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1. e4
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An invitation for a tactical battle is made. White controls f5 and d5. The pawn is not protected. The bishop line is opened for piece development. |
 
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1... c5
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The start of a Sicilian opening. Counter attacking the center using the flank pawn. Black controls b4 and d4. The pawn is unprotected. The idea is to trade flank for center pawn by d2-d4, c5xd4 or influence the center if no trade is offered. The queen line is opened. Note an important feature of the move c7-c5 is that the knight can be developed behind the pawn. |
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2. Nf3
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The king knight is developed which is good preparation for 0-0. The knight controls e5 and has a little influence on d4 which offers strength to the move d2-d4. White has a gain in piece development specifically because of developing king side pieces. |
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2... Nc6
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Black continues the flank pressure on the center while developing a piece. The knight adds control to d4 of +4 points or 2 pieces. This will balance the equation if d2-d4 and will result in an even material trade, but will result in a positional gain of flank vs center pawn to the favor of black. There is an imbalance of piece development vs positional development in this opening by design. |
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3. d4
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White chooses the most common reply. The pawn at d4 is covered by both queen and knight. An exchange of pawns is expected because white exerts control over much of the center and black will need to seek balance in central control by eliminating the d4 pawn. |
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3... cxd4 4. c3
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The standard Nf3xd4 is the usual move, but here white tries a gambit pawn move with the idea of gaining even greater piece development. The idea is an interesting diversion to the main lines. The plan is d4xc3, Nb1xc3 !? with development, but a weakening of center control that would have been offered by the c pawn. |
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4... dxc3 5. Nxc3 a6
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There are choices of moves available here including e7-e5 which helps to develop pieces. But the idea of a7-a6 is to prevent the c3 knight and f1 bishop from obtaining the use of b5, which in turn keeps the c6 knight and d7 pawn free. This move provides some resistance against piece development by white. |
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6. Bc4
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White develops a piece in preparation for 0-0 by Bf1-c4 ?!, but this move carries the risk of losing a tempo from b7-b5. White may be betting that black will be determined to develop pieces before counter attacking. Perhaps white calculates b7-b5, Bc4-d5, e7-d6, Bxc6, dxc6, Qd1xd8, Kxd8 which gives some advantage to white because of the black king is in the open and the endgame is not quite in play yet. The position appears about equal positionally, but black has a slight material gain. The bishop and pawn offer +4 points control of d5 and also targets f7 as a possible future attack point. The bishop is unprotected. |
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6... e6
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This move works against the bishop and against any tactical ideas found by Nf3-g5 with f7 as the target of knight and bishop. This move opens the king bishop line to assist in developing pieces. |
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7. Bf4
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White has no fear of a counter attack and continues to develop pieces. The bishop has some control of e5 and the threatening square g5. White is obtaining a great deal of influence and control of the center, but this is expected in this opening in which black shifts to attack later. The bishop is unprotected, the second piece to be so and could pose a potential problem. |
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7... f6
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Black shifts from an expected developing move and counters the control of e5. It is interesting to note that even without gains in piece development that black is in no danger from attack. It is true that black has a reserved position, but it is not necessarily limited because there are no pawn blockades in use by white. Black is playing defensively. This pawn move takes control of g5 and e5 from the f3 knight. Note that white can not develop either knight forward to the 5th rank. Petrosian is an influence here. |
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8. e5
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White begins an attack in an attempt at breaking up the pawn structure. But is the idea really that good? White is using the last center pawn for the attack. |
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8... b5
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Black begins a counter attack on the previously mentioned weakly placed bishop. |
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9. Bd3
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The choice for this move is based on Bc4-b3, Nc6-a5 attacking and gaining the bishop to secure a 2 bishop + knight vs 2 knight + bishop advantage. The move is good because it keeps the bishop centralized. The position may be attacked by Nc6-b4 driving the bishop to a less useful square, but that is a chance to take. |
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9... g5
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Black persists in the counter attack giving white no quarter. |
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10. Bg3
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The choice of this square can be understood from the perspective of protecting the e5 pawn, but there is danger lurking in this position. |
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10... f5
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Black presses forward. Pawns can be very strong when backed by pieces and place a lot of pressure on nearby opponent pieces. The position seems a little better for black. |
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11. h3
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A wise choice considering the rolling pawns. |
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11... h5
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A pawn storm in this position seems a good choice. Note how the queen at d1 is blocked from assisting by the f3 knight. Black still needs to work out some piece development, but notice how space is becoming more plentiful on the black side of the board, which means more mobility of pieces. |
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12. Qd2
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White makes a move that is likely based on the pawn storm. The idea is 0-0-0 to get the king out of the center and away from the storm, which is a good idea, but the more optimal place for the queen should be c2 due to the potential for an attack on the black diagonal by Bf8-a6 and also h5-h4. Also the queen and bishop have strength together. |
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