some ground in the center
otherwise Black will rule that sector. This move
also impedes ... f5-f4.

21 Qe3
21 Qh5
21 a3
21 h3
21 Rd2


21 ... Qf7



21 ... Kh8
21 ... e4
21 ... b4


[21 ... Kh8 22 Kh1 e4 23 Rd2 Qf7 24 Rfd1 Rfc8 25 Bh3]

22 Rd2



It's time to double up on the half open d-file.
The idea is to consolidate d5.

22 Ne3

22 ... e4



Preventing the g2 bishop from covering d5 and
also assailing d3/f3.

22 ... Rfc8

23 Rfd1



Since d5 was attacked twice but protected only once,
White shields it a second time.

23 Ne3

23 ... Rfc8



Assuming control of the half open c-file in preparation
for some queenside action.

23 ... b4
23 ... Kh8


24 Bh3



24 Ne3

24 ... Rc5



24 ... b4
24 ... h6


25 Ne3



25 ... d5



25 ... Bf8
25 ... b4


26 g4



26 Nc2

26 ... fxg4



26 ... Qg6
26 ... Rd8
26 ... Qb7


27 Bxg4



By ChessCoach@care2.com




















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