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1. e4 c5
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Sicilian Defense, black's most common and highest scoring reply. Known both for its dynamic games and high following among top players, the Sicilian is often the defense for people who love aggressive games, and don't mind studying a lot of theory |
 
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2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4
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The most common moves here are 3. d4 (The Open Sicilian), and moves like 3. Bb5+ (The Moscow Variation), however my opponent played this Bc4 move. I always see this move, yet I feel it's basically handing Black equalization, as Black can usually build up a nice center with ...e6 and ...d5 to follow (which would also kick the c4 bishop with tempo). |
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3... Nf6
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My standard response, preparing ...e6 and ...d5, plus developing. |
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4. Nc3 Nc6
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I could have played e6 here, but I usually prefer to develop my Queen's Knight first. |
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5. d3 e6
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And my plan starts to take action. |
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6. Bb5
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Perhaps he noticed d5 was coming and just evacuated early, but this is the loss of tempo I described earlier. |
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6... a6
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I decided to make him move one more time, and I welcome the exchange since the doubled pawns will only bolster the center I am about to erect, plus it opens up a b-file that will be great for my rook. |
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7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Bg5
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Again wanting to trade off bishop for knight, maybe my opponent loves his horses. |
2 comments
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8... d5
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I ignore it this time, and finally play ...d5 |
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9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. exd5 cxd5
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After the smoke clears, I no longer have doubled pawns, but a very strong center, an semi-open b file, and the bishop pair. |
2 comments
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11. O-O Bd6
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Developing, and pointing straight towards the king's castled position. |
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12. Re1 O-O 13. d4 Rb8
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I was debating whether I should do this move, or wait until the c-file opened up and use that instead. I chose this in the end because I would have another rook to come over to the c-file, and the control of both half-open files. Along with the bishop pair in an open position, I figured I would serve extremely well. |
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14. b3 cxd4
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Opening up the c file, and the position in general. This is always good when you have the bishop pair, as bishops thrive in open positions, whereas knights love closed positions. |
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15. Qxd4 Qxd4
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I played this partly because this was a timed game and I couldn't think of any great squares to move my Queen to on the spot. Besides, I figured the prospects I already had should serve me well enough. |
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16. Nxd4 Bd7
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Connecting the rooks, and preparing Rfc8 |
2 comments
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17. Nf3
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?! I wasn't sure of this move, it seems as if it's just wasting tempo. Maybe my opponent was preparing to redirect his knight to e5 and try to exchange the knight for my bishop? |
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17... Rfc8
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Enacting my plan, and also attacking the undefended c3 knight. If I can get this knight to move, I win a pawn on c2. |
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18. Re3 Bb4
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Attacking the knight once again, it has to move now. |
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19. Ne2 Rxc2
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There goes the pawn. |
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20. Nfd4
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Funny how the same knight comes right back to d4 anyway. |
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