B33 Sicilian: Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.a4 a6 8.Na3)

The game I am sharing today was played in a team match called TMCL 2016 Sub-Div. WL1 R3. It was played between Battle For Victory and TribaL KnighTs on 100 boards at Chess.com. I played on board 52 for Battle For Victory and won both my games against Zalan10 on time. The first sign of trouble for Zalan10 was when he or she played 11...Rc8. I replied with the move 12.Bg5, which pinned the knight to the queen and discouraged my opponent from playing d5, because it would lose a pawn. Zalan10 then played the natural looking developing move 12...Be7, which gave the opportunity to my opponent to move the knight, in case he or she would have wanted to do so.

I should have then played 13.Bxf6, in order to prevent the move d5 and also to make sure that knight could jump to d5 without the possibility for it to be immediately challenged. I instead castled, which was a decent move, but not the most accurate one. Nor was the continuation that followed it. Zalan10 played 13...h6, which gave me another chance to take the knight on f6 with my bishop and jump with my knight to d5, but because I still preferred my bishop to Zalan10's knight, I simply retreated with the bishop to e3. Even though I should know by now that I should more often than not, to go with the aggressive move instead of the passive alternative, I almost always go with the passive one. The blunder that decided the outcome of the game was seen on move 16, when Zalan10 played Qd7.

The rather obvious problem with Zalan10's move 16...Qd7 was that I could reply with the move 17.Nb6, which forked the queen and the rook. After I had won the exchange, the game was quite easy to play and I never gave my opponent a chance to get back into the game.

[Event "TMCL 2016 Sub-Div. WL1 R3 - Board 52"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.04.25"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Zalan10"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "1843"] [BlackElo "1373"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 {B33 Sicilian: Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations} Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 Nd4 11. Qd3 Rc8 (11... d5 12. O-O dxe4 13. Nxe4 Be7 14. Bg5 O-O 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nc4 Rc8 17. Rad1 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Ne3 b4 20. c3 bxc3 21. bxc3 {1/2-1/2 (21) Basas Gamazo,J (1973)-Prat Llables,J (2144) Barcelona 2016}) 12. Bg5 Be7 13. O-O h6 $146 (13... Nd7 14. Be3 Nc5 15. Qd2 O-O 16. f3 Nce6 17. Nd5 f5 18. exf5 Nxf5 19. Bf2 Bg5 20. Qd1 Qe8 21. c3 Qf7 22. Nc2 Rfd8 23. g3 h5 24. Qd3 h4 25. Rad1 hxg3 26. hxg3 Nc5 27. Qc4 Ne6 28. Qe4 {Dragiev,V (2422)-Nedev,T (2476) Struga 2002 1-0 (42)}) (13... O-O $16) 14. Be3 {White threatens to win material: Be3xd4} (14. Bxf6 $5 Bxf6 15. Nd5 $16) 14... Nc6 {White has an active position} (14... d5 $5 $11 {is worth looking at}) 15. Nd5 $16 O-O (15... Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Qd7 17. c3 $16) 16. c3 (16. Nb6 Rc7 17. Rfd1 $16) 16... Qd7 $2 ( 16... Nxd5 $142 {and Black has air to breath} 17. Qxd5 Qc7 $14) 17. Nb6 $18 Qg4 18. Nxc8 Rxc8 19. f3 Qh5 $2 (19... Qe6 $18) 20. Nc4 b5 (20... Ne8 $18 {hoping against hope}) 21. axb5 axb5 22. Nb6 Rb8 23. Qxb5 Nd8 24. Ra8 Rxa8 25. Nxa8 Kh7 (25... Ne6 {cannot undo what has already been done} 26. Nb6 $18) 26. Nc7 Ne6 ( 26... Qg6 {is not the saving move} 27. Ra1 $18) 27. Nxe6 (27. Nxe6 fxe6 28. Qc6 $18) 1-0

Some of the highest rated games that reached the position after 8.Na3 can be seen below.

