2017 Unc Fraud Round 4 Jason Skaggs, 1954 - Anton Taylor, 1966 Sicilian: Hungarian/Accelerated Dragon (B27)

2017 Unc Fraud Round 4
Jason Skaggs, 1954 - Anton Taylor, 1966
Sicilian: Hungarian/Accelerated Dragon (B27) 

I was very interested to see how this game would turn out. I had not played Jason in many years so I was anticipating a tough battle. Unfortunately, what I got was my most humiliating loss in this entire year. I got the short end of an unfamiliar variation and then allowed a checkmate out in the open in less than twenty moves. Let's look at the game:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 I have played several games this year in this variation but the majority of those games continued 4.Nxd4 with a slow buildup by both sides. I decided to go for a sharper continuation. 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. e5 The sharpest "stab". Nc3 has also been tried here at top level. 5. ... Nc6 6. Qc4 and here I depart from the mainline due to my inexperience in the variation. After some study it seems the main variation continues 6.Qa4 Nd5 Qe4 with a slight plus for white. The Qc4 line has been tried but isn't as tasteful as Qa4 to me. 6. ... d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. Nc3 Be6 9. Qe2?? Nb5 or Qf4 are better options but both lead to a small advantage for black. 9. ... O-O-O This move gives white the opportunity to play against the coming g7 bishop by 10. Nb5 followed probably by 11. c3 and the bishop "bites on granite". The control of the long diagonal becomes an important theme in the game as well as a number of variations that did not occur. 10. Be3 White develops a piece but misses the equalizing method of the previous note. 10. ... Bg7 11. g3?? The decisive blunder. Once again white has the opportunity to play Nb5-c3 and get a good game. 11. ... Qb4 12. Qb5 Nd5 13. Bd2 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Bxc3 15. Qxb4 Nxb4 16. Bxc3 Nxc2+ 17. Ke2 Bc4# 0-1

This game sets in motion several further hours of study in this variation I was caught completely unprepared in comparison to my opponent and the worst part is that I went willingly. The variation was the result of my choices in this case. I will be better prepared the next time.