2017 3 Tables - March Round 2 NM Davis Whaley, 2324 - Anton Taylor, 2001 Sicilian Taimanov (B44)

2017 3 Tables - March Round 2
NM Davis Whaley, 2324 - Anton Taylor, 2001 
Sicilian Taimanov (B44)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 I now know that c4 is the right way to continue ... or the interesting Bf4. 6. ... a6 7. Nd4 Qc7 8. Be3 Nf6 9. g4 g4 is a common move against the taimanov but not in this move order. This of course fails tactically. 9. ... Nxd4 10. g5 komodo dislikes this move and gives it an almost completely lost score. In fact the loss of the center pawn is fairly hopeless but practically speaking g5 is the only way to drum up complications and try to justify the sacrifice. 10. ... Nxe4 11. Bxd4 Nxc3 12. Bxc3 e5 13. Bg2 Be7 14. Qd2 Bg4 15. O-O O-O 16. Rae1 Be6 17. f4 exf4 18. Qxf4 Qc5+ 19. Bd4 After quite a bit of interesting maneuvering white has some compensation for the pawn and in this position there is a complex calculation. Which is better Qxg5 or Bxg5? Also, what about Qxc2? At a depth of 28 komodo finds that the best move is Bxg5 but that move seems cosmetically incorrect to a human. Black's main problems stem from the weakness of his b-pawn. 19. ... Qxg5 20. Qxg5 Bxg5 21. Bxb7 Black is only slightly better so (as I felt in the game) white is close to equality here. Technically he is lost but with even one moe tempii he could equalize. 21. ... Rab8 22. Bxa6 Rb4 In my analysis of Bxb7 I did not even see this move. 23. c4? This was the only way I could see to keep things undecided and complicated. After the game Davis mentioned that he thought after 23.c3 and an eventual a4 I was finding a way to equalize. I was disapoointed that I did not even consider this continuation. As it turns out that is the move recommended by komodo. Poor calculation once again robs me of a potential chance. 23. ... Ra4 24. Bb5 Rxa2 25. Ra1 Rfa8 26. b3?? trading rooks was the right way to try and salvage the position and I automatically played this obvious blunder. this again is my weakness in calculation ... I planned b3 when I played c4. I played too quickly. 26. ... Be3+ 27. Bxe3 Rxa1 28. Rxa1 Rxa1+ 29. Kf2 Ra2+ 30. Kg3 Ra3 31. Bf4 Rxb3+ 32. Kf2 Rc3 33. Bxd6 Bxc4 34. Bc6 Be6 35. Be4 f5 36. Bb7 g5 37. Bf3 Rc2+ 38. Kg1 Kg7 39. h4 gxh4 40. Be7 h3 41. Bd6 Kf6 42. Bf4 Bd7 0-1 I finally throw in the towel. This game is a good excuse to study the Taimanov variation of the Sicilian and as a result of this loss I will win games in the future. That's the best way to look at it.