[Event "EU-Cup 19th"] [Site "Rethymnon"] [Date "2003.10.03"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Efimenko, Zahar"] [Black "Smirnov, Pavel"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2546"] [BlackElo "2629"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2003.09.28"] [EventType "team-swiss"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "GRE"] [SourceTitle "CBM 098"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.02.03"] [WhiteTeam "Momot ShK Alexander"] [BlackTeam "Sankt Petersburg"] [WhiteTeamCountry "UKR"] [BlackTeamCountry "RUS"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 d5 11. Bg5 d4 12. Nd5 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qd8 14. Bg5 Nb4 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Qf3 Nxd5 17. exd5 Qa5+ 18. Kf1 O-O-O 19. Nc4 Qc5 20. b3 Be7 21. h4 Kb8 22. d6 Bxd6 23. Qxf6 Be7 24. Qf5 Rd5 25. Rh3 Re8 26. Rf3 e4 27. Qxf7 Red8 28. Rh3 e3 29. Qxh7 d3 30. Nxe3 Qc3 31. Rb1 Qf6 32. Nxd5 Rxd5 33. cxd3 Bc5 34. Qg8+ Ka7 35. d4 Qxd4 36. Qg3 Rf5 0-1 [Event "Selfoss Milk Masters 2nd"] [Site "Selfoss"] [Date "2003.10.31"] [Round "3"] [White "De Firmian, Nick E"] [Black "Vallejo Pons, Francisco"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2553"] [BlackElo "2662"] [PlyCount "54"] [EventDate "2003.10.29"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ISL"] [EventCategory "15"] [SourceTitle "CBM 098"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.02.03"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. f3 Be6 10. Be3 Nb4 11. Nc4 d5 12. Bb6 Qe7 13. exd5 Nbxd5 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bf2 Rd8 16. Qd2 Nb4 17. Qc3 Qg5 18. Rd1 Nxc2+ 19. Qxc2 Bb4+ 20. Nd2 Bf5 21. Qc1 Rc8 22. Qa1 Bc2 23. h4 Qf4 24. g3 Qxf3 25. Rh2 Qe4+ 26. Be2 Bxd1 27. Qxd1 Rd8 0-1 [Event "Noyabrsk Fakel Jamala"] [Site "Noyabrsk"] [Date "2003.11.23"] [Round "6"] [White "Kovchan, Alexander"] [Black "Brodsky, Michail"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2561"] [BlackElo "2559"] [PlyCount "32"] [EventDate "2003.11.18"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [EventCategory "10"] [SourceTitle "CBM 099"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.03.30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Be7 9. Bg5 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Bxg5 11. Nxd6+ Ke7 12. Nac4 Be6 13. a5 Qc7 14. Qh5 h6 15. c3 g6 16. Qf3 Rad8 1/2-1/2 [Event "BRA-ch 75th"] [Site "Porto Alegre"] [Date "2008.12.07"] [Round "1"] [White "Milos, Gilberto"] [Black "Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2593"] [BlackElo "2511"] [PlyCount "149"] [EventDate "2008.12.07"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "BRA"] [EventCategory "9"] [SourceTitle "CBM 127 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.01.08"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. f3 Be6 10. Bc4 Rc8 11. Be3 Nb4 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. O-O Be7 14. Ne2 d5 15. c3 Nc6 16. Ng3 O-O 17. Nc2 Na5 18. Qe2 Qd7 19. Kh1 Nb3 20. Rad1 Qxa4 21. exd5 Nxd5 22. Bg1 Bf6 23. Ne4 Be7 24. g3 Qc4 25. Qg2 Rf5 26. Ne3 Nxe3 27. Bxe3 Qc6 28. Rd3 Rcf8 29. Bf2 Bc5 30. Re1 Bxf2 31. Qxf2 Qc4 32. Qe2 Nc5 33. Nxc5 Qxc5 34. Kg2 Qc6 35. Qe4 Qxe4 36. Rxe4 Re8 37. Kf2 Kf8 38. Ke3 Ke7 39. Rc4 Rf7 40. Rc7+ Kf6 41. Rxf7+ Kxf7 42. Ke4 Ke7 43. Kxe5 Rc8 44. Rd4 Rc5+ 45. Ke4 b5 46. f4 h5 47. Rd1 a5 48. Rd4 Rc6 49. Kd3 Rc5 50. c4 b4 51. b3 