Chess
Sicilian Vespers
Raymond Keene
rr he Sicilian Defence has made a remark- able able recovery from Capablanca's stern indictment, that it 'leaves Black's position full of holes'. In fact, the recuperation was so spectacular that 1 ... c5 is now generally regarded as Black's most popular method of countering 1 e4. It has proliferated to such an extent that the majority of books currently devoted to 1 e4 c5 concentrate on single complex variations, rather than at- tempting to explain the entire opening.
Two exceptions to this trend are the recently published Sicilian Defence, by Soviet Grandmaster Eduard Gufeld and Beating the Sicilian, by John Nunn (both Batsford, respectively £8.95 and £5.95). Broadly speaking, Gufeld's book is in favour of the Sicilian and forms an ex- cellent basic introduction to the defence. Nunn's book, in sharp contrast, is a slaughterous attack on the Sicilian's viabili- ty. Using 31 illustrative games, in which White scores a massive 30 wins, conceding
only one draw, the author analyses every Sicilian variation, demonstrating a slight, but clear, plus against most lines, while totally demolishing almost all of the rest.
The Dragon, LOwenthal, Nimzowitsch and Maroczy variations come off particularly badly for Black. As far as I can see, the only really healthy way for Black which emerges from Nunn's tract is to play the Scheven- ingen, and this only via the move-order: 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 d6.
My advice to prospective readers is as follows: if you play 1 e4, buy Nunn's book quickly. If you play the Sicilian yourself, Gufeld's will be very useful to you, but you should be aware of what John Nunn has recommended against your chosen lines, and have something prepared, since your White opponents will probably be burning to try out John's ideas.
Here is one of the illustrative games from Beating the Sicilian.
Mestel — Portisch: London (Phillips and Drew) 1982; Sicilian Defence, Kan Variation. 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 c4 Nf6 6 Nc3 Bb4 7 Bd3 Nc6 8 Bc2 Qc7 90-0 0-0!? An im- provement is 9 ... Ne5 10 f4 Nxc4 11 e5 Bxc3 12 Bxc3 Nd5 when White must play 13 Khl! 10 Khl Nxd4 11 Qxd4 Ng4 12 f4 b5 12 ... Bc5 13 Qd3 Nf2 + 14 Rxf2 Bxf2 15 e5 is an insanely com- plicated alternative. 1.3 Qdl Nf6? Too passive.
He should try 13 Bxc3 14 bxc3 Qxc4, though I know from my stint as Mestel's second at the 1982 Interzonal, that he is still quite happy with
Position after 22 Bxg7!?
White's prospects. 14 e5 Ne8 15 Ne4 Bb7 16 esti.,c axb5 17 Be3 f6 18 exf6 Nxf6 19 Nxf6 + Rx.f6 20 Rcl Bc6 ,. 21 Bd4 Rh6 22 Bxg7!? (Diagram) Perhaps 22 Qg4 Bf8 23 Bey and then f5 is even, stronger than this combination. 22 • • • Bxg2 to The losing move, which allows his King become seriously exposed. Correct is 22 • ' Kxg7 23 Qd4 + Rf6 24 Qxb4 and then, probably; 24 ... Raf8. 23 Kxg2 Qb7 + 24 1113 Kxg7 25 Qd4 + Kf7 26 Be4! Not 26 Qxb4? Rg8+ 27$e4 Rxh2 + with a winning counterattack. 26 Be41 was the move Portisch must have overlooke? when playing 22 Bxg2 + and after it he ; helpless. 26 ... d5 27 Rg3 Rg8 28 Qe5 B115 28 5 +resigns. 31 Rc6 Qe8 32 Rah Qc 3B3f 3RQa 7b 8+ 3 BlackO B h The third in the great series of London tournaments from which the above Pine was taken will commence at County Hall on 26 April. This year it is sponsored jointly Phillips and Drew and the GLC and win witness the final shattering of the Korchn°1 boycott, since both Karpov and Korchocn will be competing.
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