The Sveshnikov is a common guest at play at all levels. There was a time in the 1980s and early 1990s when it was almost considered refuted, but advocates of the Black side have successfully made it playable again at the highest levels. In general, Sveshnikov positions leave White with control of the d5-square, while Black will have a weak d-pawn on the half-open d-file. In exchange for this positional compromise, Black often gets dynamic piece play in the middle game.
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Our starting position typically arises after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5. We will now look for a solid system for White that promises a consistent positional edge and tactical chances on the kingside.
6.Nb3? is a poor move that hands Black the initiative following 6…Bb4. Then the e4-pawn would hang and Black could also play the freeing …d7-d5 pawn advance after 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 and Black is already better. We want to keep Black’s dark-squared bishop busy with defensive tasks.
6.Nb5 is clearly the best move even though White will end up having to move this knight again in the near future. White now threatens the knight check on d6, when Black would have to give up his dark squared bishop for the knight with …Bxd6. Note that 6.Nf5 allows Black to fight back in the center with the tactical trick 6…d5!? Then 7.exd5 Bxf5 8.dxc6 bxc6 9.Qf3 leads to an unclear position following 9…Qd7 (and not 9…Qc8? 10.Ba6 with an edge for White.)
6…d6 allows Black to gain control of the d6- square and thus prevents the knight check on d6. If 6…h6 instead, White obtains a slightly better ending following 7.Nd6+ Bxd6 8.Qxd6 Qe7 9.Qxe7+ Kxe7.
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Often you will need to use many pieces together to overwhelm and outnumber your opponent’s defense in a certain part of the board.
7.Bg5 pins the f6-knight and is the most popular move. One of the ideas of this move is to remove a defender of the critical d5-square. White has at least two good alternatives: a) 7.Nd5 forces Black to take the knight with 7…Nxd5. Then 8.exd5 Ne7 9.c4 or 8…Nb8 9.c4 leads to complicated play. White will try to make his queenside pawn majority count, while Black will typically seek counter play on the kingside; b) 7.a4 is played to hold back Black’s b-pawn, as Black usually follows …a7-a6 with a quick …b7-b5. This allows White to maintain control over the c4-square. A possible continuation is 7…a6 8.Na3 Be6 9.Bg5 Be7.
7…a6 is Black’s only reasonable move as White was ready to move the c3-knight to d5 and then invade c7 next.
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Never underestimate your opponent’s moves.
8.Na3 retreats the attacked knight to the only safe square. Note that 8.Bxf6 gxf6 is a good alternative, but would delay the inevitable for a move.
8…b5 gains space on the queenside and tries to disturb White’s knights again. If 8…Be6, then 9.Nc4 Rc8 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Ne3 Bh6 or 10…Qxf6 11.Nb6 Rb8 are other popular lines that promise White a small edge.
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White again doesn’t have many good choices.
You did not pay attention to Black’s last move, 8…b5. You overlooked that Black could now fork your two knights with 9…b4 and win a piece. Now look again.
9.Nd5!? is a fine move that leads to similar positions than our line, but gives Black more options after 9…Be7. He could then recapture on f6 with a bishop. If White chose to win the bishop pair instead with 10.Nxe7, Black has done ok with 10…Qxe7.
9.Bxf6 removes Black’s best defender of the d5- square. This capture is almost mandatory in this line, but may be done at move 8, 9 or 10. If White delays the capture and plays 9.Nd5 now, Black has more options after 9…Be7. He could then recapture on f6 with a bishop. If White chose to win the bishop pair instead with 10.Nxe7, Black has done ok with 10…Qxe7.
9…gxf6 looks ugly, but is actually Black’s better and more dynamic capture. Black will later get rid of the doubled f-pawns by playing …f6-f5. The alternative 9…Qxf6 10.Nd5 Qd8 11.c3 is better for White.
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Black’s position doesn’t look attractive, but is very tenacious.
10.Nd5 gets this knight to the ideal outpost on d5. This is White’s only good move to avoid Black’s threat of forking your two knights with …b5-b4 next.
10…Bg7 looks like a poor place for this bishop, but on e7 is would be in the way of other pieces and is just as passive. Since Black plans to castle kingside soon, the g7-bishop will be an important defender of the monarch. The bishop will also be a little more active when Black plays …f6-f5 later. Note that 10…Bh6? runs into 11.Qh5, while the immediate 10…f5 leads to another branch of the Sveshnikov following 11.Bd3 Be6 12.Qh5 Bg7 13.0-0 f4.
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Now that the position has taken on distinct contours, it is time to shape a plan.
11.c3 is a good move that controls the center square d4 and also allows your pieces to use the c2-square. White has a popular alternative in 11.Bd3, when Black should seek the exchange of the strong d5-knight with 11…Ne7. Then 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.c3 f5 gives White a small edge. Note that 11.c4 can be met with 11…f5! 12.cxb5 Nd4 13.Bd3 Be6 and Black got dynamic counter play in Anand-Leko (1997).
Black quickly aims to undouble his f-pawns with 11…f5 before White makes this more difficult by playing a move such as 12.Bd3 or 12.Qh5 next. If 11…Ne7 instead, White should continue with 12.Nc2 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 and follow in the spirit of this line.
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The battle in the center intensifies.
12.Bd3 is an interesting way to avoid mainline play. Following 12…Ne7 13.Nxe7 Qxe7 14.Nc2 or 12…Be6 13.Qh5 chances would be even. Good, now look for a different way to avoid losing the e4- pawn.
