The Sicilian Defense is so naturally double-edged that exchanges don’t necessarily reduce winning chances.
Larry Evans White
Oscar Panno Black
Lone Pine 1976
Sicilian Defense, Scheveningen Variation B43
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ♘xd4 a6 5 ♘c3 ♕c7 6 ♗e2 ♘f6 7 0-0 ♗b4 8 ♕d3 ♘c6 9 ♔h1 0-0 10 f4 d6 11 ♗f3 ♗d7 12 ♘b3 ♘a5
White was preparing 13 ♗d2 followed by 14 a3 ♗xc3 15 ♗xc3.
13 ♘xa5 ♗xa5
Black can slowly improve after quiet moves such as 14 ♗d2 ♗c6 15 ♖ae1 ♖ad8. He can aim for ...b5 or a break in the center, 16...d5 (17 e5? ♘e4!).
14 e5!? dxe5 15 fxe5
Usually when White plays e4-e5 in a Sicilian he is attacking. But here he is trying to swap down to a balanced endgame.
15...♕xe5 16 ♗xb7 ♗xc3! 17 ♗xa8?
But 17 ♗f4 ♗b5 18 ♕xc3? ♕xc3 (19 bxc3 ♗xf1 20 ♗xa8 ♖xa8 21 ♖xf1 ♖c8) isn’t balanced. Better is 18 ♗xe5! ♗xd3 19 ♗xc3 ♖ab8 20 cxd3 ♖xb7.
17...♗b5! 18 ♕f3
Here 18 ♕xc3 ♕xc3 19 bxc3 ♗xf1 20 ♗f3 ♗c4 is poor because of the weak c-pawns.
18...♗xf1
Now 19 ♗f4 ♕b5 or 19...♗e2! wins, as in the game.
19 bxc3? ♗e2! White resigns.
If White protects his queen and a8-bishop with 20 ♕c6, he allows 20...♗b5! or 20...♘g4! and wins.
Jaochen Kountz White
Zdenek Slapak Black
Capelle la Grande 2004
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 ♘c3 e6 4 d4 cxd4 5 ♘xd4 a6 6 ♗e2 ♘f6 7 0-0 ♗b4 8 ♕d3 0-0 9 f4 d6 10 ♔h1 ♕c7 11 ♗d2 ♘xd4 12 ♕xd4 ♗c5 13 ♕d3 ♗d7 14 ♕g3 ♗c6 15 f5! ♔h8 16 ♗d3 e5? 17 ♕h4 ♘e8? 18 ♖f3 ♕d8? 19 ♗g5! resigns.
Question 279: Why resign?