Extremely underrated killer opening against the d6 Sicilian

I was always struggling against the d6 sicilian as an e4 player, but some time ago I came across the chekhover variation, and have been doing extremely well online, and in OTB tournaments.

Here is the opening: 

The idea is basically, to put your Queen in the center, and then argue that it's very hard for black to get rid of it. Here is a recent game, where I completely dominated my opponent from the opening till the end, and won by very easily despite my opponent making little mistakes.

I think it's a very strong opening even if black is prepared, and I don't know why it's so rarely seen. If you have any questions about the game, feel free to leave a comment. Also if you are interested and want to learn more, there is a study made by an NM you can find by googling. 

Thanks for reading

It is played at high levels

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2289319

4...a6 is stronger than 4...Nc6.  5...Nc6 then becomes the "threat".

4. Nc6 is actually more popular at master level. a6 is fine of course, but then white can simply play c4 and put his Queen on e3 where it will also be very nicely placed. White will have a very comfortable position.

Strength and popularity are NOT the same thing.  Could care less which is "more popular".

After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Qa4 8.Qg4, the move 8...g6 is "more popular" than 8...Kf8, but the latter scores better and also has been shown to be stronger than allowing the weakening of the dark squares with 8...g6.

So don't care what popularity says, I'm just stating the facts.  4...a6 and 5...Nc6 is theoretically stronger than 4...Nc6, regardless of "popularity".

What are your thoughts on 4. Nf6 and 4. Bd7 for black?   

Are you an expert on the opening then? What gives you the qualifications to say 4. a6 is objectively stronger? You didn't even say anything to refute the c4 idea, which scores much better for white.

And while strength and popularity are not the same thing, you can be sure masters know their sicilian openings well enough to not be out of theory on move 4.. Even your example is wrong. Kf8 is more popular!

Well... on the Lichess database it is.

Without a6, 4... Nc6 5. Bb5 and it looks like White is just playing a much better Rossolimo, as you showed in your game. Could you include a game where 4... a6 5. c4 Nc6 6. Qe3 is played? That would at least show off the very comfortable position and how to play the middlegame for those of us who actually want to learn the Chekhover.

4... Nf6 looks a bit premature, as if played immediately it allows 5. e5.

4... Bd7 just looks passive and a bit of a wasted move, as it isn't a great square to develop the LSB to, and Black certainly won't be castling queenside with an open c-file and White's queen in the center, so it has no immediate value, and developing it to c6 is an idea, but it requires two moves of the same piece, so White will win the development race.

Sure!

Here is a game where I got a nice position from the opening, and converted into a winning endgame. Unfortunately I wasn't able to convert to a win.

To not only show my good games, here is a game I lost after a6. Again, I got a good position from the opening (+1.5), but lost due to getting outplayed 

I have played the Najdorf for a few years in the Mid-2010's over the board.

I never said that 4...a6 is a refutation, but after 5.c4 Nc6 6.Qe3 Bg4 7.Be2 g6 8.O-O Bg7 9.Rd1 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Qa5, White has nothing spectacular that would warrant your claim of it being "extremely underrated".  Never said that 4...a6 "refutes" the line by any stretch.

That said, Black is totally fine.

Okay thanks! Yeah 5. h3 looks like a really strong move, and I'm familiar with the Westerinen-style bishop, and the Kramnik queenside pawn structures from my e6 Sicilian prep, so this line actually looks quite appealing.

I too think it's a great opening, and not entirely unelegant.

Nf6 is engine. 5 Bg5 a6.

After looking through the lines, 4... Nf6 5. e5 Nc6 6. Bb5 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 Qxb5 8. Nxb5 Nxd4 9. Nbxd4 dxe5 10. Nxe5 g6 looks fine for White, albeit quite drawish (-0.2 depth 40 SF 14+ NNUE, purely because of the bishop pair's activity). This is the only line that offers equality for Black if White forces the issue in 4... Nf6 5. e5, and most players won't want to release tension so early, and so I'd assume 4... Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 or one of the other lines analyzed above which is much better for White will be played far more commonly. 
Playing 5. Bg5 after Nf6 is rather unintuitive and I dislike the end point of this line, as the computer says the position shown below

is fully even (0.0 depth 41 SF 14+ NNUE) even though you're up an exchange for a pawn. The position looks completely lifeless from here from White's perspective, while Black has full compensation for the rook with a bishop, pawn, space, lead in development, knight to target, and fantastic open position for the bishop pair to shine in.