[Event "Thuismatchen 02/2018"]
[Date "2018.02.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Novag Constellation, 3.6Mhz"]
[Black "Timmermans, Stefan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "1757"]
[BlackElo "1858"]
[Annotator "Stefan_T"]
[PlyCount "125"]
[TimeControl "240+2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 {Such a move is either typical
for the Grand-Prix Attack or the Closed Sicilian, its much less ambitious then
2.Nf3 , which has more control over d4. This move on the other hand avoids an
early d5, a move that is "undesired" by the white players loving the Grand-Prix
Attack for some other reasons then this variation}
(2. f4 {The Grand-Prix attack actually starts with 2. f4, here some
examples of blacks main reply 2. d5} d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qd8 5. Nf3 Nf6 6.
Ne5 (6. d4 e6 (6... g6 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. dxc5 Qa5 $14) 7. Be3 Nbd7 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9.
Bxc5 Nxc5 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. O-O-O+ Ke7 $14) 6... e6 7. Bb5+ Nbd7) 2... Nc6 {
The most common reply, as white seizes to take d4, the development of 2...Nc6
is better then 2... e6 or 2....d6} 3. f4 e6 {These were the moves I entered
manually, from here on I allowed the Conny to play whatever he likes.} 4. Bc4 {
Is not on in the small Fritz Chessbase, nor in the book the "Grand-Prix Attack"
of IGM Evgeny Svesnikov, who criticised IGM Vishy Anand for Playing 4. Be2 who at his
younger age tried to get quickly out of known theory openinglines. Lets have a look how the
Conny Leaves the walked paths of 4.Nf3. At first, again much more effort is
put into avoiding the counterstrike d5. But the position of Bishop on c4 (or
b5) is not in particular good as often it will be chased via a6/b5 or Na5} d6 {
Much less ambitious} (4... Nge7 5. d3 (5. e5 $2 d6 6. Nf3 dxe5 7. fxe5 Ng6 $17
{and white is already into problems}) 5... d5 6. Bb3 $15 {and black is already
much better. I'll try to remember this if I face an opponent in competition
playing 4.Bc4}) (4... a6 5. Bb3 b5 6. d3 d6 $15 {And black is slightly better})
(4... Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. exf6 dxc4 7. fxg7 Bxg7 $17 {And Black is already better})
5. Nf3 Nf6 {d6 was played to allow 5. Nf6 without the threat e5} 6. Bb5 {
The Conny decides to play a piece for the 2nd time in 6 moves. Normally its
not good, but in the view of e4 and the recapture with Nxe5 an idea, might/might not work.
However black has nothing to fear.} Be7 {Not the best, Ld7 was better as the Nc6 is
not pinned and therefore white has no d4 as in the game. Nonetheless 6... Be7
is ok as well.} (6... Bd7 7. O-O Rc8 $11) 7. d4 cxd4 (7... d5 $1 8. e5 $6 (8.
dxc5 Bxc5 9. exd5 exd5 10. Qe2+ Be7 $15) 8... Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 cxd4 11.
Nb3 $17) 8. Nxd4 Bd7 {And black is rock solid for the moment} 9. O-O O-O (9...
Nxd4 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7 11. Qxd4 O-O) 10. Be3 $6 {
Diagram # Insufficient for equality} (10. Be2 {
Necessary retreat as to the Nxe4 (Bb5 en prise) followed by Nxd4 issue} Qb6 11.
Be3 Qxb2 12. Qd2 (12. Ncb5 a6 13. Rb1 Qxa2 $17) 12... Qa3 13. Rab1 $15) 10...
a6 $2 (10... Nxe4 $3 11. Nxe4 (11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd3 (12. Nxe4 cxb5 $17 {
White has no compensation for the lost pawn}) 12... Nxc3 13. bxc3 Qa5 $19)
11... Nxd4 12. Bxd7 (12. Qxd4 Bxb5 13. c4 Bc6 $17 {
White has no compensation for the lost pawn}) 12... Nf5 $1 $17) 11. Bc4 Rc8 {
With the plan Na5 , Nc4} 12. Qe2 Qc7 {
I recognized the complexity of playing b5 or Qb6, a reason I decided to play more safely}
(12... Qb6 $4 13. Nxe6 (13. Na4 Qb4 (13... Nxd4 14. Nxb6 Nxe2+ 15. Bxe2 Rxc2
16. Nxd7 Rxe2 17. Rae1 Rxe1 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Rxe1 $17) 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Nb6
$11) (13. Qd2 Qxb2 14. Rab1 Qa3 15. Rb3 Qa5 16. Nf5 exf5 17. Bb6 Bd8 18. Bxa5
Nxa5 19. Bd5 Nxb3 20. cxb3 $19) 13... Qxb2 14. Nxf8 Bxf8 (14... Qxc3 15. Nxd7
Nxd7 $18) 15. Nd5 $18) (12... b5 13. Bd3 {
Keeps an eye on a6 pawn that is really weakened} b4 14. Nd1 a5 $11) 13. Rad1
Na5 14. Bd3 Nc4 $11 {
Not bad, though there were lines that black would already be better} 15. Bxc4
Qxc4 16. e5 $5 {Interesting thought from the Conny} Ne8 $2 {
A much more passive move, that will hamper blacks moves in the game ...} (16...
