MICHIGAN CHESS ASSOCIATION
Analysis by Jeff Ashton
    In case you don't know who I am, my name is Jeff Ashton and I'm from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since I just finished up high school I will have more time to spend on chess. I plan on posting a lot of games and other stuff this summer.
    I just got back from the Chicago Open.  The Chicago Open was especially strong this year.  With only 3 points out of 7, I played up 6 out of 7 games, and played one unrated.  This tournament was so strong that in round 3, GMs were playing other GMs.  You don't go to many tournaments where Serper is playing up in round 3!
    In round 3 of the Chicago Open I was paired against FIDE Master William Morrison who plays for the UMBC chess team.  I have played him twice before, and had ½ out of 2. In both games he played very solid positional openings and ground me down slowly.  In the game that I held the draw, I was much worse and probably losing.  In that game he played 1.e5 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ against me.  I didn't want to face that opening again so I played 2..e6!  One of the great things about 2..e6 is that there are no decent anti-Sicilians against it, such as the annoying Bb5 systems.  In my 3rd game against Morrison, I got the sharp unbalanced position I was looking for in a Sicilian. 
Morrison,W
(2400)
—
 Ashton,J
(2230)
(3) 
B43/01 (3ed)
Sicilian: Paulsen
  
1999  
USA Chicago, IL (Chicago Open)
Annotations by Jeff Ashton
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 b5 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nb3 Qc7
    This line is becoming popular for Black.  I have a database of games up to 1998 with only 17 games in this position.  Now this Qc7-Qb6 maneuver is a main line.  The idea is to misplace White's knight to b3.  Also, it avoids the annoying 8.a4 b4 9.a5 Qc7 10.Na4 tactic for White.  On c7 the queen puts pressure on White's kingside, the c-file, and controls the critical e5 square.
8.Be3 Bb7 9.f4 Nf6 10.0-0
    10.e5? Bxg2 11.Rg1 Nxd5[-/+].
10...d6
    I couldn't play 10..b4 and take the e-pawn because of tactical reasons; 10...b4? 11.Na4 Bxe4 12.Bxe4 Nxe4 13.Qd4!
11.a3 Nbd7
    Clearly the best square for the knight.  On d7 it can maneuver to b6 then c4.  If White plays f5 at some point, Black can close the center with e5, then play Nb6 and d5.  It also leaves the diagnol for the b7 bishop open.  Sometimes it is correct to move the knight to c5 to put more pressure on the center.  If White takes the knight on c5, Black will have a huge amount of space on the queenside.
12.Kh1 Be7 13.Qe1 e5!
    A thematic move in this type of position.  It also has the tactical idea of meeting Qg3 with Nh5, then taking on f4 to win the bishop pair.
14.Rd1
    Correctly maintaining the tension and helping to control the d5 square.  If White closed the center with f5, he will stand worst soon after ...Nb6 and an eventual ...d5.
14...Rc8!
    No need to rush into castling.
15.fxe5 dxe5
    A tough choice.  Probably the right one.  Normally in this type of pawn structure Black would take back with the knight.  Black would have good dark-square control, and active pieces at the cost of the isolated d-pawn, though White's isolated e-pawn is just as weak.  White however has the nice d4 square for his knight, where it can later move to f5.  The main drawback of 15...dxe5 is White will have more attacking chances on the kingside than usual.  If Black can defend, then taking with the d-pawn is correct.  By taking back with the d-pawn, Black has the long term advantage of having the better pawn structure.  Also the dark-square bishop is more active. 
16.Qg3 0-0 17.Nd5?!
    Trying to open up lines for his bishops to attack on the kingside.
17...Nxd5 18.exd5
    If 18.Bh6, we'd transpose into exchange sac lines which can occur later in the game; 18.Bh6 g6 19.Bxf8 Nxf8 20.exd5 Bxd5 21.Bxg6? (21.Bxb5? Bxg2+) 21...Bxg2+.  I will include notes about the exchange sac on move 19.
18...g6! 19.Bh6 Bxd5!
    A very strong exchange sac. For the exchange, Black has a pawn, a huge center, and very active pieces.  Also all of White's kingside play has come to an end.  Black must still play precisely since there are a lot of tactics in the position.  Black stands better if White accepts the exchange, though if he does not, White is down a pawn for nothing.
20.Bf5?
    White should just take the exchange, even though he will stand worst: 20.Bxf8 
A) 20...Bxf8 21.Bf5 Nb6 (21...Bc6? 22.Na5!) 
B) 20...Nxf8! The most precise way to recapture.
20...Bc6 21.Na5?
    Again, Bxf8 should be played.  Now Black is winning.
21...Rfd8 22.Bh3
    White miscalculates.
22...Qxa5 23.Qb3?
Probably White's original intention was the spectacular 23.Rxf7 move.  Unfortunately it loses to the following variation: 23.Rxf7 Nf6! (23...Kxf7?? 24.Qb3+ Ke8 25.Bxd7+ Bxd7 26.Qg8+) 24.Rg7+ Kh8[-+].
23...Nf6[-+]
    White is completely losing.  His best is to take on c8, and play down material, though his position is dead lost.
24.Be6?
    White is just playing for tricks now. 
24...Rxd1 25.Bxf7+ Kh8 26.Rxd1 Rd8 (...), 0-1.
    And Black went on to win.
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