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The Modern Sicilian Surprise - 5...h5!? in the 2…Nc6-Sicilian
1.e4c52.Nf3Nc63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3h56.Bf4To my mind the most critical move, and after this White has an advantage but not a large one.d6
7.Nxc6The computer offers7.Bb5Bd78.Nxc6bxc69.Ba4 which I am not sure would appeal to many humans, for instance aftere510.Bg5Be711.Bb3this seems like a position that most Rauzer players would appreciate as Black.Black of course threatens to win a piece, e.g.7.Bc4??Nxd48.Qxd4e5-+7...bxc68.e5For people who have had time to prepare against 5...h5 and want a safe if small edge, this seems the most likely continuation.8.Bc4is perhaps most strongly met by the unusual idea Qa59.0-0
9...g5!?(the last move was very normal, but this one isn't!)10.Bd2Bg7when Black's kingside formation 'makes sense' and there are even possibilities to continue in more original vein with ...Qe5 and ...Ng4.8...dxe5Black's best bet is going for the endgame.8...Ng4?!9.exd6e510.Bd2Qxd6
11.Bd3±was unpleasant for Black in Kadric,D-Ivanisevic,I Gorazde 20239.Qxd8+Kxd810.Bxe5Nd7!N10...Ng4seems more active, but after11.Rd1+Bd711...Ke812.Nb5±12.Bg3h413.Bf4 Black faces concrete problems on the light squares which cannot be solved so easily, e.g.e513...f614.Be2and Black no longer has time for ...e513...h314.gxh3Nf615.Ba6±is inconvenient for the a8-rook14.Be2
14...f515.Bxg4fxg416.Bxe5Rh517.Bd6Bxd618.Rxd6±Kollen,Z-Zwirs,N Netherlands 201811.0-0-0f612.Bf412.Bd4simply leaves White fewer options as aftere5there is only13.Be3available and not Bd2.12...e5
13.Bd2An interesting decision point.After the apparently more logical13.Be3Kc714.f4Black has a semi-forcing line available which seems to equalise:Bd614...h4threatens a more impactful version of ... Bd6 but sadly it will never come to fruition.15.Ne4!exf416.Bxf4+Ne517.Be215.g3exf416.Bxf4Bxf4+17.gxf4Nb618.Bd3
18...Bg4 Connecting rooks. With Black's queenside pawns being no less split than White's, and the development situation being level, the only way White can try for a continuing edge is to exploit the g-file. However19.Rdg1can be met by the enterprising offer of two pawns for an exchange:19.Rde1Rhe8=19...g520.fxg5Bf321.gxf6Bxh122.Rxh1Raf823.Ne4Nd524.Rf1Rhg8=, and after checking that the f-pawn poses no particular danger we can award Black full equality. Ideas from here include ...Rg4-f4.13...Kc714.f4 This still needs to be played, and now we see the point that Black no longer has ...Bd6 available.exf415.Bxf4+Ne516.Be2Be6
Probably White has a small advantage due to better pawn structure, but a tough game remains.