Sicilian Defence Crushed!!

The pandemic helped me reprise my love and passion for a game I used to spend hours playing as child – Chess. I never left Chess per se but the difference this time was that I embarked on an educational process too. From learning openings to mating nets, material imbalances to end game principles, the annoying traps  to finding slow improving moves, I learnt it all!

The Sicilian Defence turned out to be my least favorite to play and play against. Naturally, this hatred translated to many crushing defeats. I finally decided to change my approach to the Sicilian. Instead of learning the opening theory, I decided to rely solely on calculations. The result was this beautiful game that I am immensely proud of. The Chess.com engine gave me 2 brilliancies and 1 great move with a 93% accuracy! My opponent wasn’t the strongest this may not appeal to my stronger readers. But as a 1300 player, I am proud of what I managed here!

[Date “2022.01.11”]

[White “datasherlock”]

[Black “CharisPapadopoulos”]

[Result “1-0”]

[TimeControl “600”]

[Termination “datasherlock won by resignation”]

[StartTime “08:29:59”]

[EndDate “2022.01.11”]

[EndTime “08:45:45”]

[Link “https://www.chess.com/game/live/35628963391”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bd3 Be6 9. O-O d5? ± {MISTAKE (+1.81)} ({(0.00) The best move was} 9… O-O 10. a4 Nc6 11. Nd5 Bxd5 12. exd5 Nb4 13. Bc4 Qa5 14. Qd2 Ne4 15. Qd1) 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 = Nxe3 12. fxe3 O-O 13. Qh5 ± g6? {MISTAKE (+5.74)} ({(+2.17) The best move was} 13… h6 14. Rxf7 Rxf7 15. Qg6 Bd6 16. Qxe6 Bxe5 17. Bg6 Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Qe7 19. Bxf7+ Qxf7 20. Qc8+ Kh7 21. Kxh2 Qd7 22. Qf8 Qe6 23. Rd1 Qe5+ 24. Qf4 Qh5+ 25. Kg1 Nc6 26. Rd7 Rd8) 14. Nxg6! {Critical move.} 14… fxg6 15. Bxg6 hxg6 16. Qxg6+ Kh8 □ 17. Qh6+ Kg8 □ 18. Qxe6+ Kg7 19. Rxf8 Qxf8 20. Rf1 Bf6? {MISTAKE (+9.26)} ({(+5.75) The best move was} 20… Nc6 21. Rxf8 Rxf8 22. Nd5 Bf6 23. Nf4 Kh7 24. Qd7+ Kg8 25. Ng6 Nd8 26. h3 Rf7 27. Qe8+ Kh7 28. Nf4 Bxb2 29. Qxd8 Bf6 30. Qd5 Kg7 31. Nh5+ Kg6) 21. Ne4 {INACCURACY (+6.32)} ({(+9.26) The best move was} 21. Nd5 Qf7 22. Qg4+ Qg6 23. Qc8 Qf7 24. Rxf6 Qxf6 25. Nxf6 Kxf6 26. Qxb7 Nd7 27. Qxa8 Ke7 28. Qxa6 Nf8 29. Kf2 Ne6 30. h4 Kf6 31. b3 Ke7 32. Qd3 Kf6) 21… Nc6? {MISTAKE (+11.78)} ({(+6.32) The best move was} 21… Qf7 22. Qg4+ Qg6 23. Qxg6+ Kxg6 24. Rxf6+ Kg7 25. Rb6 Ra7 26. Nc5 Nc6 27. Kf2 Ne5 28. h3 Nc4 29. Rb4 b6 30. Rxc4 bxc5 31. Rxc5 Kh7 32. b4 Kg7 33. Ke2 Rd7) 22. Qg4+ Kh8 23. Rxf6 Qxf6 24. Nxf6 Rf8 25. Qg6 (25. Qg6 Rxf6 26. Qxf6+ Kg8 27. Kf2 a5 28. h4 Nb4 29. Qd8+ Kf7 30. Qxa5 Nc6 31. Qb5 Ke6 32. Qxb7 Nd8 33. g4 Nxb7 34. Kf3 Nd6 35. g5 Nc8 36. a4 Kd6 37. h5) 1-0