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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6!?

The so-called Nimzowitsch Variation.  I believe that the average player has only the vaguest notion of what to do with White.

3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 Nxc3!

Black can get involved in the complications after 4...e6 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qxd5 Qb6:

And it must be said that this is very attractive.  Ten years ago I would have had no hesitation in recommending this very sharp line, but even a brief search through my database has convinced me that the pawn sacrifice is unsound and that anyone with the same information is quickly going to come to this conclusion.

Hence 4...Nxc3, a solid move, much less commonly played and as we will see, dangerous.

Black's plans include expanding naturally with ...d7-d5 or targeting the e5 pawn.

5.dxc3

5.bxc3?! lacks punch and Black can effect his freeing pawn advance e.g. 5...d5!

Now Black has good position in all lines, e.g. 6.exd6 ( 6.Bb5+ Nc6 7.h3 Bf5=; 6.d4 Nc6 7.Bd3 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 e6!=) 6...e6 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bxd6=

5...Nc6 6.Bf4

There are quite a few tries for White in this early position.  In each you'll see Black trying to break the shackles by fianchettoing his Queen's Bishop and endeavouring to break in the centre with ...d7-d5.  With care, Black should be able to attain a decent position: 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bf4 Qc7 8.Qe2 ( 8.0-0 b6 9.Re1 h6 we will see that ...h7-h6 is a rather common defensive move, keeping a White knight out of g5. 10.Nd2 So the Knight aims for d6 via e4.  Black contests this plan immediately. 10...d5 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.Bb5 0-0 14.Nc4 Qc7 15.Qd6 Qxd6 16.Nxd6 given as a slight edge to White in most textbooks, but I don't think Black has much to worry about: 16...Bd7 17.Rad1 a6 18.Bd3 Ne7!=) 8...b6 9.0-0-0 a6 10.Kb1 b5 11.Bd3 Rb8÷; 6.Bd3 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.Bf4 e6 9.Qe2 d5 10.exd6 Bxd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.Bb5 0-0=

6...Qc7!?

'Beating the Sicilian 4 ' does not mention this move, which is of course a jolly good reason for playing it.  NCO ignores the variation with 6 Bf4 altogether.  I proceeded to the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, Volume B, which is the ultimate authority as far as I am concerned.  One reference, again from an old game of Murey.

So the likelihood is that if you venture 6...Qc7 in a competitive game, your opponent will be completely on his or her own!  Murey dabbled with 6...h6!? a few times.  While I don't totally believe it an unclear position results.  One such example: 7.Qe2 Qc7 8.0-0-0 b6 9.Qe3 e6 10.Nd2 Ne7 11.Nc4 Nf5 12.Qh3 Bb7÷ Van Der Wiel-Murey Moscow 1982.

7.Qd2

Play now proceeds along standard lines.  White relies on rapid development and pressure on the d file. Black tries to play around the advanced e pawn.  Shtyrenkov's approach is notable and independent because he does not play ..b7-b6.

7...e6 8.0-0-0 h6 9.Qe3 Ne7

A novelty!  Previously seen was 9...a6 10.h4 b5 11.Nd2 Bb7 12.Qg3 Na5 13.Bd3 0-0-0 14.Ne4 c4 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.exd6 Qb8 17.Be2 Rhg8 18.h5 g5 19.hxg6 Rxg6 20.Qe3 Bxg2 21.Rxh6 Rxh6 22.Bxh6 Bd5 23.Qc5+ Nc6 24.Be3± Miroshnichenko,E-Drogun,A/Alushta 1999, where, as you have seen, White developed and kept an advantage.

10.Nd2 Nd5! 11.Qf3 Nxf4 12.Qxf4 d5! =

Black has a very acceptable game now with two Bishops and a good pawn centre. If he can activate his Bishop on c8,then he may stand clearly better. There is POTENTIAL to develop the advantage.

13.c4 Be7 14.Nf3?!

I don't like this too much. I think White should just accept that he hasn't won the battle of the opening and play something like 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Bb5+ Bd7 16.Bxd7+ Qxd7 17.Nf3 0-0 18.Rhe1

Which is roughly equal.

14...d4! 15.h4 Bd7 16.Bd3 f5!?

Not content with 16...Bc6 17.Be4=, Shtyrenkov starts to play very sharply. For the second time in this game, White makes a poor judgement call.

17.Qg3

17.g4 has to be right: 17...g6 18.Rhg1 Qb6! Accurate defence I think. 19.gxf5 exf5 20.Rg3 0-0-0 21.Rdg1 Rdg8÷

Take your pick.  White has active pieces.  Black has two Bishops and the better pawn structure.

17...0-0 18.Qg6÷

Not so bad in itself, but watch what happens!

18...Qc6 19.Ng5??

After 19.Kb1 a6 a Black attack is imminent but it avoids the catastrophe of the game!

19...Bxg5+  0-1

White has trapped his own Queen!  e.g. 20 hxg5 Be8-+
 

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