Eric Schiller - Sicilian Wing Gambit

Eric Schiller - Sicilian Wing Gambit Sicilian Wing Gambit [Eric Schiller, 15.07.2004]

1 B20

1.e4 c5 2.b4 Diagram

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The Sicilian Wing Gambit is a futile attempt by White to grab the initiative. Such a weakening of the queenside just gives Black extra targets, and White gets nothing in return but temporary custody of d4. cxb4 3.a3 [ 3.d4 d5 4.e5 Nc6 5.a3 is another way to play the gambit. Qb6 now puts a lot of pressure on White's weaknesses. 6.Be3 ( 6.Ne2 Bf5 7.axb4 Nxb4 8.Na3 Rc8 was evalated as clearlyb better for Black in the Big Book of Busts. Buecker gives further 9.Nf4 Bxc2 10.Qg4 e6 11.Bb5+ Nc6 12.Nxd5 is cited in the Encyclopedia of Chess openings as unclear, based on Mariotti vs. Kuzmin, 1977. But ECO has never been a useful source of information on unorthodox openings, and had Buecker bothered to actually look at the position he would quickly conclude that White's p o s i t i o n i s a m e s s a f t e r t h e s i m p l e Qd8 , threatening to capture at d5 with the queen.)] This is an offer that Black can accept. 3...bxa3 But there is an alternative: [ Declining the offer at a3 is often recommended. Indeed, Black has good chances there, too. 3...d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 ( 5.Bb2 e5 6.axb4 Bxb4 7.Na3 Bxa3 8.Rxa3 Ne7 doesn't provide enough compensation for the pawn, though there is a lead in development which can be dangerous, Day vs. Livshits, 1994. Buecker gives only 8...Nc6, after which he notes that 9.f4 is possible ; 5.axb4 ?? Qe5+ and White resigned immediately in Shirazi vs. Peters, United States Championship, 1986!) 5...e5 6.axb4 Bxb4 A) 7.c3 A1) 7...Bd6 is a worthy alternative. 8.Na3 Nc6 ( 8...Bg4 9.Be2 Nc6 is recommended in "The Big Book of Busts") 9.Bc4 Qe4+ 10.Be2 Nge7 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.Ba3 0-0 13.0-0 Be6

14.Ng5 Qg6 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 seems a bit better for Black, Haub vs. Lukov, 1994.; A2) 7...Bc5 8.Qe2 has been suggested by Paul Keiser in the discussion on the Unorthodox Openings group at Yahoo. e4 ( 8...Bd6 is a computer recommendation. This of course suggests that 7... Bd6 might be a good option! 9.d4 Bg4 ! 10.Nbd2 Nd7 ) 9.d4 Be7 10.Qb5+ Qxb5 11.Bxb5+ Bd7 12.Bxd7+ Nxd7 13.Nfd2 f5 White has nothing to show for the pawn. This line was given by Keiser.; B) 7.Na3 B1) 7...Nf6 8.Nb5 0-0 9.Nc7 Qc5 10.Nxa8 e4 11.Ng1 Here ECO gives 11...Re8, but Buecker offers two a l t e r n a t i v e s . B1a) 11...e3 12.fxe3 Qxe3+ 13.Qe2 Qd4 14.c3 Bxc3 15.Ra3 Re8 and White can't afford to sacrifice the queen by c aptu ri ng on c 3 o r e8 , fo r ex ampl e 16.Rxc3 ( 16.dxc3 Rxe2+ 17.Bxe2 Qe4 18.Nf3 Qc2 19.Bd2 Qb1+ 20.Bd1 Qe4+ ; 16.Qxe8+ Nxe8 17.Rxc3 Nc6 18.Nf3 Qd8 and the knight at a8 will never escape.) 16...Bg4 17.Nc7 Rxe2+ 18.Nxe2 Qe5 19.h3 Bxe2 20.Bxe2 Ne4 . These are just a few sample lines, but I believe that the 7...Nf6 line touted by Buecker gives Black just a small example, and still prefer our 7... Bxa3 ; B1b) 11...Ng4 is Buecker's other plan. After 12.Nh3 e3 13.Be2 ! Nxf2 14.Nxf2 exf2+ 15.Kf1 Black has two pawns for the rook, and may pick up the knight at a8, but White will be able to untangle with c3 or d3, depending on B l a c k ' s m o v e s; 12.c3 B1c) 11...Re8 is better for White.; B2) 7...Bxa3 8.Bxa3 Nc6 9.c4 Qd8 10.Qb1 Nge7 11.Bd3 f5 ( We recommended 11...g6 but here Buecker claims that White has good compensation after 12.Be4 f5 Why not just castle? 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.Ra5 and here he claims e q u a l i t y f o r W h i t e . I r a t h e r d o u b t t h a t . 0-0 16.Rxe5 Qf7 and Black has an outside passed pawn and bishop against knight. The pawn at c4 is weak. Black may not have a decisive advantage, but any claim of equality for White is u n j u s t i f i e d .)] So, let's go back to the position where Black accepts the pawn offer on the 3rd move: 4.Nxa3 d6 5.Bc4 [ 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bd3 g6 gives Blac k a good Modern Defense, and the sacrifice of White's queenside pawns has not brought White anything in return.] 5...Nf6 6.Bb2 Nc6 7.Qe2 e6 8.Nf3 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nb5 Spielmann vs. Gebhardt, 1926. As Joel Benjamin and I pointed out in our 1987 book, Black can now play 10...d5 and becomes a better position with an extra pawn. After all, the basic plan for Black in the Sicilian is the ...d5 break. Later Black can expand with ...a6 and ...b5.