Instruction / Tournament Preparation
Sicilian Defense (B28) FM Steven C. Zierk (FIDE 2391, USA) IM Vasif Durarbayli (FIDE 2495, AZE) World Youth Chess Championships 2010, Under 18 Open (11), 10.30.2010
This was the money game from this
event where Steven won gold. His Armenian counterpart was keeping pace. An unbeliev - able point and a half ahead of the field, they were guaranteed gold and silver.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6?!
12. ... Nxe4?? the pin trick loses material 13. Bxd8 Nxc3+ 14. Kf1 Nxd1 15. Bxc7.
13. Ne3 h6 14. Bh4 Ne5 15. 0-0 Bd7 16. Bc2 Ng6 17. Bg3 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. f3 c4 20. Ne2 Nh5 21. Bf2 Bb6 22. g3 Ne5 23. Kg2 b4 24. Re1 Rc8 25. Ng1 Nf6 26. Rc1 Bc5 27. Nf1 Bxf2 28. Kxf2 Qb6+ 29. Kg2 Ra8
This is not the most reliable variation to play in an important situation. 3. c3
18. d6+ Kh8 19. Nbd5! Threatening both rooks with Bxa7 and
dxe7.
19. ... e6 20. Nf4 Qxd6 21. Bxa7 Nc6 22. Bc5 Qe5+ 23. Be3 g5 24. Nd3 Qf6 25. 0-0 f4 26. Bc5 Rc8 27. Ne4 Qg6 28. f3 Bf5 29. Qb3 Bxe4 30. fxe4 Rd8 31. Qxb7 Qxe4 32. Nf2, Black resigned.
From time to time one runs into a This is one of the ways that makes ... a7-
Black is in good shape here, but Joel went on to lose an exciting game.
Youth coaching In 1998 the USCF called and asked me
to coach the Pan American Youth Champi- onship in Florianópolis, Brazil. I figured after coaching strong players like Gata Kamsky, Benjamin, Larry Christiansen, Walter Browne, and Nick de Firmian this could be fun. It would be my first of many youth events. By then, everyone had a laptop and ChessBase. It made preparation a lot easier in some ways, but tougher in other ways. If you had games in a database or online, your opponents can cook some - thing up specially prepared for you. This is why it has become so important to
have sound openings. Sometimes stud y ing one good line versus a suspicious opening can bring great results. Here in a game from the World Youth Chess Cham pi onship, 2010 Coach Armen Ambartsoumian helps Steven Zierk to an important win. Black’s choice of the … a6 Sicilian was ridiculous and proved costly. A simple search of Vasif Durarbeyli’s games showed that he has played the Four Knights with the ... d7-d6 Sicilian. Why did he change his opening? I believe this to be a case of preparation intimidation. The guy afraid of some special preparation plays something different than he is used to—I believe this is a big “no-no.”
a6 look useless. The move ... a7-a6 is out of place in a c3 Sicilian. White gains all- important time. 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5! is what Black is hoping for with 2. ... a6; 3. c4!? This is the other alternative to 3. c3; White sets up a Maroczy Bind with a spatial advantage.
3. ... d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Nf6 6. Be3!
Forcing Black to capture on d4 will allow Nc3 gaining a huge lead in development. 6. ... cxd4 7. cxd4 g6 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Qb3
White keeps an eye on b7, ... slowing Black’s development. 9. ... Bg7 10. Ne5 0-0
10. ... e6 11. Nc4 leaves Black in a similiar situation as in the game. 11. ... Qc7 12. Nb6 Ra7 and now there is just another messed-up rook.
11. Nc4 Qc7 12. Nb6 Ra7 13. d5! Black’s forces are uncoordinated. 13. ... Bf5 14. Rc1
White has gained a lot of time chasing Black’s queen around.
14. ... Qd8 15. Be2 Ng4 16. Bxg4 Bxg4 17. Qc4! (see diagram top of next column)
17. ... f5 An ugly, forced, move, but a bishop
retreat loses material. 17. ... Bd7 18. Nxd7 wins; 17. ... Bf5 18. g4!.
variation that is tough to deal with. At this year’s World Youth, 4. Qc2 against the Nimzo Indian fit that bill. There are some decent lines for Black, but it always feels like an uphill climb. This game and the notes illustrate the problems my students and I had when facing 4. Qc2. Joanna Liu missed a nice idea freeing her position, and after that, things got tough.
Nimzo-Indian Defense, Classical Variation (E33) Anahita Zahedifar (FIDE 1763, IRI) Joanna Liu (FIDE Unrated, USA)
World Youth Championships 2012, Under 12 Girls (9), 11.16.2012
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 The Nimzo Indian has been a reliable,
solid weapon versus 1. d4 since the begin - ning of time.
4. Qc2!?
This is the move that drives Black nuts.
No doubled pawns or blocked positions occur.
4. ... Nc6 4. ... 0-0 5. Nf3 (5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3
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