Sicilian 4 knights counter attack!

If you're looking for a totally unsound, but nice surprise weapon in blitz that is sure to bag some unsuspecting victims, try this. After I. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4?!. The idea is that the pin threatens to win the pawn on e4. After 6. e5 Nd5, White is facing a tough question about how to handle the knight on c3.

I have had a few very nice miniatures using this "system." It’s an interesting idea, because if White responds to the nonsense attack, he falls into the quicksand. For instance, if Bd2, then Qa5, and Black can look forward to a crushing attack provided White doesn't find the refutation over the board in a blitz game.

The key to survival for White is the move Qg4—threatening Qxg7.  Returning to the diagram position, White must play 7.Qg4 Immediately. And if Qa5 now, then Qxg7 is crushing for White.

This seems counterintuitive, since Black has so much fire power on c3 that it’s unlikely a White player will simply ignore it and continue with a king side attack.  If White is to win here, that is the only path to victory because slowing down to respond to the threats related to the pin simply takes too long and Black's “unsound” attack all of a sudden becomes very real.

In the diagram position, Black must play Rf8.  Best play follows as 9.Ndb5 Ne7 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. Bd2

Here, White is clearly winning.  Black cannot give up control of d6.  For instance, if Black plays Bxc3, then White has Bxc3, pushing the queen to a4, and Nd6+ simply wins.

However, if Black does not play Rf8 in the diagrammed position, then disaster follows.  If 8…Bx3 9. bxc3 Qxc3+ 10.Ke2 (and here Black must play d6 to prevent the coming storm, otherwise) Qxa1?? when White has a mate in ten.  11. Qxh8 + Ke7 12. Bg5 f6 13. Qg7 Ke8 14. exf6 Nc3 15. Kf3 Qd1 16. Be2 Qxe2 17 Nxe2 Kd8 18. Bf4 e5 19. Bxe5#

If 10…Qxd4 then 11. Qxh8+ Ke7 12. Bh6 Qg4 13. f3 and black must sac the queen to avoid mate.

I have pages and pages of material beginning with the first diagram—if anyone has any analysis questions, please leave them in the comments and I will respond. The basic idea is if you’re a gambler, you might get a nice quick win from a 1500 player using this idea for Black—if White doesn’t play Qg4, it’s possible to have a nice miniature.