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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) The Sharpest Sicilian Updated (Read 81305 times)
Willempie
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #42 - 12/07/07 at 07:27:40
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I currently have a game in the Anand-Van Wely jungle with the chesspub team on iccf (http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1188401025). My opponent is quite an expert in the line (he's an IM who also plays this OTB), but he didnt go for 21.0-0, but went for 21.Bxf8. So I'll prolly go with Semkov/Georgiev and play 21..Qe5

A bit of a pity as I had prepared an improvement in the 21.0-0 with Qb6. Unfortunately Palliser also spotted the same improvement in the previous update and I guess my opponent did as well (or is a member of chesspub Wink).

I will post my PP games (3!) from the iccf match as soon as they are past the opening stages. One went 10.e5, another 10.f5 (with an interesting theoretical twist) and the one where I think I am winning went 10.Be2.
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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Dragan Glas
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #41 - 12/07/07 at 02:10:19
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Greetings,

Lou_Cyber wrote on 08/27/07 at 22:28:14:
Hi,

Me and Fritz meanwhile had a closer look at the position after 21.00 Nce5!?.

Nce5 looks better than f5, yet the position is VERY unpleasant for black. On move 22. white can choose between 5 promising moves which give black a difficult defensive task. First I had a look at 22.Bxf8, but couldn´t refute the analysis given above leading to equal / unclear positions.

Then I had a look at alternative attacking moves as 22.Qg3 or 22.Nc5, but didn´t found a way to clear advantage. Blacks defence often depended on the threat of either Qxd2 or Qc5 pinning and exchanging the white queen.

22.Kh1 looks equal to me, but may be too slow as black has an important tempo to consolidate.

Therefore finally I had a closer look to 22. Tdd1.

gewgaw wrote on 08/22/07 at 09:04:18:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Ne4 h6 13.Bh4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Nc6 21.0-0 Nce5 22.Rdd1!? f5 [22...Re8 23.Bh5 Ng6 24.Qf2 Qf5 25.Qe2 Qa5 (25...Qb5 26.c4 Qb6+ 27.c5 Qb3 (27...Qb5 28.Qf2+-) 28.Rxf7 Kxf7 29.Qg4+-; 26.Rxf7 Kxf7 27.Qg4 Kg8 28.Qxg6 Rd8 29.Be7 Kh8 30.Bxd8 Qxd8 31.Nd6+-] 23.Bxf8 Kxf8 [23...Nxf8] 24.Nd6 Qc5 25.Nxf5 Qxe3+ 26.Nxe3+ Ke7 unclear

by gewgaw and fruit 2.3.1
21. ...Nce5 still alive, but f7-f5 was necessary. 22.Rdd1 is amazing;



22.Rdd1 f5
Rdd1 is connecting the rooks and thus frees the Qe3 from defensive tasks. If the analysis given above is correct - I checked it - black has to play f5.

23.Bxf8 Kxf8
24.Nd6 Qc5
25.Rd4!? keeping the queens on the board b5 (b6!?; Kg8!?)
26.g4! Nf6
27.Nxf5 Ned7
28.Qxe6 Ne5
29.Qd6+ Qxd6
30.Rxd6 Nf7
31.Rc6 Bd7
32.Rc7 Rd8
33.Ra7 Bc8
34.Nxh6 Nxh6
35.g5 winning back the piece and attacking; white has a clear edge.

I agree that the position looks very uncomfortable for Black after 21. ..., Nce5. I certainly wouldn't like to be Black in this position.

