1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 The Sicilian: Closed, ECO B23. I'm not a Sicilian player, but I do know a little about it. Many players choose the closed system to avoid the razor sharp lines that are characteristic of Sicilian games. 3... g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. O-O e6 7. d3 Nge7 8. Qe1

8... O-O It's tempting to go after the bishop on c4, but the time spent may prove to be costly. For example: 8... Na5 9. Bb5+ 0.31/9 9... Bd7 2 10. e5! 0.69/8 10... d5 0.66/7(10... dxe5 57 11. fxe5 The hole on f6 along with the open f-file spell trouble for black. 0.72/7) 11. Bxd7+ 0.59/7 11... Qxd7 2 12. Nxd5 0.97/9 9. Bb3 Na5 10. Be3 b6 11. Bf2 Bb7 12. Bh4 Nxb3 13. axb3 Qd7 14. Qg3 f5 15. Rae1 Nc6 16. exf5 gxf5 17. Re2 Rae8 18. Rfe1 Kh8! Preparing for an assault on the g-file. The open g-file, doubled b-pawns, and dangerous bishop on b7, outweigh white's pressure on e6. Black has the advantage. 19. Qh3 Nd4 20. Nxd4 Bxd4+ 21. Kh1 Rg8 22. Nd1 White must quickly extricate the bishop from its strong post on d4. 22... Rg6 23. c3 Bg7 24. Ne3 Rf8 25. Bg5 h6 26. Bh4 b5

27. Nf1?! White needs to seek active play elsewhere. Black has completely stifled his play on the e-file. Perhaps white could try: 27. Ra1 -0.44/9 27... a6 28. Nc2 -0.44/9 28... Rg8 29. b4 although black retains a big plus. -0.69/10 27... b4 28. cxb4 cxb4 29. Ne3 Rg8 30. Bg3 Bd4 31. Nc4 R8g7 32. Qh5 Kh7 33. Ne3 Qb5 34. Rd2 a6 35. Qh3 h5! According to Fritz, black should play: 35... Bxe3 -0.94/12 36. Rxe3 4 36... Qd5 -0.94/9 37. Re1 6 37... Qxb3 -1.03/12 38. Qh4 5 38... Qd5 But what do computers know!? -0.97/10 36. Ree2 h4 Daring white to open the h-file! 37. Be1 Bxe3 38. Qxe3 Qc6 39. Qh3 Qc1 40. Qxh4+ Rh6 41. Rc2 Qd1 42. Rcd2 Qb1 43. Qf2 Rxg2 Pow! White's jumbled pieces and decimated pawn structure will be no match for the black queen and rook. 44. Qxg2 Bxg2+ 45. Kxg2 Qa2 46. Rc2 Rg6+ 47. Bg3 Qxb3 48. Red2 a5 49. Kf2 a4 50. Rc6 a3 51. bxa3 bxa3 52. Ke2 e5 53. fxe5 f4 It's curtains. One possibilty is: 54. Bxf4 Rg2+ -4.31/9 55. Ke3 Rxd2 -4.94/8 56. Kxd2 a2 -4.94/8 0-1 [Muhammad S.]