3 interesting OTB Sicilians

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 {this game has a different move order but actually reaches the same position as the second game by move 11} e6 7. Be3 b5 8. a3 {rather slow, black can play natural developing moves} Qc7 9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O {this setup with f3 and Be3 usually unleashes the English attack with white 0-0-0 and launching g4 and h4 - strangely enough white decided to go kingside} Nbd7 {gives a lot of flexibility to the knight} 11. Nb3
{not necessary} Rc8 12. Rc1 Be7 13. Kh1 O-O 14. Qd2 Rfd8 15. a4 b4 16. Na2 d5 {always tricky to figure out if d5 in the Sicilian is correct; as a rule of thumb, if it is, black has equalised} 17. Nxb4 Bxb4 18. Qxb4 dxe4 19. fxe4 Bxe4 20. Bxa6
{a small trap - this lets me split open the kingside} Bxg2+ 21. Kxg2 Qc6+ 22. Kg1 Qxa6 23. Nc5 Nxc5 24. Bxc5 Rd5 25. Bf2 h5 {played with double intentions - threatening to attack the pinned bishop after Rg5 and Bg3 and at the same time giving the King air so my other rook can join in} 26. b3 Rg5+ 27. Bg3 Rg4 28. Qe7 Qb6+ 29. Kg2 Qe3 {not exact enough - I missed that white's queen now can come back to defend} 30. Qb7 Rc3 {threatening Rxg3 with mate to follow} 31. Qf3 Qd4 32. Qa8+ {leaving the defending area again - dangerous} Kh7 33. Qa5 Qd2+
34. Kh1 h4 35. Rfd1 Qe3 36. Qe5 Qf3+ 37. Kg1 hxg3 {setting up a killing discovered double-check} 38. Rd2 gxh2+ 39. Kxh2 Rh4+ {Qh3 is mate in 1 but I saw the mate in two first and went for it - no direct time pressure} 40. Kg1 Rh1#
0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. Be3 b5
8. a3 Bb7 9. f3 Qc7 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Qe1 {a slightly more dangerous approach than in the previous game} d5 {I think black is equal again} 12. Qf2 Bd6
13. g3 dxe4 14. fxe4 Ne5 15. Rad1 Qe7 16. Nb3 Neg4 17. Bxg4 Nxg4 18. Qe2 Nxe3 {obtaining bishop pair against 2 knights} 19. Qxe3 O-O 20. h4 Rac8
21. Kh2 {a silly mistake} Qxh4+ {Rxc3 is even stronger, I hadn't seen it in this situation} 22. Kg2 Qe7 23. Rf2 Rxc3 24. bxc3 Bxa3 25. Rfd2 f5 26. Rd7 Bxe4+
27. Kf2 {Qxe4 doesn't work} Qf6 28. Ra1 Bb2 29. Rxa6 Bxc3 30. Raa7 f4 {going headfirst into a typical Sicilian two-side attack} 31. Rxg7+ Kh8 32. Qxe4 fxg3+
33. Kxg3 {here I was under some time pressure - I saw a winning move but thought there was mate and went for it...} Be5+ {NO... Qf2 check and taking rook on g7 wins. I was mad at myself because I had seen it and didn't play it}
34. Kg4 h5+ 35. Kxh5 {and no more checks - that's what I missed} Qxg7
36. Rxg7 Bxg7 {and resigned soon after} 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 {a different variation - one that obligates to play e6, a move I will play anyway} e6 7. f4 Qc7
8. Qf3 b5 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. O-O-O b4 11. Nce2 {Nd5 seemed an option} Nbd7
12. Kb1 Be7 13. f5 {not very dangerous atm - white should probably have been trying to push g and h pawns} e5 14. Nb3 Rc8 15. Bd2 a5 16. Ng3 a4 17. Nc1 d5 {again} 18. Rhe1 d4 {black has massive queenside control} 19. Nce2 O-O
20. Rc1 Qb6 21. Nh5 Rc3 {offering the exchange - bxc3 will be mated, of course, but I believe taking the rook isn't good anyway} 22. Nxf6+ Nxf6 23. Bxc3 bxc3
24. b3 Qb4 {too hasty - I thought I could put pressure on white and win, Ra8 was much better, then white has no time to organize defense} 25. Ka1 Ra8
26. Rb1 axb3 27. Rxb3 {not 27. cxb3?? Rxa2+ 28. Kxa2 Qa3#!} Qa4 28. Nc1 Ba3 29. Kb1 {unfortunately the defense fits exactly - I missed this move several moves earlier} Bc6 30. Qe2 Bxc1 31. Kxc1 Qxa2 32. Rb1 {a blunder - but I missed the beautiful winning move} Ba4 {now Qa3 followed by Qb2 wins the b1 rook or mates!} 33. Qd1 {under severe timepressure on both sides my opponent blunders away the game} Qa3+ {and mates. My opponent resigned}