Sicilian, Wing Gambit

    It was exactly 2two years ago that I took a look at the Wing Gambit against the Sicilian Defense and in that post it was concluded that it was worth a try. See the post HERE

    The Remote Chess Academy has a great video by GM Igor Smirnov on it HERE that’s worth checking out. He describes it as being tricky and having a lot of deadly traps for white, adding that in almost all the lines white has quick development and an early, powerful attack against the black’s King. Even somebody of mediocre talent and no book knowledge of the opening can play it like I did in the following game. 

 

[Event "Chess Hotel blitz game"] [Site "?"] [Date "2024.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Tartajubow"] [Black "Anonymous"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B20"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2024.??.??"] {B20: Sicilian Defense, Wing Gambit} 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. Bc4 {The standard book line is 3.a3 although 3.Nf3 has been tried. Engines evaluate them as leading to fairly equal positions. The text looks reasonable, but the engines frown on it giving black slightly over a one Pawn advantage. 3.d4 has also been played, but it, like the text is not is not quite satisfactory.} d6 { Of course this is not bad, but it's too routine.} (3... Nf6 {This already presents a problem for white...what to do about the e-Pawn? White would like to play d2-d4, but that's out if he defends the P with 3.d3 and 3.e5 is not entirely satisfactory.} 4. e5 d5 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Be2 {Bach,M (2303)-Ochsner,B (2165) Copenhagen DEN 2010. Now after 6...Ne4 black stands slightly better.}) 4. c3 bxc3 5. Nxc3 a6 6. Qb3 {This looked like a reasonable try to me. Black has to defend f7 and it hinders the development of his B on c8, or so I thought. 6.d4 is a better move though.} e6 $17 7. Nf3 Nc6 {This highlights the flaw in my 6th move...the threat of ...Na5 is unpleasant.} 8. Be2 {Black is better.} Nf6 9. d4 Bd7 {Routine development, but it's too passive. Best is 8... d5 when white has a choice of several moves, but black keeps a slight advantage in any case. Still, the text baits a noce trap!} 10. Bg5 (10. Qxb7 Rb8 11. Qxa6 Nb4 {followed by the fork ...Nc2+}) (10. d5 {This equalizes.} Na5 (10... exd5 11. exd5 Na5 12. Qb4 {is also equal.}) 11. Qb4 Be7 12. O-O Rc8) 10... Be7 11. O-O h6 12. Bf4 b5 {Somewhat better would have been 12...Na5 and 13...Rc8} 13. a3 {Missing the chance to equalize.} (13. e5 dxe5 14. dxe5 Nd5 15. Nxd5 exd5 16. Qxd5 Nb4 17. Qd2 {with equal chances.}) 13... O-O 14. Rfc1 { 13.e5 was still a good option.} Rc8 15. Qd1 {I was thinking about doubling Rs on the c-file and did not want the Q cut off after 15.Rc2. Pretty vague reasoning!} Na5 16. h3 {The was no real reason for this, but I had to make a move...it actually is OK according to the engine!} Bc6 17. Nd2 (17. d5 { turns out to be no better than the passive text.} exd5 18. exd5 Bb7 19. Bd2 { This miserable retreta is the best white has.} (19. Rc2 {doesn't wotk now. After} Rxc3 20. Rxc3 Nxd5 {black's advantage is decisive.}) 19... Nc4 {Black is clearly better.}) 17... Qb6 {Pointless, but also rather harmless. 17...d5 was a good alternative.} 18. Be3 Qd8 {White has gained a move, but the position still favors black by about a P.} 19. Bd3 Nh7 {This is too passive. 19...Qd7 would have stymied by Q-side counterplay.} 20. a4 {All early dreams of a K-side attack are gone and any advance in the center is not feasible so white has only this option, but it's good enough because now black's has no more than a slight advantage.} b4 {[%mdl 2048]} 21. Na2 b3 {This and my next move have no logical explanation! Black shoulf have played 21...d5} 22. Nc3 { [%mdl 8192] Of course taking the P fully equalizes. Instead I made a gross oversight.} b2 $18 {...and wins. But as a famous baseball player (Yogi Berra) once said, it ain't over 'til it's over. That's especially true in a Blitz game.} 23. Bxa6 Ra8 24. Bd3 Bg5 {Not bad...the fork is not going to disappear.} 25. f4 Be7 26. Qc2 bxc1=Q+ 27. Rxc1 Rc8 28. d5 {Of course he cannot play 28... exd5 because of the hidden attack on the N after 29.exd5} Ba8 29. e5 {[With time getting short this was simply an attempt to complicate. In reality black has a decisive advantage.} g6 30. dxe6 Qe8 {Black used precious seconds here trying to figure out all the cao\ptures. Actually, he could have played 30... fxe6 or 30...dxe5 (actually the best) and he would still have stood better.} 31. exf7+ Qxf7 32. Bxg6 Qg7 33. Be4 Rxc3 {[%mdl 8192] An hallucination?! Now it's white who is winning. Not only does white get the exchange the N on a5 is left hanging.} (33... Bxe4 34. Ndxe4 dxe5 {and being a R up he has an easy win. }) 34. Qxc3 Bxe4 35. Nxe4 d5 {Marginally better would have been 35...dxe5} ( 35... Nb7 36. Qb3+ {Picks up the N}) 36. Qxa5 dxe4 37. Qd5+ Qf7 38. Qxe4 { Materially white has 4Ps vs a N, and he also has a significant time advantage. In any case, the game is a technical win for white. In practice, assuming time was not a factor, things might not be easy!} Qb3 39. a5 Qa3 40. Rc7 Qxa5 (40... Rf7 41. Bb6 Nf8 42. Qc4 {with an easy win.}) 41. Qg6+ Kh8 42. Rxe7 {Black resigned.} 1-0