g5 52. fxg5 Rxg5 53. Rf4 e5 54. Rf2 h4 55. gxh4 Rg4 56. Ra2 Rxh4 57. Rxa5 Rh3+ 58. Ke4 Rxb3 59. Rxe5+ Kd6 60. c5+ Kc6 61. Kd4 Rh3 62. Re6+ Kd7 63. Re2 Kc6 64. Re6+ Kd7 65. Rb6 Rxh2 66. Rxb4 Rh4+ 67. Kc3 Rxb4 68. Kxb4 Kc6 69. Kc4 Kc7 70. Kd5 Kd7 71. c6+ Kc7 72. Kc5 Kc8 73. Kd6 Kd8 74. c7+ Kc8 75. Kc6 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS Cup final"] [Site "St Petersburg"] [Date "2009.11.04"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Chuprov, Dmitry"] [Black "Khismatullin, Denis"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2558"] [BlackElo "2643"] [PlyCount "120"] [EventDate "2009.11.03"] [EventType "k.o."] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2010"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.11.30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Bc4 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Bg5 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Bxc4 13. Nxc4 d5 14. Nxe5 dxe4 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Qe2 c5 18. Rad1 Qe6 19. Rd2 Rad8 20. Rfd1 Rxd2 21. Qxd2 h6 22. h3 Re8 23. Qc3 Rc8 24. Re1 Qd5 25. Qe3 f5 26. Qe2 c4 27. Rd1 Qc6 28. a5 Qb5 29. c3 Qxa5 30. Rd7 Qe5 31. Qd2 Kh7 32. Rd5 Qe6 33. Qd4 Rc7 34. Rd6 Qe7 35. Qd5 Qf7 36. Qd2 a5 37. Rd8 Rb7 38. g3 Qe6 39. Rd6 e3 40. fxe3 Qe5 41. Kf2 Rxb2 42. Rxh6+ Kxh6 43. Qxb2 Qd5 44. g4 fxg4 45. hxg4 Kg5 46. Qb8 Qd2+ 47. Kf3 Qd1+ 48. Kf2 Qd2+ 49. Kf3 Qd5+ 50. Kg3 Kf6 51. Qf8+ Ke6 52. Qg8+ Kd6 53. Qd8+ Ke6 54. Qe8+ Kf6 55. Qf8+ Ke6 56. Qe8+ Kf6 57. Qf8+ Ke6 58. Qg8+ Kd6 59. Qd8+ Ke6 60. Qg8+ Kd6 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS-chT 17th"] [Site "Dagomys"] [Date "2010.04.08"] [Round "7"] [White "Panarin, Michail"] [Black "Moiseenko, Alexander"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2532"] [BlackElo "2668"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2010.04.01"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 136"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2010.05.18"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. a4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 d5 11. Bg5 d4 12. Nd5 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qd8 14. Bg5 Qa5+ 15. Bd2 Qd8 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Nc4 Bc5 18. O-O O-O 19. a5 Rad8 20. Qd3 Qe6 21. Kh1 Rfe8 22. Rab1 Bb4 23. b3 Bxd2 24. Qxd2 Na7 25. Rbe1 Nb5 26. f4 exf4 27. e5 g5 28. g3 Qd5+ 29. Kg1 Re6 30. h4 Rh6 31. Qg2 Qxg2+ 32. Kxg2 fxg3 33. hxg5 Rh2+ 34. Kxg3 Rxc2 35. e6 fxe6 36. Rxe6 d3 37. Re7 d2 38. Rff7 Rd3+ 39. Kh4 Rxc4+ 40. bxc4 Nd6 41. Rf1 d1=Q 42. Rxd1 Rxd1 43. Kh5 Rh1+ 44. Kg4 Rh4+ 0-1 [Event "NED-ch"] [Site "Amsterdam"] [Date "2012.07.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Smeets, Jan"] [Black "L'Ami, Erwin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2620"] [BlackElo "2615"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "2012.07.15"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "15"] [SourceTitle "CBM 150"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2012.09.14"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Nc4 Rc8 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nb6 Rb8 13. Bc4 Qg5 14. O-O Be7 15. Qd3 Nb4 16. Qe2 Bd8 17. Ncd5 Nxd5 18. Nxd5 O-O 19. Ra3 Qg4 20. Qd3 b5 21. axb5 axb5 22. Bxb5 Kh8 23. Ra6 Bxd5 24. Qxd5 Bb6 25. c3 Bc5 26. Qd3 f5 27. exf5 e4 28. Qc4 Qxf5 29. Kh1 Bxf2 30. Bc6 Qh5 31. h3 e3 0-1