However, it's worth noting that in OTB play in 2007, the following moves have been played after 20. Bd6:

20. ..., Nc6 - Three games with TWO WHITE WINS & ONE DRAW;
1-0 (41) - Anand-Van Wely, Wijk aan Zee, Corus A (9)
1-0 (51) - Tukhaev-Zubov, Kharkov,  UKR Ch-Fin (5)
0.5-0.5 (26) - Kristjansson-Thorhallsson, Reykjavik, ISL Ch-Fin (3)

20. ..., Rd8 - Three games with THREE BLACK WINS(!)
0-1 (31) - Motylev-Anand,  Wijk aan Zee, Corus A (2)
0-1 (49) - Vorobiov-Askarov, Serpukhov, Russia Cup (1.1)
0-1 (34) - Gunnarsson-Thorfinnsson, Reykjavik, ISL Ch-Fin (1)

20. ..., Re8 - One DRAWN GAME.
0.5-0.5 (33) - Chirila-Salgado Lopez, Kemer TUR WYb16 (9)

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas
  
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parisestmagique
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #40 - 12/06/07 at 09:14:35
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A new direction for Black :  Berg (2593) - Najer (2635) : World Chess Cup 2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 h6 11.Bh4 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nfd7 13.Ne4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Bc5! TN 16.Nxe6! Bb4+! 17.c3 Qxe6 18.cxb4 0-0 19.Be2 Nc6 20.00 Qxe5 and for Shipov in the bulletin : "White retains strong initiative for the lost pawns but he must play with machine precision that is impossible to demonstrate over the board" 0-1 after many adventures.
  
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Lou_Cyber
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #39 - 09/20/07 at 08:40:12
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photophore wrote on 08/30/07 at 15:03:47:
I shall add that IMHO this position ( at move 20 ) is not equal , nor unclear , but a forced draw , or exactly a cluster of forced draws , since at the end of each line there is a repetition of moves
At least this is the assessment of Rybka2.3.2a


With regards to the recent input from semko and TopNotch and based on my studies I don´t think this is a "forced draw" at all, at least not OTB. Both players have too many sources and tactics available.

Trouble with computers is that they rather repeat moves instead of risking a -0,5 verdict for some moves.

Still in the analysed position black is walking on a very thin rope. With one bad move he can lose the game by force whereas white perhaps just misses initiative but can fight on. I never would dare to play this as black OTB, as it seems impossible for my humble skills to be prepared against all possible continuations.

Lou
  

If you try, you may lose. If you don´t try, you have lost.
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #38 - 09/20/07 at 02:26:40
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I too have both and would say that they are two of my favourite opening books. This service makes them even better.
  
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XChess1971
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #37 - 09/20/07 at 00:16:46
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Semko wrote on 08/14/07 at 21:09:50:
I'd like to inform you that The Sharpest Sicilian was reprinted with two corrections/additions.
The first is a major one - Georgiev does not recommend taking on b2 anymore! Instead he gives Nc6 and this line is also much deeper considered than in the original edition.
The second addition covers the line in Ivanchuk-Topalov. The forum readers can download the new pages from here:
http://chess-stars.com/graphics/eshop/books_special/Sharp_corrections.pdf


Is Kiril gonna send me my money back?. lol
No, I am just kidding. I admire Kiril because he used to play the dragon, and I am one of them by nature.
Thank you so much for the update Semko that was very kind.

I bought that book and "the safest" also. Nice works. I hope that you guys keep on writing like that.


Best Regards
XChess1971
  
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #36 - 09/19/07 at 18:04:57
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Semko wrote on 09/02/07 at 20:03:09:
We all have computers, but the position in the PP is extremely unbalanced and hard to assess. I definitely do not trust engines' evaluations in that particular case.
Chess Stars books are not a digest of old books dressed with some computer analysis here and there. They attempt to mark new ways and steer the fashion into other directions. For that they count on human evaluations. Computers must associate every position with a number. On the contrary, a strong GM can sense a bad coordination and rule out lines that the engine claims to be good for him. Thus he can save weeks or months of futile analyses. So everyone can probe endless lines on his personal PC, but eventually one or two games at top level will tell the verdict about the PP with e4-e5. Or maybe they already have?!


That was poetic and I could not have agreed more or have said it any better. Perusing this thread I was horrified on just how dependant players are on their engines to do their 'thinking' and evaluations for them. I get the feeling some players assign human attributes to engines, much like some people consider pets their children.

In complicated positions with unbalanced material, especially where king safety is paramount, a chess engine unless heavily guided by a strong player is virtually useless.

