[Event "Openings: Sicilian Taimanov"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/sH3d049K/FloGZ45t"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/mysterious_expert"]
[ECO "B48"]
[Opening "Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack"]
[UTCDate "2018.02.01"]
[UTCTime "00:07:11"]
[Variant "Standard"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 { This is the Taimanov Sicilian! It can change in some other lines as well. Interesting fact: this is the safest sicilian! } 5. Nc3 Qc7 { Now there is an exciting/sharp line. } ( 5... Nf6 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bf4 { All attacking! [%cal Rf4d6,Bb5d6,Yd1d6] } 7... e5 { Black closes the diagonal to keep his pawn safe. [%cal Rg3d6] } 8. Bg5 a6 9. Na3 { This now turns into a different variation which we will be studying. } 9... b5 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Nd5 { Not letting the b4 take a knight. We will take more looks at this when we are in it's chapter, the name is Sveshnikov Variation. } ) ( 5... a6 { Let's look at a different line instead of Be3. } 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. O-O Nf6 9. Re1 { The advantage white has is king safety and the little advantage black has is more center pawns. [%csl Re8,Rg1,Yd5,Yc6,Ye6,Ye4] } 9... Be7 { Black is trying to get his king to safety. [%cal Be8g8] } 10. e5 Nd7 $7 11. Qg4 { It seems that white has put his bishops and queen in attack so Black has to play accurate here. } 11... g6 { The bishop is blocked [%csl Gg6][%cal Gd3g6] } 12. Bh6 { White has spotted blacks weakness- the dark squares. Now he has to keep everything closed in the center and try to manage to get his king to safety or exchange some activated pieces like the bishop or the queen. [%cal Yh6f8] } 12... Rb8 13. Qh3 { The threat here is Bg7 and take the h7 pawn when the rook is forced to move. The rook is also trapped not to mention. [%csl Bh7][%cal Rh6g7,Bh3h7] } 13... Bf8 { and now White has to either exchange, keep it there or let the bishop on g7. Black is okay here and you don't have to worry. } ) ( 5... d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. f3 ( 7. Be2 Be7 8. O-O { This time instead of violent f3 we pick Be2- a much safer line. Our idea is to push f4 and start our attack without a lot of violence. } 8... O-O { [%cal Rf2f4,Re2f3,Rf1f3,Rf3g3,Rg2g4,Rf4f5,Rc3d5] } 9. f4 e5 { This move lets the f5 square open for the knight and d5 but it gives black some counterplay. [%csl Bd5,Bf5] } 10. Nb3 ( 10. Nf5 Bxf5 11. exf5 exf4 12. Rxf4 d5 $15 ) 10... exf4 11. Bxf4 { This was one of the advantages from e5, getting the e5 square for the knight. The d6 pawn is not a weakness and cannot be attacked because Ne5 will block the bishop. } 11... Be6 12. Kh1 { [%cal Yb6g1] } 12... d5 13. e5 Nd7 { Now black offers a trade of pawns but white cannot decline it since the e5 pawn cannot be helped. Soon that will probably exchange a few pieces and be drawish but remember the draw is not a draw until you sign the scoresheet so you always have chances. } 14. Nxd5 ) 7... Be7 8. Qd2 O-O 9. O-O-O a6 10. g4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. g5 Nd7 { Here it is all about the race. } 13. h4 ) 6. Be3 ( 6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8. Bb6 { This attacks the c7 square and black can do nothing but take. [%csl Rc7] } 8... axb5 9. Nxb5 Bb4+ 10. c3 { Just ignores the check! } 10... Ba5 { Now it is Nc7 or down a piece for nothing. } 11. Nc7+ Qxc7 12. Bxc7 Bxc7 { And it's three pieces for a queen. I think this position is unclear though I would rather play with three pieces, just my opinion. I think you can play alone with this. If you are with white, try to avoid some tactics because remember black has 4 minor pieces. With black also be aware of the queen and the rooks, they also can do some damage. } ) 6... a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. O-O-O Bb4 9. f3 Ne5 10. Nb3 d5 { Rushing in the center without even castling!! } ( 10... b5 { If you don't want as much tension. } ) *