[Chess] Adventure in the Sicilian

I was playing White here.

1. e4 c5

The Sicilian defense.
Also known as possibly the best response to 1. e4. The asymmetric structural nature of this defense makes it very popular and fun. But I do enjoy playing against this defense, as games tend to be tactical and full of interesting positions and possibilities.

2. Nf3 e6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 d6

This variation is known as the Scheveningen variation, with the d6-e6 pawn formation being the distinctive feature. However, this variation is a relative rarity compared to other more popular Sicilian variations, most probably due to White’s next move that I played.

6. g4!

This is known as the Keres Attack.
Since the e6 pawn blocks off the c8 bishop’s influence over g4 square, White can afford to launch this pawn like this and get an early attack going against Black’s kingside, starting with g5 which displaces his f6 knight.
This is White’s most aggressive response to Scheveningen variation, and probably the main reason why people don’t play this variation in this move order very much.

6. … a6

Pretty surprising. Most people play …h6 here to make White spend some time engineering the g5 push. With this move though, my life is pretty straight forward.

7. g5

Consistent with my last move, g4, attacking and displacing the knight. Not to mention gaining space on the kingside where I hope to generate a powerful attack.

7. … Nfd7
8.f4

Gaining even more space on the kingside, supporting the g5 pawn, and denying the e5 square for his knight.

8. … Qc7
9. Be3 b5
10. Qf3 Bb7
11. 0-0-0

I liked my position here.
My pieces are pretty aggressively placed, and I already have a pawn storm in the making on the kingside.
But, I know that Sicilian defense is known for its resilience under heavy attack and that my opponent’s position is not to be underestimated.
Still, I was looking forward to what looked like a juicy middlegame.

11. … Nc6
12. Nxc6 Bxc6

I was pretty sure he was going to exchange the knights, and I wasn’t sure if my bishop belongs on d4 yet, so I just traded the knights on c6 instead.

13. h4

Gotta get that pawn storm rolling. I want to play h5 and g6 to break open his kingside structures.

13. …Qb7
14. Bg2 Rc8

Black is doing one of those annoying Sicilian strategy where you just put your king in the center, not bother castling, and just get his queenside counter play going right away.
A smart choice for him, and an annoying one for me, since with his King on e8 instead of g8, my pawn storm definitely loses some punch.
But even more important is that now, his …b4 push is a real threat. Those …b4 pushes are always annoying, but here, I had an idea in mind…

15. Rhe1 b4
16. Nd5!?

A VERY typical sacrifice in the Sicilian that I don’t fully understand, but was in a mood to try it. The point is, instead of going backwards, you go forward, even if it means sacrificing a piece. What you get in return is (hopefully) a Black king that doesn’t have a safe haven.
Win or lose, sound or unsound, I knew that the resulting position would be very interesting.

This sac is also the reason why I played Rhe1 on the previous move, to line up my rook across his King.

16. … exd5

Black doesn’t have to take the sacrificed horse in this position, but who can refuse such a gift?!

17. exd5 Bb5
18. Bd4+

Now, one way or another, Black King won’t be able to castle (unless he gives back the knight of course)

It is now time to take advantage of the wandering King!

18. … Kd8
19. Qe4 f6
20. Bh3

One by one, I begin to reposition my pieces into more ideal attacking formation.
To my disappointment, his King is harder to get at than I originally thought. He can always just stroll to c7 and b8, and I would be hard pressed to find any direct attack against him.

20. …Rc4?

Now, this was a terrific gift out of nowhere.
Black tries to look aggressive, but all it does is get his Rook trapped, giving me back some material.

21. Qe8+ Kc7
22. b3!

And the Rook is not coming back home….
But wait a minute! Is b3 really a good move?
+ Show Spoiler +

22. … Rxd4
23. Rxd4 fxg5
24. hxg5 Qc8

My opponent has 2 minor pieces for a Rook, but lags in development, and his King safety is an issue, so he offers a trade of Queens which would make his life significantly easier.
I, of course, had no interest in calling off the ‘hunt’ even though this never felt like any sort of hunt so far.

25. Bxd7

First things first, I eliminate one of his King’s defender. The less piece there are guarding his King, the easier it is for me to check him from all sides.

+ Show Spoiler +


25. … Qxd7
26. Qa8

Expressing my lack of desire to trade Queens. From this side, my Queen will be a great annoyance to his King.

26. … Qc8??

Insisting that Queens be taken off the board.
I felt like I was playing tag with the Queens or something at this point.

Now, after Qa7+ and he blocks with Qb7, I really will have no choice but to trade… So much for the “sacrifice a piece and get a big attack on the King!!!” spirit…

2 Rooks vs. 1 Rook + Bishop pair looks absolutely dreadful for me.

BUT HERE, I was able to find a fantastic cute tactic that basically wins the game for me.

27. Rc4+!!

Giving up a full Rook, just so that his bishop will be deflected from guarding the c6 square for a second.
Once his bishop leave the duty, my Queen will go to c6, and when his King goes to b8, my Rook will swing over to e8 and win his Queen. (his King cannot go to d8, since it will be mate)

I was very pleased to have found this devastating blow.
Precisely the kind of tactic that I wanted to see work in my favor when I first sac’d the knight on d5.

27. … Bxc4

He has no choice but to accept the sacrifice, as he would lose his Queen even sooner if he moved his King.

28. Qc6+ Kb8
29. Re8

And Black has to give up the Queen, with still a losing position to defend.
After I retake the Queen with check, I have time to pick up the bishop on c4, making this a Queen vs Rook + minor endgame, but his bishop on f8 is pinned and his pieces need time to activate, so it is winning for me. Not to mention I will be up a pawn.

But, my opponent made it quick for me.

29. …Bb5??

Stuff like this happens all the time. When you are facing a sudden defeat out of nowhere (compounded by the fact that you are low on time), you don’t know what’s going on and make a howler.

30. Rxc8+


1-0

It is forced mate after 30. … Ka7 31. Ra8#. My opponent resigned here.

Well, what a fun game that was! Even though I technically had a lost position at some point if Black found the Ne5 resource, fortune favors the brave, and that’s how the cookie crumbles. We keep sailing along the game without even realizing that at some point, we are completely lost, and at others, we are completely winning.

This game certainly inspires me to try to understand the whole Nd5 sacrifice more in depth though. After all, who can resist winning in a sacrificing manner?
Thanks for reading.

Link to the game: http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1360341989#