Friday, June 9, 2017

2017 Kentucky Open Round 3 Anton Taylor, 2030 - NM Davis Whaley, 2357 Sicilian Canal/Moscow Variation (B51)

2017 Kentucky Open Round 3 
Anton Taylor, 2030 - NM Davis Whaley, 2357 
Sicilian Canal/Moscow Variation (B51)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. a4 I had recently seen a game or two from Magnus Carlsen in this variation last year where this odd looking move had been thrown in. It's interesting. It should be pointed out that Black scores rather well in this variation at top level but I'm a risk taker. 4. ... Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. O-O Bg7 This is where theory currently sits on this variation and where several different moves have been tried for white's 7th. The move I choose is not in the database. 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. Be3 Nc5 10. f3 a6 11. Bc4 Bd7 12. Qd2 Rc8 I was regretting playing Bc4 here after this move that forces me to make some kind of concession. There are three main moves here for white ... Ba2, b3, and Bd3. I didn't like Ba2 Because controlling the a2-g8 diagonal isn't really my priority. I want to solve the tension on the queenside from the g7 bishop and rook on c8 in the most efficient way. 13. Bd3 Komodo gives immediately that Nxd3 leads to a black advantage but giving up the c5 knight is difficult to human eyes. I wagered that after Nxd3 I could keep my grip on c3 and maybe even expand safely in the center leading to a small edge for white. Davis must have come to the same conclusion. 13. ... Qc7 14. Nde2 Bc6? I think this is the first real mistake. Allowing me to block up the c-file will make black's queen and rook look stupid. Sure, I have to give up the "good" bishop I have controlling the dark squares but with the file closed the bishop on d3 can come back to c4 with a more solid grip than previously. 15. Bxc5 dxc5 16. Qe3 Nd7 17. f4 White has a classic center but he has to be really careful. 17. ... Qb6 18. a5! I really liked this move. White wants to play Bc4 and e5 when he will be comfortable but in most move orders a knight ends up on b6 to ruin white's plans. This move thrown in fixes that problem. 18. ... Qb4 19. e5 c4 20. Be4 Qc5 21. Qxc5 Nxc5 22. Bxc6 Rxc6 23. Rfd1 At the time this seemed the most principled reply. Develop the pieces. 23. ... e6?? Ne6 was the only move that didn't lose on the spot. Once again my opponent and I labor under the same errors. I thought e6 was forced. 24. Rd4 f6 25. exf6 Bxf6 26. Rxc4 Rd8 27. Rd1 Rxd1+ 28. Nxd1 Kf7 29. b4 Na4 30. Rxc6 bxc6 31. Kf2? This move is still completely winning but the immediate c4! stops all the counterplay. 31. ...  c5 32. Nc1 a humble retreat to reorganize the piece. komodo sees that b5! is a winning sacrifice but I couldn't see that far. It seems obvious now that you offer a piece sac on c3 and black either "counter-sacrifices" by declining white's and losing a piece or the a-pawn marches to queening unimpeded. Fascinating. 32. ... cxb4 33. Nd3 Be7 34. Ke3 Nc3 35. Nxc3 bxc3 36. Kd4 Bd8 37. Nc5 Bxa5 38. Nxa6 Kf6 39. g4 h5 40. h3 hxg4 41. hxg4 g5 42. Ke4 gxf4 43. Kxf4 Bd8 44. Nc5 Bc7+ 45. Ke4 Bd6 46. Nd3 Kg5 47. Ne5 The last ten moves are so have been played with black having second on his clock and playing with the time delay to stay alive. The position is a draw as my win has slipped through my fingers but ... 47. ... Bxe5?!? Black takes the trade and that runs into a lost king and pawn. 48. Kxe5 Kxg4 49. Kxe6 Kf4 1-0 I don't remember the exact moves from here but it is completely winning for white. 

No comments:

Post a Comment