I admire the dedication and professionalism of Chess Stars, many publishers wouldn't have bothered with an update and just left the original text as is. Keep up the pioneering work.

A real class act, kudos.

Toppy Smiley  
  

The man who tries to do something and fails is infinitely better than he who tries to do nothing and succeeds - Lloyd Jones Smiley
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Semko
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #35 - 09/02/07 at 20:03:09
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We all have computers, but the position in the PP is extremely unbalanced and hard to assess. I definitely do not trust engines' evaluations in that particular case.
Chess Stars books are not a digest of old books dressed with some computer analysis here and there. They attempt to mark new ways and steer the fashion into other directions. For that they count on human evaluations. Computers must associate every position with a number. On the contrary, a strong GM can sense a bad coordination and rule out lines that the engine claims to be good for him. Thus he can save weeks or months of futile analyses. So everyone can probe endless lines on his personal PC, but eventually one or two games at top level will tell the verdict about the PP with e4-e5. Or maybe they already have?!
  
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #34 - 09/02/07 at 08:24:08
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Hi

I have just a question for the authors

In this book  this line was study

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 b5

After three moves are analysed  Bg5 0-0 and f4.

What do you think about 8.Qf3?

I play this line in a cc game.

I answer Qb6 but after 9. Be3 Qb7 10. O-O-O Nbd7 11. Rhe1 Be7 12. Qg3 Nc5 i think white will be winning if he play 13.Kb1 and king black must stay in the center.

Your opinion? What is the more interesting 8th move for black?

Thanks for your answer.

CJ






  
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Willempie
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #33 - 08/31/07 at 09:30:09
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Dji wrote on 08/31/07 at 09:25:55:
Willempie wrote on 08/31/07 at 06:43:48:
[
Btw are you also in the iccf Champiosn league?


Photophore is playing in a french team: Les tontons flingueurs (an old french's movie)

Aha so he is not in our pool. Lucky for me Smiley
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #32 - 08/31/07 at 09:25:55
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Willempie wrote on 08/31/07 at 06:43:48:
[
Btw are you also in the iccf Champiosn league?


Photophore is playing in a french team: Les tontons flingueurs (an old french's movie)
  

Eternity it's very long especially towards the end!
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #31 - 08/31/07 at 08:49:11
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There's most certainly some excellent analysis here!  Smiley Some of which I've included in my latest update which should be online shortly I hope.
Has anyone run an engine tournament or two after 20 Bd6?
  
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Willempie
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #30 - 08/31/07 at 06:43:48
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photophore wrote on 08/30/07 at 15:03:47:
I shall add that IMHO this position ( at move 20 ) is not equal , nor unclear , but a forced draw , or exactly a cluster of forced draws , since at the end of each line there is a repetition of moves
At least this is the assessment of Rybka2.3.2a

Interesting. I a doing some research on this position as well.

Btw are you also in the iccf Champiosn league?
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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photophore
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #29 - 08/30/07 at 15:03:47
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I shall add that IMHO this position ( at move 20 ) is not equal , nor unclear , but a forced draw , or exactly a cluster of forced draws , since at the end of each line there is a repetition of moves
At least this is the assessment of Rybka2.3.2a
  
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photophore
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Re: The Sharpest Sicilian Updated
Reply #28 - 08/30/07 at 12:18:50
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To bring my stone here is the end of a game played in French corr. championship 2007-2008
White : Claude Le Page  Black : Christophe Jaulneau
first moves as in Anand-Van Wely Corus 2007 :
20 Bd6 Nc6
21 Bxf8 Nxf8
22 O-O Qe5 ( improvement on Bd7 played by Van Wely )
23 Rd3 Ng6
24 Nd6 f6
25 Bf3 Nf4
26 Qxe5 Nxe5
27 Ra3 Nxf3+
28 Rfxf3 e5
29 Rfb3 a5
30 g3 Ne6
31 Nxc8 Rxc8
32 Nxa5 Rxc2
33 Rxb7 e4
34 Re7 Ng5
35 Raa7 Kh8
36 R&8+      1/2-1/2
  
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