Sicilian French Normal

Submitted by sam_musil on Sun, 05/24/2009 at 1:20am.

Recently, I have sponsored three thematic tournaments: Sicilian PinSicilian Pin Koch, and Sicilian French Normal.  I currently have 12 wins and 2 defeats in the Sicilian Pin Tourney and 11 wins, no defeats, and one draw in the Sicilian Pin Koch Tourney.  I currently have 2 wins and no defeats or draws in the Sicilian French Normal Tourney which started on March 30, 2009.  I have not analyzed many of these games because everyone is playing the same opening and I do not want to give these strong players too much help.  However, in this game, one of the mid-range players in my Strongest Tournement Ever section, boylim from the Phillipines , plays what I consider to be the main line of the Sicilian French Normal Variation which no one has tried against me in the actual Sicilian French Normal Tourney. (Everyone is playing the Pin Variation or Four Knights Variation!) I introduced a technical novelty at move 7 that I could not find in any of my databases.  For the first 6 moves, boylim played the main line of this variation which I have faced many times over the last 35 years.  Then at move 7, he played Bg5 against me which I have never faced and which appears only twice in the master DB.  The  7. .. Be7 game won for black and 7. .. Rb8 gained a draw.  Obviously, Be7 is the safe move with black winning the stem game.  However, I saw some weak white moves in the stem game and was suspicious of the position after Be7.  So I boldly launched into new territory with a TN (Theoretical Novelty) of 7. .. d5 which looks ugly but gives black control of the center.  It has not been played before at the master level, but here leads to a pretty mate for black!  Enjoy!

» posted in sam_musil's Blog
 

Comments:

by acquarious - 5 months ago
Rome Italy
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 93

lovely that"s the art of sacrificeLaughing GOOD GAME

by sam_musil - 5 months ago
Marysville, Kansas United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 266

donngerard ,

I hope people realize that this beautiful game was set up by the blunder 17. Re1? which left a bare, unguarded king against four black pieces .  The removal of this rook from guarding f2 left the king exposed.  I knew that two of my pieces could be sacrificed and the queen and just one other piece can mate when the king is un-protected by other pieces!  I am really pleased that so many of my friends have enjoyed this beautiful win!

Sincerely,  Sam

by donngerard - 5 months ago
Cebu Philippines
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 3520

nice! love all the lovely sacrifices!!!

by EnamouredKnight - 5 months ago
Valhalla Croatia
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 208

slick game...

by dsachs - 5 months ago
ottawa Canada
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 262

go easy on the exclamation points...

by sam_musil - 5 months ago
Marysville, Kansas United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 266

Enter the Dragon , I am glad that you enjoyed the game.  I put a great deal of analysis intoi it or I would not have sacrificed the rook!

Steevmartuns , Thank you for your great explanation of the MacCutchin Variation.  I play the Tarrasch, so I was not familiar with it.  The position is very similar and the lesson is the same: do not capture the knight at f6 or black gets a better game!  You can see that my TN is valid !

PhilipN , I appreciate your noticing the strong-looking 16. .. Qh6 move, but it fails due to 17. Nf3!   If 17. .. g4, then 18. Nh4 and the white kingside is secure.  Centralizing the bishop has to be played first!

I appreciate all of the thoughtful comments,  Sam

by PhilipN - 5 months ago
Oregon United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 771

Your annotation says that 16...Bd4 is "Obviously the best move!"  Could you please comment on the obvious in-between move 16...Qh6 ?

Good game, by the way.  That was a pretty finish!

by steevmartuns - 5 months ago
Pennsylvania United States
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 526

That was nifty, good job at finding such a strong refutation. 14. 0-0 looks really bad since Black can immediately make threats on the castled position. . . but I guess castling queenside wouldn't happen, would it!

The pawn threats on the pinned piece look a bit like the French Defense, MacCutcheon Variation. Taking the pinned piece with the pawn doesn't score so well there either.

by EnterTheDragon - 5 months ago
St. Stephen, NB Canada
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 84

Great game!  Definitely worth committing to memory.  Thanks!

 

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