Qxe2 17. Ndxe2 {Setting pressure on d6 and/or Bd7} dxe5 18. fxe5 Nd5 19. Nxd5
exd5 20. c3 $11 (20. Rxd5 Bb5 $15)) 17. Qxc4 Rxc4 18. Kh1 $2 (18. Nb3 d5 $11)
18... b5 {Black has some initiative on the Queensside. Still Ne8 and the
exposed d6 pawn, along with Bd7 that is undefended is a problem.} 19. Rd3 b4 (
19... f6 $15) 20. Ne4 dxe5 {frees the bischop and releases the tension on d6.
Moreover the ide of Bb5 is good as well, combined with Rxc2} (20... d5 21. Nd2
Rc8 22. c3 $15) 21. fxe5 Bb5 (21... f6) 22. Rfd1 {Diagram #} f5 {
A very tempting thought but really the best} (22... f6 23. Nd6 (23. Nxe6 $4
Rxe4 $19) 23... Rxd4 24. Rxd4 fxe5 25. Nxb5 (25. Rxb4 Bxd6 $19) 25... exd4 26.
Nxd4 e5 $11) 23. Ng5 f4 24. Ngxe6 fxe3 25. Nxf8 e2 26. Re1 Bxf8 27. Rd2 (27.
Nxb5 axb5 28. Rxe2 Be7 $11) 27... Bc5 28. Nxb5 axb5 29. Rdxe2 $15 Kf8 30. e6 $6
{Not the best, though its hard to find a plan for white} (30. Rd1 Ke7) 30...
Ke7 31. g3 Nd6 32. Rd1 (32. b3 Rc3 33. Rd1 $11) 32... Rd4 33. Rxd4 $2 {
Increases blacks chances to win e6 back} (33. Rd3 Rxd3 34. cxd3 Bd4 $11) 33...
Bxd4 34. b3 Nf5 35. Kg2 $15 Bc3 {Gives way to Ne5 !} 36. Re4 Nd4 37. Re5 Nxc2 (
37... Nxb3 38. Rxb5 Na1 $15) 38. Rxb5 Kxe6 39. Rb6+ Kd5 40. Rb8 Ke4 41. Re8+ $2
(41. Rd8 Bd4 42. h4 Kd3 $15) 41... Kd3 42. Kf3 Kd2 (42... Nd4+ $1 {
Surely the quickest win} 43. Kf4 Kc2 44. Ra8 Nb5 $19) 43. Rh8 h6 44. Ke4 Kc1
45. Rf8 Kb2 46. Rf2 Kb1 $15 47. Kd5 {Diagram #} Ne1 $4 {
And the balance tips over to the Conny ... if he sees it !?} (47... Ne3+ 48. Kc5 Ng4
49. Re2 Ne5 50. Kb5 Nd3 $1 51. h3 Nb2 52. Re4 Kxa2 53. Rxb4 Nd3 54. Re4 Kxb3
$15) 48. Kc4 Nc2 49. a4 $1 $16 Ne3+ (49... bxa3 50. Kxc3 Ne3 51. Re2 Nd5+ 52.
Kc4 Nb6+ 53. Kc5 $18) 50. Kd3 $6 (50. Kb5 Bd4 51. a5 Nc2 52. Rf7 $18) 50... Ng4
51. Re2 $2 (51. Rf1+ Ka2 52. a5 Kxb3 53. a6 Ne5+ 54. Ke4 Nc6 55. Rf7 $18) 51...
Ne5+ $11 52. Ke4 Nc6 53. Kd5 $2 (53. Rf2 Na5 54. Kd3 Nxb3 55. Rf5 $11) 53...
Na5 54. Re7 $2 (54. Rf2 Nxb3 55. Kc4 Na5+ 56. Kd3 $19) 54... Kb2 55. Kc5 Nxb3+
56. Kb5 Nd4+ 57. Kc4 Nc6 (57... Kc2 $19 {Wins immediately}) 58. Rc7 (58. Re2+
Ka3 $19) 58... Na5+ 59. Kb5 (59. Kd3) 59... b3 60. Rf7 Ka2 (60... Kc2 61. Rf2+
Bd2 $19) 61. Rc7 b2 $1 62. Rxc3 b1=Q+ 63. Ka6 (63. Kxa5 $4 Qe1) 0-1