Andrew B v Sebastian G Scicilian Defense

1.e4 1..c5 Blacks most popular move in Master Chess, for reasons as a non Master, i am still trying to comprehend.

2.Nf3 The natural move. Develops the Kingside, following the Knights before Bishops maxim. Fights for Whites fair share of the d4 square.

2..e6 With his portion of d4 secured with the c5 pawn, Black chooses a flexible move for the set up of his Kingside forces. Blacks d pawn is not yet committed and will go to d6 or d5 if White plays too passively.

3.d4 What else is there? Plenty, but most are just too passive. White will have to play d4 eventually if he is to claim his lions share in the centre. So White plays it now. Both of Whites Bishops are now freed up. If either side plays passively then the other will gladly expand in the centre. 

3..cxd4 Black quickly exchanges his c pawn for the more central d pawn. A good exchange in most cases as Whites d pawn controlled the positionally important d4,e4 squares. Black still has his two central d and e pawns, albeit at the moment they are not as effective in the fight for the centre.

4.Nxd4

4..a6 To my mind, the hallmark of the dreaded Scicilian. Another pawn move from Black with dual purpose. Black can afford such luxuries as he has a well defined plan with no weaknesses that can be immediately utilised by White. 4..a6 could also be considered a " waiting move ". He wants to see where White intends to place his minor pieces and therefore what his intentions are in the scheme of things.

4..a6 prepares Queenside expansion in a number of lines, allowing his restricted Light squared Bishop to come to b7, takes b5 away from Whites forces so that his Queen can remained unmolested on her best square,c7.

5.Nc3 A natural developing move.Whites Knights now command the centre, restricting Blacks play. Please note Black is content to give White this natural plus as he has plans of his own. Plans you may notice that are very difficult to surpress.

5..b5!? Another pawn move ! Blacks light squared Bishop will drop onto b7 and help support a d5 push by Black.

6.Bd3 Overprotecting his e4 pawn and developing to Whites most natural diagonal for his LSB. White is afforded such a move due to Blacks hesitance in fighting directly for the centre squares. But that's a whole different kettle o' fish.

6..Qb6!? Blacks first forray with one of his pieces and it's a brave one. Bringing out a sole Queen into the battlefield of a clearly better mobilised enemy is usually considered foolhardy. Blacks Queen X Rays the f2 square using his b pawn to keep pesky Whites Minor pieces at bay.

7.Nf3 Retreating the Knight. (7.Be3 , completing Whites Minor Piece development would run into 7..Bc5! and White would be having to rearrange his pieces and plans.) Please note that Blacks early 5..b5 makes such an x ray arrangement possible.

7..Nc6 Within two moves Black has succesfully wrestled control of d4 from White. Can his Queenside expansion and play successfully negate Whites lead in development?

8.0-0 Simple. Both sides have clear objectives now.White wants to complete development and aim his pieces at the Black Kingside ready for the attack. Black will try counter attack on the Queenside Flank. Which strategy is best is unclear to me.

8..Qb8? Is this taking it too far? I believe so. Black needs to develop and catch up with White's forces.( 8..Bc5 seems much more in keeping with this idea, Black continues to develop on the Queenside and makes space for the g8 Knight to come to e7 IF need be.) 8..Qb8 also interupts the movement of the a8 Rook which wants to find a natural home on c8, where it grabs the semi open c file.

9.e5 This is where it get's out of my realm of understanding. Will be interesting to see the more analytical replies, here on in :)

;0 I just spent 2 hours annotating it and it didn't post :(

 

Give me a chance before you declare  the prizes..( I will do it sometime tomorrow)

 

Wait, I don't understand is that midnight 1/2(as in the beginning of the day) or just before 1/3. I always get this confused when I do grave shifts as well lol

9.e5 !? An interesting idea. White voluntarily offers Black his e pawn for a fast attack against Blacks underdeveloped forces. Can Black simply decline the offer and do the right thing by his pitiful piece development?

(9..Nge7 MAY be Blacks best try in a difficult situation. 10.Ne4 10..Ne5.)

But back to the game.

9..Nxe5 On principal this move must be wrong. Blacks ONLY successfully developed piece is traded with the added bonus of bringing the Lone Black Queen into the centre of the board. But Chess is a fickle game and so..

10.Nxe5 10..Qxe5 11.Qf3 and so the fireworks begin. Time to take stock. Afterall White has given up a pawn in an already comfortable position! Whites Queen joins her minor forces with tempo, whilst also supporting her Dark Squared Bishops eventual forray into the battlefield.

(11..Bd6! Tempo, Tempo, Tempo. 12.g3 12..Rb8 and Black should survive)

Great Idea for a Contest!

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 youn silly bugger, right click, 'copy' save your pgn before you summit your work.   

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 Yes, there was that silly post(as in after) submit move NOOOOOOOOOOO as I posted and realized I hadn't copied yet. 

I already got the book (without annotating anything, I am not even close to be able to do so) and it is a great book. Good luck to everyone here! Andrew, this is a great idea!

Try this again...Glad I did it again.  2nd time I went over it there were all sorts of different things I saw(and didn't see lol).  Thanks for the fascinating game andrew. 

 11..Qb8. After 11 moves Black has Developed his Queen to b8 whilst the rest of his forces remain at home! Meanwhile White's development carries on unabated and he will soon be fully mobilised.

Having said that White IS a pawn down and must play aggresively lest he find himself losing after a few passive or ineffectual moves.

12.Be4 To my mind slightly incorrect. In keeping with Whites idea of sacrificing a pawn for rapid and aggressive piece placement, 12.Bf4! seems much stronger.(The Bishop develops once again with Tempo,attacking the Black Queen and eyeing the important d6 square into the bargain, and the now connected Rooks will come to the centre.)

If Black trys 12..e5? then the obvious 13.Bxe5 13..Qxe5 14.Rfe1 and White stands clearly better, 12..Bd6 and 13.Bxd6 13..Qxd6 14.Qxa8

12..d6 and now 13.Be4 13..Ra7 14.Rad1 and White stands optimally placed.

Back to the Game :)

When is the second book coming out?

Someone has kindly given me a list showing how i can get my annotations within a board display like everyone else. Will TRY and get the hang of it rather than taking up whole half pages with my annotations.

ATB everyone.

PJ

Analysis?  Love it. Chance to win something?  even better :D

Expect a late entry from me (currently I'm working I will make an analysis tonight)

-edit- 

Well working.... It's a good thing I am self employed.