*queenside not kingside
Sicilian English Attack strange line
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May 6, 2011
0
#3
the battle seems to take place on the queenside, although white is essentially down a bishop. white would have to waste a couple of moves getting his bishop untangled.
I play the English attack with both sides frequently, but I have only rarely gone with 6...Ng4 with the Black pieces. Have you been playing or seen 9...e5?! much? I give this move a dubious because (a) it locks in Black's dark bishop [which usually goes to g7 in the 6...Ng4 line], and (b) it ignores development.
After 13...b5, I'd give White a distinct edge. Black's complete lack of development and vulnerable King should give White plenty of ways to attack. If I were the white pieces at that point (I would have played 11.exf5 instead, though), I'd play 14.Nd5 because of the obvious strategic worth of the Knight on d5 and the fact that it exploits Black's vulnerable King and lack of development by inviting violent tactics.
I just don't see why Black would take this line. There's just not much there. Black couldn't play 14...Nxe4 either. White has a great piece sacrifice to bring the light bishop to that WEAK diagonal:
Of course, Black doesn't have to take on d5 and the game could move forward with a move like 14...Bb7. It's not very exciting chess, and it runs counter to the very reasons Black picks the Najdorf to begin with - flexibility and counterplay. I don't know...I could be wrong. Show me some way Black can compete in this line after 14.Nd5 and I'll try it next time I meet the English Attack!
Interesting final position. Actually, I think your last move gives away the better position for Black. White gets two minor pieces for a Rook and pawn after 14.Rxd5. It's hard for me to say who has the better game after that exchange, but it looks pretty even. Initially, Black has good activity, but I think White will eventually bring the Knight to d4 and release the dark bishop. Then, the bishop pair will [theoretically] dominate an endgame.
I would drop a diagram in, but I think (if you are White), you solve your problem by going further back in the line you've given. Playing the position after 13.Be2 would be good practice for White on defending against tough positions, but White's troubles in your line all stem from trading off queens.
Instead of 2.Qd2, White should have played 2.c3, 2.b4, or even 2.Kf1.
What makes 9...e5 a wearisome line for White is that, in cases where Black plays well and doesn't hand over the game with a tactic, White's usual ideas against the Sicilian are not clearly viable. The hand moving those white pieces has to come up with something new.
May 14, 2011
0
#8
i was playing around on a board trying to find a new line in the sicilian, and i came up with the idea of e5, f5, f4, and nf6 to cloes in whites kingside. my idea was that it locks in whites bishop, and it gains tons of space. i dont know if its sound, and i havent run it through any engine of any sort, or even checked any databases, which i will do now. im soooo lazy...
May 14, 2011
0
#9
NG4 is poorly played according to fritz. Should be either e6 or e5. Black is +- during the whole game. Also the move f5 puts black over +-2.00 behind. White gave up some of that ground with a poor H3. Should have played exf5??.
in many lines of this opening white is left with a tall pawn on h2, but white gets a strong attack on blacks kingside. analysis very welcome.