​

 

 

 

1.Chameleon Variation/Big Clamp Variation

1.e4 c5

2.d3 Nc6

3.c3 d6

4.f4

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Chameleon variation of the Sicilian Defense Opening is a slow breaking of the center and an immediate opening of the white’s kingside. Looks pretty decent opening, ain’t it?

But it is actually quite difficult to handle the opening of the white’s kingside with f4 which can be used as forward force to attack the black’s kingside. There has to be a definite idea while playing this opening and any miscalculation might create the situation quite difficult for the player.

Below is the game which showcases the risks involved:

​

​

1.e4 c5 2.d3 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Be2 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.Nd2 e6 8.a3 a5 9.d4 b6 10.Bb5 Bd7 11.dxc5 dxc5 12.Ngf3 0-0 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Nh4 Rfd8 15.0-0 Ne7 16.Bd3 Bc6 17.h3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A mistake that might prove costly for white if capitalised on.

​

Qb7? 18.Bf2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

Another chance for the move Qd7 given for black!

Rd7 19.Nhf3 Nh5 20.g3 Rad8 21.Bc2 Bh6 22.Rad1 Bg7 23.Kh2 Qc7 24.e5 Nd5 25.Ne4 Qb7 26.Rd2 Bh6 27.Nfg5 Bf8 28.c4 Ne7 29.Rxd7 Rxd7 30.g4 Nxf4 31.Qf3 h6 32.Qxf4 hxg5 33.Nxg5 Nc8 34.Bxg6 fxg6 35.Qf6 Rg7 36.Bxc5 Be7 37.Qxe6+ Kh8 38.Bxe7 Qxe7 39.Qxc8+ Rg8 40.Qxc6 Qxe5+ 41.Kg2 Qxg5 42.Qf6+

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

It' a two pawn down and lost for black.

​

2.Halasz Gambit

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.f4

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

The Halasz gambit seems like an opening which involves great risk of the pawn sacrifice in the opening with a critical move like f4 on the third move sacrificing the critical d4 pawn for the moment. But as seen in the game below black dislodges the white’s f4 pawn with the move e5. Though this position allows black to hold on to the extra pawn which might be seen in the below game.

​

​

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.f4 e5 4.Nf3 d6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.0-0 Bg4 7.Qe1 Nbd7 8.Nbd2 g6 9.Kh1 Bg7 10.Nc4 Qc7 11.Qg3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 0-0 13.Nd2 exf4 14.Qxf4 Ne5 15.Nf3 Nxf3 16.Qxf3 Nd7 17.Qf2 Nc5 18.Bg5 f5 19.exf5 Nxd3 20.cxd3 Rxf5 21.Qd2 Raf8 22.Rg1 Kh8 23.Bh6 Bxh6 24.Qxh6 Qc2 25.Qh4 Qxd3 26.Qe7 Qa6 27.Rac1 R5f7 28.Qe4 Qb6 29.b3 a6 30.h3 Rf4 31.Qe7 R8f7 32.Qe8+ Kg7 33.Kh2 Qa5 34.Rc2 Qe5 35.Re2 Qf5 36.Qd8 Rd7 37.Re7+ Rxe7 38.Qxe7+ Qf7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pulled back on the Defense!

 

39.Qxd6 Re4 40.Kh1 Qe7 41.Qd5 b5 42.Rf1 Kh6 43.Kg1 Rh4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An unprovoked move.

44.Rf3 Re4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A passer creates all the havoc it must.

45.Rf1 Qe5 46.Qd8 Rf4 47.Rxf4 Qxf4 48.g4 Qg3+ 49.Kf1 Qxh3+

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

And all pawns are lost.

3.Grand Prix Variation/ Chigorin Variation

1.e4 c5

2.Nc3 d6

3.f4

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

In the Grand Prix variation of the sicilian defense, white counters black’s safeguarding of the d4 square with a counter offensive using the kingside pawns. Usually a rigorous offense on the black’s kingside can always be encountered with fianchettoing the bishop on the g7 square which gives much hope for a solid defense on the king. Thereby since the center has not been broken yet,it is possible that white may still go on an all out attack using the f and the e pawns.

The below game demonstrates one such activity by black:

​

​

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.a4 Bg7 7.0-0 e6 8.f5 exf5 9.d3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giving away the pawn!

Nge7 10.Qe1 0-0 11.Qh4 f6 12.Bc4+ Kh8 13.Nb5 Be8 14.Bh6 Ne5 15.Rae1 g5 16.Nxg5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

A completely winning endgame!

fxg5 17.Bxg5 N5g6 18.Qh3 f4 19.g3 Bxb5 20.axb5 f3 21.c3 Qe8 22.Be6 Ne5 23.Re3 b6 24.Kh1 a6 25.bxa6 Rxa6 26.g4 b5 27.Bxe7 Qxe7 28.Bf5 h6 29.d4 cxd4 30.cxd4 Nc6 31.g5 Nxd4 32.gxh6 Be5 33.Qh5 Ra2 34.Rexf3 Nxf3 35.Rxf3 Rg8 36.Bg6 Ra1+ 37.Kg2 Qe6 38.Rg3 Bxg3 39.Bf7 Qxe4+

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

And it's lost!

4.Sicilian Tal Variation

1.e4 c5

2.Nf3 d6

3.d4 cxd4

4.Nxd4 Nf6

5.Nc3 e6

6.f4 Nc6

7.Be3 Be7

8.Qf3

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

In the Tal variation of the Sicilian Defense Opening,there is an opportunity for black to launch a counter offensive as there is a chance that both the players may castle on the opposite sides. So in such a situation “The Early Bird Catches The Worm” i.e. the person who succeeds in attacking the king first earns the path to victory. But sometimes such an attack may also fail with a player making a single bad move, such is the brutality of the game.