12.Qc2? moves the queen in the way of your stranded a3-knight. After 12…Be6, you wouldn’t be able to take the f5-pawn without losing the knight on d5.
12.exf5 is best as White has no good way to protect the e4-pawn or sacrifice it. Both 12.Bd3 and 12.Nc2 are playable, but would not promise White more than equal chances against best play by Black. Black should meet 12.Bd3 with …Ne7 13.Nxe7 Qxe7 14.Nc2 and 12.Nc2 with …fxe4 13.a4 Rb8 14.axb5 axb5.
12…Bxf5 is the natural recapture and gets Black’s last minor piece into play. Black is now slightly ahead in piece development, which is his compensation for the weak d6-pawn and giving White the d5-square.
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Now that White no longer has a pawn protecting the d5-square, he will need to arrange his pieces in a manner that will allow him to keep occupying that square.
13.Nc2 gets this knight back into the game and is White’s most promising line of play. Note that 13.Bd3 Be6 14.Be4 Ra7 15.Qd3 h6 is unclear, while 13.Qf3 Be6 14.Bd3 0-0 is fine for Black. White can also proceed with 13.g3 0-0 14.Bg2 Be6 15.0-0 Rc8. This line is fine for White, although it delays the activation of the a3-knight.
13…0-0 completes development. Next Black will try to improve his piece coordination and increase his pawn presence in the center. If 13…Ne7, 14.Nce3 Be6 15.Be2 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 is a typical line for this opening where White has a small edge. Note that 13…Be6 may transpose, though Kasparov tried a different path with White against Leko (2000) with 14.a4. Then 14…0-0 15.axb5 axb5 16.Rxa8 Qxa8 17.Nce3 Qb7 18.g4!? Ne7 led to a complicated position with roughly even chances.
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White will usually try to attack Black’s weak pawn on d6 in the late middle game or in the ending. A strong player doesn’t get impatient and attacks each permanent weakness right away.
14.Ne3 improves the position of this active knight with gain of time. From e3, this knight reinforces the position of his comrade on d5 and may participate in action on the kingside later.
14…Be6 is considered most reliable for Black, although 14…Bg6 15.h4 h6 16.g4 or 15…Be4 16.h5 Qg5 17.Rh3 (Timman- Leko, 1998) also lead to sharp and complex positions. Note that 14…Be4 15.Bd3 is fine for White as Black would have to exchange his light-squared bishop next.
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Opening theory changes quickly nowadays due to the help of computer databases and extensive opening analysis. Sometimes lines fall out of fashion and reappear years later, but it is also possible that certain systems get refuted and disappear altogether.
15.b3? does not accomplish anything positive and loses valuable time. Now try to improve the position of a minor piece instead.
15.Bd3 gets the light-squared bishop into play and on the nice d3-h7 diagonal leading to Black’s monarch. White’s best alternative appears to be 15.g3, when 15…Rb8 16.Bg2 f5 17.0-0 or 17.Qh5 promise White chances for an edge. The more aggressive 15.g4 is also playable, though Black seems to equalize with 15…Ne7 16.Bg2 Rc8 17.Qd3 Nxd5.
15…f5 is Black’s typical attempt to generate counter play in the center and on the kingside. Note that this pawn closes the d3-h7 diagonal. Black now has better pawn presence in the center and may threaten to advance with either …e5-e4 and …f5-f4 at the right time.
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The time of intense maneuvering and fighting for control of key squares has begun.
16.Qh5 places the queen on an aggressive post from which is tries to pressure Black’s pawns on f5 and h7. Due to the threat against h7, Black cannot safely advance the f5-pawn. White has promising alternatives in 16.Bc2, when 16…Bh6 17.0-0 Ra7 18.f4 gave White a quick victory in Topalov-Illescas (1995). Also castling kingside with 16.0-0 is playable. Black has then tried 16…Rb8, 16…Ne7 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Bc2 and 16…Ra7 17.Qh5 Raf7. All of these moves need further investigation before one can decide which one may be best.
After 16.Qh5, Black typically replies with 16…e4. Then 17.Bc2 Ne7 18.Rd1 was played in Kudrin-Kindermann (1984), when White achieved an advantage following 18…Ng6 19.f4!? exf3 20.gxf3. The game Adams- Beliavsky (1992) instead featured 18.Bb3 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 a5 20.Nf4, while 18.Nf4 Bf7 19.Bb3 Qd7 20.0-0 Be5 21.Bxf7+ was played in Almasi- Kramnik (1998). If Black tried 16…Qd7 instead, White may get an edge with 17.g4 e4 18.Bc2 Rae8 19.Nf4. In general, White has the slightly better chances in these middle games and also doesn’t mind playing most endgames due to Black’s inferior pawn structure.
We have gained a little insight into the many secrets of the Sveshnikov. White will, in general, try to exchange Black’s active pieces and try to limit Black’s piece activity. He has the better pawn structure and has two good pawn levers in a2-a4 on the queenside and f2-f4 on the kingside. Black on the other hand will try to gain control of d5 sooner or later and may also play …b5-b4 at the right time to open the long h8-a1 diagonal. These positions are not easy to play well for either side, and quick mating attacks are not frequent.
It is not uncommon that both sides battle with almost all their pieces for a long time. Black will usually try to avoid endgames, although some endgames with Black’s dark-squared bishop against White’s light- squared bishop have a drawish tendency. White has many good alternatives along the way, especially at moves 7, 9 and 11. If you want to play the Open Sicilian, you will need to know at least the basics of the Sveshnikov.
