Friday, June 30, 2006

Sacrifice in the Sicilian


diagram

What's the best square for White's Queen?

NM Scott Massey's game with NM Peter Radomskyj, played at top board at our recent match with the West Orange Chess Club, illustrates both bad and good sacrificial ideas in the Sicilian. Massey, playing White, gives up his Bishop for two pawns with 10.Bxb5 axb5 11.Ndxb5, but it is clear that Black can refute the idea with best play. Finding best play for Black in such positions is quite a challenge, however, and Massey does his best to create problems for his opponent, until he finally manages to gain more than enough compensation for the piece. Desperate to quell the attack, Black reduces the position to an ending with equal material, but Massey demonstrates that it is still a win for White due to his better pieces and pawns. A very interesting game in its opening, middlegame, and ending!

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