1. e2e4  1... c7c5  2. g1f3  2... e7e6  3. d2d4  3... c5d4  4. f3d4  4... g8f6  5. b1c3  5... b8c6 This variation of the Sicilian is very topical lately. As I understand it, Black's idea in the move order with 2...e6 is to avoid the Rossolimo Variation and other options for White and to transpose to the Sveshnikov Defense. But not everything is rosy: White, who has been stripped of his right to play the Rossolimo, can now choose to capture the knight on c6. 6. d4c6  6... b7c6  7. e4e5  7... f6d5  8. c3e4  8... d8c7  9. f2f4  9... c7b6  10. c2c4  10... f8b4  11. e1e2  11... f7f5  12. e4f2 12.exf6 is equally played here, and it's not clear which move is better. 12... c8a6  13. e2f3  13... d5e7  14. c1e3  14... b4c5  15. e3c5  15... b6c5  16. d1d6  16... c5b6  17. b2b3  17... c6c5 There are still hundreds of games played in this position. 18. f3g3 Played after a long thought. Maybe Kosteniuk was out of book at this point. 18... g7g5 [%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Interesting;persistent;true] An interesting pawn sacrifice. 19. f4g5  19... h7h6 Is this a kind of deferred Benko Gambit $2 If this is so, it's a much-improved version for Black, as the files are opening close to White's king. 20. f2d3  20... a8c8  21. d6b6  21... a7b6  22. g5h6  22... a6b7  23. d3f4  23... e7c6 Black has very good compensation for the pawn. 24. a1e1  24... h8h6  25. h2h4  25... c8a8 [%c_effect a8;square;a8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] I like this move, forcing White to advance the a-pawn, making the queenside structure worse. 26. a2a4  26... e8e7  27. h1h3  27... a8g8  28. g3f2  28... g8g4  29. g2g3  29... c6d4  30. e1e3  30... d7d6 [%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 31. e5d6  31... e7d6  32. f1g2  32... e6e5 [%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The game was very well played up to this point. The natural result is a draw, but now Kosteniuk makes a mistake. 33. f4d3 [%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] 33... e5e4 [%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Shuvalova misses the chance to achieve a winning position. 34. d3f4  34... h6h8  35. h4h5  35... h8h6 It's very hard for both sides to improve the position, and they will keep maneuvering the pieces back and forth until Kosteniuk makes a winning attempt. 36. g2f1  36... b7c6  37. f1e2  37... g4g7  38. e2d1  38... c6e8  39. f4d5  39... d6e5  40. e3e1  40... e8f7  41. d5c3  41... f7e6  42. h3h4  42... e5f6  43. h4f4  43... f6e5  44. f4h4  44... e6d7 [%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 45. g3g4  45... d7c6 [%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the idea. 46. g4f5  46... d4f5  47. h4e4  47... c6e4  48. e1e4  48... e5d6 