A stunning refutation to the Goletiani line in the Kan

[Hagen]

I played a game against the computer recently and I was Black. I used the opportunity to play a line mentioned in the book titled "Dangerous Weapons: The Sicilian". The variation that was offered was called the "The Koblencs Goletiani" line in the Sicilian Kan variation. According to the book this line is *not* discussed in Experts vs The Sicilian (Second Edition). The chapter showed a game that had GM Peter Svidler face this new variation. He was flummoxed and used the opportunity to just exchange off all the pieces to get a draw as White. The variation in the Sicilian Kan that this chapter talked about is one that allows Black to force a decision by White very early.

Here's the line in question: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Bd3 Bd6!? immediately aiming for White's kingside and forcing a decision on how to defend against the threat of 7...Bxh2 winning a pawn. At this point the book points out some options to think over as a standard reply. But when I played this variation as Black...the computer engine (I won't name it) in a rapid game time control of 10 minutes...came up with an incredible defence and quite possibly a stunning refutation. On the seventh move...I was shocked to face this reply - 7.Ncb5!? axb5 8.Nxb5!! and suddenly I realized the game was already over. I couldn't play Qd8 otherwise my dark squared bishop on d6 would be hanging. So I was forced to play 8...Qc6 getting out of the attack by the knight and defending the dark squared bishop on d6. But then came a real stunner. 9.Bc4!! putting it's bishop en prise and getting a double attack on the bishop on d6! I felt sick to my stomach because I realized I couldn't take the bishop with 9...Qxc4 because of the forking move 10.Nxd6+ checking the king and forking the Queen. This was a line that escaped the attention of GM Peter Svidler, a top 10 GM in the entire world of chess!

So I went 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Qxg2 11.Nxd6+ Kd8 (defending the light squared bishop on c8.) 12.Nxf7!! forking the king and rook. I resigned here.

Okay folks. Now we know why Experts vs The Sicilian Second Edition didn't show this line.

I bet you're wondering which engine came up with this shocker, eh? Let me give you a hint. It wasn't Rybka.

[Cubeman]

I just quickly checked this line and see bad moves from both sides.The move 9 Bc4 deserves a ?? and why did you not play 9..Bb4+ and then play 10..Qxc4 as d6 is still covered by the Bishop on b4.Can you tell us what engine came up with the 7.Nb5? move.

[Uly]

I bet you're wondering which engine came up with this shocker, eh? Let me give you a hint. It wasn't Rybka.

And what does Rybka say about the shocker?

[Hagen]

I just quickly checked this line and see bad moves from both sides.The move 9 Bc4 deserves a ?? and why did you not play 9..Bb4+ and then play 10..Qxc4 as d6 is still covered by the Bishop on b4.Can you tell us what engine came up with the 7.Nb5? move.

Excuse me for not seeing 9...Bc4+ I was after all playing Black and was psychologically befuddled by the computer move. It was a 10 minute game. If I had more time on the clock I might have noticed this. My bad.