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1. e4 c5
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I usually start with the Sicilian vs 1.e4 |
 
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2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5
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This is the point of the Sveshnikov. Black accepts a huge weakness on d5, hoping to compensate with dynamic play and the chance to push the white knight around while developing. |
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6. Ndb5
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Threatening nd6, which would be a bind. |
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6... d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3
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This knight is now out of play for quite a while, which is one of the reasons black plays this line. |
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8... b5
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Threatening b4. |
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9. Bxf6 gxf6
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9...Qxf6 is a mistake because of 10. nd5 gaining a tempo. |
1 comment
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10. Nd5 f5 11. Bd3
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Now, the best move here for black is probably Be6 (stopping exf5) and starting to work towards getting rid of the strong knight. But I figured my opponent knew this line pretty well and I decided to try my secret weapon! |
1 comment
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11... Qg5
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Boom! Completely unsound, looks immediately losing, doesn't it? Well, it probably is, but white has to be ultra careful. |
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12. Nc7+
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All computers recommed this move, giving it about +3 or +2. It's not a simple matter to follow through though. In fact, if I play this as white I prefer 12 g4! The point being that after 12...fxg4 13. nc7+ black loses the rook with no counterplay, and 12...qxg4 loses to 13. nf6+.
12. exf5 also looks good for white, given that 12...qxg2 now loses to 13. nf6+ and then 14. Be4
but let's see how the most critical variation continues. |
2 comments
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12... Kd8
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Threatening the knight, so white is committed. |
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13. Nxa8
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A free rook! |
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13... Qxg2
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Now white has to unentangle in a rather delicate position. |
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14. Rf1
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Forced. If 14. ke2 then 14...nd4+ will cause a lot of trouble. Bh6 is ready to go and believe it or not, in some variations kc3 b4! can bring the king into a mating net. |
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14... Nd4
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This is best now. 14...fxe4 looks natural, but actually helps white close off the h1-a8 diagonal.
Think about white's possibilities.
15. Be2 is a common response, to cover the weakness on f3. 15...qxe4 then threatens the knight on a8 and nf3++! I've won a few like that. If white then plays 16. f3 then probably 16...qxa8 and black is fine. He has 2 pawns and a knight for the rook, plus a weak white king and the bishop pair. It's far from over, but still ok. As an alternative, in blitz I've played 16. f3 qh4+! 17 rf2 rg8 and black is also good. It's hard to find the right moves for white (although they do exist). 15. c3 is the computer's choice. I've never had an opponent play this (worried about nf3+ unduly) 15...nf3+ 16. ke2 and the king is absolutely in a box. It looks awful, even though the computer says it's equal. After 16...Qg4 threatening all kinds of discoveries, white has to play 17. rh1! to keep the advantage according to the computer. No-one would play this ever. So there is plenty of scope for swindling! 15. f3 looks decent, cutting off that diagonal and giving the king a bit more room. After 15...Be7 though, Bh4+ is a threat and white is suffering still. I think white then has to play 16. qd2 which after nxf3+ rxf3 Qxf3 looks back on track for black. White has an extra piece but having seen this with the computer, it's clear that not being able to get the king safe is enough of a weakness to allow black great winning chances (and plenty of bail-out draws through perp). So white's next move is a mistake in hindsight, but it's not easy to see that OTB and there aren't many alternatives.
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15. Qh5
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Already a decisive mistake. A rook for a pawn up, getting the queen out to give space to his king and cover Bh6 looks ok, but unfortunately there's no decent response to the next move.
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1 comment
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15... Nf3+
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Of course white would have looked at this move, but probably figured that ke2 would solve all of the problems, connecting rooks. |
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16. Ke2
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As planned. |
1 comment
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16... fxe4
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Now there are lots of threats... The computer says that 17. Qxf7 is white's best move. The point is that the threat of qc7+ has to be dealt with, and the queen gets out of danger. I'd still have 17..exd3+ kxd3 e4+ though, and lots of compensation for the material. White's king is out in the open, if kxe4 then nxe5+ wins, etc. |
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17. Bxe4
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This is the move white relied on to hold everything together. If only it worked! |
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17... Bg4
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Now if white plays Qxf7 I have ng5+! kd2 nxe4+! leaving the queen but winning enough material to have the game wrapped up. White played a desperation move... |
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