Below is the sample of one such brutal game:

 

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 e5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.f5 Qa5 11.Bc4 Rb8 12.Bd2 Rxb2 13.Bb3 Rxb3 14.cxb3 Qa6 15.g4 h6 16.Qg3 Bb7 17.0-0-0 c5 18.Rhe1 c4 19.Kb2 Nd7 20.b4 Qb6 21.Ka1 Qd8 22.Qe3 Nb6 23.Qg1 0-0 24.g5 Bxg5 25.Bxg5 hxg5 26.Qe3 f6 27.h4 gxh4

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Being an exchange up and an advantage!

28.Rh1 d5 29.exd5 Qd7 30.Qf3 Bc8 31.Rdf1 Qe7 32.a3 e4 33.Qf4 Rd8 34.Rfg1 Qe5 35.Qxe5 fxe5 36.f6 Kf7 37.fxg7 h3 38.Nxe4 Nxd5 39.Nd6+ Kg8 40.Nxc8 Rxc8 41.Rxh3 Kf7 42.g8Q+ Rxg8 43.Rxg8 Kxg8 44.Rh5

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Black is an exchange down and it is lost!

5.Poisoned Pawn Accepted,Sicilian Najdorf

1.e4 c5

2.Nf3 d6

3.d4 cxd4

4.Nxd4 Nf6

5.Nc3 a6

6.Bg5 e6

7.f4 Qb6

8.Qd2 Qxb2

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

In the poisoned pawn opening, if the b2 pawn sacrificed by white is accepted then there is a high risk that the black player might need to undertake as he allows the activity of the white player for the pawn. Though seems sufficiently holdable, requires a precise play by black and the player’s experience in the handling of such a position leads him to victory or defeat.

Below is the sample game:

​

​

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 h6 11.Bh4 dxe5 12.fxe5 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Ne4 Nd7 15.Rb3

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Already pawn down,now another.

Qxa2 16.Be2 Nc5

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

A move that equalizes.

17.Nc3 Nxb3 18.Nxb3 Bb4

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

A decisive mistake.

19.Bxh5 Qb2 20.0-0 Qxc3 21.Bxf7+ Ke7 22.Qf2 Kd7 23.Qb6 Rf8 24.Be1

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

And bishop is lost and hence the game.

6.McDonnell Attack/Tal Gambit

1.e4 c5

2.f4 d5

3.exd5 Nf6

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

In the Tal Gambit opening, black responds to white’s  gameplay of not responding to black’s occupation of the d4 with a counter attack on white’s occupation of the central squares. When such is  a response, it is hard to actually delay the attack after making a series of progress in the plan. But there is a need of sudden reaction from white’s side to either capture the pawn or go with the slow attack process.
Below is the game which demonstrates such an opening:

​

​

1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 Nf6 4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.Bxd7+ Qxd7 6.c4 e6 7.Qe2 Bd6 8.d3 0-0 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.Nf3 Nc6 11.0-0 Rae8 12.Nc3 e5 13.f5 Qxf5 14.Bg5 e4 15.dxe4 Nxe4 16.Rae1 Nf6 17.Qd1 Rxe1 18.Rxe1 Nd4 19.Bxf6 Nxf3+ 20.Qxf3 Qxf3 21.gxf3 Rxf6 22.Re8+ Rf8 23.Re6 Rd8 24.Kg2 Kf7 25.Re4 g6 26.b3 Bf8 27.Nd5 b5 28.Rf4+ Kg7 29.Kh3 bxc4 30.bxc4 Rb8 31.Rf6 Rb7 32.Ra6 Kf7 33.f4 Bg7 34.Kg4 Bd4 35.h4 Kg7 36.h5 Rb2

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Giving up the pawn for ambition.

37.Rxa7+ Kh6 38.hxg6 hxg6 39.Ne7 Kg7 40.Nf5+ Kf6 41.Ra6+ Kf7 42.Nd6+ Ke7 43.a4 Ra2 44.Kf3 Ke6 45.Ne4+ Ke7 46.a5 Ra4 47.Rxg6 Rxa5 48.Nd6 Bf6 49.Ke4 Ra6 50.Nb5 Kf7 51.Kf5 Rc6 52.Nc3

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

And white wins the endgame.

7.Schofman Variation/Vinken System

1.e4 c5

2.Nc3 Nc6

3.f4 g6

4.Nf3 Bg7

5.Bc4 e6

6.f5

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

In the Schofman variation, there is a premature advancement in the pawn storm to disturb the pawn coordination between the black pawns. But such advancements is not really recommended without proper attack force, though at first glance white seems to be holding to some advantage but it is not so.

The following game shows the ideas of implementation:

​

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 e6 6.f5 Nge7 7.fxe6 dxe6 8.d3 Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nc6 11.0-0 0-0 12.a4 e5 13.c3 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Rxf8+ Qxf8 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Qb3 Qf7 18.Nf4 e5 19.Qxf7+ Kxf7 20.Nd5 Rc8 21.Bg5 Ke6 22.Rc1 Ne7 23.Rxc8 Nxc8 24.Kf2 h6 25.Bd2 Ne7 26.Nxe7 Kxe7 27.Bb4+ Ke6 28.Ke2 Bf6 29.Kd1 Kd7 30.Kc2 Kc6 31.Kb3 a6 32.Bf8 h5 33.Kb4 Bd8 34.a5 Bg5 35.Kc4 Bf4 36.h3 Bd2 37.b4 Bf4 38.Be7 Bg3 39.Bg5 Be1 40.Bf6 Bg3 41.Bg5 Be1

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

And the bishop's endgame is a drawn game.