| |
Main
Date: 04 Apr 2007 13:22:51
From: cman
Subject: Sicilian Dragon: Nunn's Opening Ref: Analysis
|
Dear Friends,
I am using John Nunn's openings guide to study openings, and my choice
is the Sicilian Dragon. I am unable to see the logic in a particular
variation suggested (this is on page 219 for those who have the
text).
The list of opening moves is as follows: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
The suggested variation is the first on the table on p. 219: It is as
follows: 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qe2 a6
9. Bxd7 Nbxd7 10. 0-0-0 Rc8 11. f4 Rxc3!? 13 bxc3 Qc7 13 Rhe1 h6 14
Rhe1 0-0
I am unclear about the 13th move and onwards. After 13...Qc7, Black
attacks the c3 pawn, White does not protect the pawn in the above
line, and Black, instead of capturing the pawn, plays h6. What is the
reasoning to avoid defending the c3 pawn (for White) and capturing the
c3 pawn (for Black)?
Good luck,
Mr. Balu
|
|
| |
Date: 09 Apr 2007 23:25:03
From:
Subject: Re: Sicilian Dragon: Nunn's Opening Ref: Analysis
|
On Apr 4, 5:02 pm, Ron <[email protected] > wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
>
> "cman" <[email protected]> wrote:
[...]
>
> So what if black grabs the pawn? Is this a strong move? Well, after 13.
> ... Qxc3 (*typo corrected*) 14.Nb3 (stopping Qa1+) 0-0 15. e5 we reach a pretty critical
> position.
[...]
>
> -Ron
13...Qxc3 14.Qd3 looks good too.
|
| |
Date: 07 Apr 2007 08:33:56
From: cman
Subject: Re: Sicilian Dragon: Nunn's Opening Ref: Analysis
|
Does this newsgroup have an IRC chat forum?
On Apr 5, 11:09 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected] > wrote:
> On Apr 4, 4:22 pm, "cman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Dear Friends,
>
> > I am using John Nunn's openings guide to study openings, and my choice
> > is the Sicilian Dragon. I am unable to see the logic in a particular
> > variation suggested (this is on page 219 for those who have the
> > text).
>
> > The list of opening moves is as follows: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4
> > 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
>
> > The suggested variation is the first on the table on p. 219: It is as
> > follows: 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qe2 a6
> > 9. Bxd7 Nbxd7 10. 0-0-0 Rc8 11. f4 Rxc3!? 13 bxc3 Qc7 13 Rhe1 h6 14
> > Rhe1 0-0
>
> > I am unclear about the 13th move and onwards. After 13...Qc7, Black
> > attacks the c3 pawn, White does not protect the pawn in the above
> > line, and Black, instead of capturing the pawn, plays h6. What is the
> > reasoning to avoid defending the c3 pawn (for White) and capturing the
> > c3 pawn (for Black)?
>
> > Good luck,
> > Mr. Balu
>
> Ask 'help bot' a.k.a. Greg Kennedy, USCF 22something rated player. He
> is the resident opening expert.
>
> :)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
|
| |
Date: 05 Apr 2007 11:09:05
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Sicilian Dragon: Nunn's Opening Ref: Analysis
|
On Apr 4, 4:22 pm, "cman" <[email protected] > wrote:
> Dear Friends,
>
> I am using John Nunn's openings guide to study openings, and my choice
> is the Sicilian Dragon. I am unable to see the logic in a particular
> variation suggested (this is on page 219 for those who have the
> text).
>
> The list of opening moves is as follows: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4
> 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
>
> The suggested variation is the first on the table on p. 219: It is as
> follows: 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qe2 a6
> 9. Bxd7 Nbxd7 10. 0-0-0 Rc8 11. f4 Rxc3!? 13 bxc3 Qc7 13 Rhe1 h6 14
> Rhe1 0-0
>
> I am unclear about the 13th move and onwards. After 13...Qc7, Black
> attacks the c3 pawn, White does not protect the pawn in the above
> line, and Black, instead of capturing the pawn, plays h6. What is the
> reasoning to avoid defending the c3 pawn (for White) and capturing the
> c3 pawn (for Black)?
>
> Good luck,
> Mr. Balu
Ask 'help bot' a.k.a. Greg Kennedy, USCF 22something rated player. He
is the resident opening expert.
:)
|
| |
Date: 04 Apr 2007 22:02:53
From: Ron
Subject: Re: Sicilian Dragon: Nunn's Opening Ref: Analysis
|
In article <[email protected] >,
"cman" <[email protected] > wrote:
> The list of opening moves is as follows: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4
> 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
>
> The suggested variation is the first on the table on p. 219: It is as
> follows: 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qe2 a6
> 9. Bxd7 Nbxd7 10. 0-0-0 Rc8 11. f4 Rxc3!? 13 bxc3 Qc7 13 Rhe1 h6 14
> Rhe1 0-0
>
> I am unclear about the 13th move and onwards. After 13...Qc7, Black
> attacks the c3 pawn, White does not protect the pawn in the above
> line, and Black, instead of capturing the pawn, plays h6. What is the
> reasoning to avoid defending the c3 pawn (for White) and capturing the
> c3 pawn (for Black)?
I'm assuming you meant 14.Bh4 for white in the above line. If you meant
something else, please correct me.
My initial reaction is that, as a matter of principle, black is very
undeveloped, and that pawn grabbing is a violation of general
principles. Secondly, note that while it looks like while white can
defend the pawn, at least in the short term (13. Rd3 0-0 14.Kb1 Rc8)
black has a lot of pieces which can attack that square: the Nf6 can
eventually go to d5 or e4, the Bg7 exerts latent pressure along the
diagonal, the queen, the rook, heck, even the d7-N can go to c5 and then
a4.
Meanwhile white's dark-squared bishop is badly placed to defend the
pawn, and linning up rooks on the third rank makes them, potentially,
clumsy defenders if black shifts targets.
So, basically, black can win the pawn later, if he wants, so white
shouldn't tie himself up in knots to prevent it.
So what if black grabs the pawn? Is this a strong move? Well, after 13.
... Qb3 14.Nb3 (stopping Qa1+) 0-0 15. e5 we reach a pretty critical
position. Honestly, this sort of highly tactical position with
unbalanced material is very hard to evaluate. White's kind is slightly
exposed, but he has a strong control of the center and, of course, an
extra exchange. I tinkered around playing this position against my
computer and did pretty well as white - it's hard for black to avoid
some key exchanges, and the white rooks come alive - but my opinion
shouldn't be regarded as definitive.
Nevertheless, it may make some sense for black to delay this capture
until he has stronger followup moves. In the dragon, it's rarely wise to
grab material if it costs you the initiative.
-Ron
|
|
