NM Maga

Training Simul
Sicilian Defence (45'-30')

MERALCO, Pasig City

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
Sicilian Najdorf Variation.

6.Be3 e6
This is Kasparov's pet line: Short-Kasparov in London 1987 and Belfort 1988, Topalov-Kasparov in Moscow Olympiad 1994, Anand-Kasparov in Dos Hermanas 1996, Shirov-Kasparov in Linares 1998, Timman-Kasparov in Wijk aan Zee 1999, Adams-Kasparov in Sarajevo 2000, Anand-Kasparov in Fujitsu 2000, Polgar-Kasparov in Linares 2001, Shirov-Kasparov in Astana 2001, Adams-Kasparov in Linares 2002, and Anand-Kasparov in USSR vs World 2002.

7. f3 Be7
This position was played in Short-Kasparov in Belfort 1988, Morozevich-Short in Sarajevo 1999, Kramnik-Leko in Dortmund 2003, Leko-Morozevich in World Championship 2005.

Black can play 7... Nbd7 as in Short-Kasparov in London 1987 and 7... b5 as in Polgar-Kasparov in Zuerich 2006.

8. g4
This position was played in Svidler-Bologan in European Cup 2003 and Spoelman-L' Ami in Wijk aan Zee 2005.

8... h6
Bologan replied with 8... Nc6 while L' Ami played O-O.

9. Qd2 Nbd7 10. Bc4 Ne5 11. Bb3 Qc7 12. Qe2 b5 13.Rg1 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 15. Qxc4 bxc4 16. h4 Rb8 17. O-O-O



17... d5?
The blunder move. Correct is either Bb7 or Bd7, which keeps the position equal.

18. g5 +-
Rybka rates this as +1.99. Thus, the rest is just a matter of technique - meaning: end is near.