The Sicilian Checkhover 8. ...e5?

Hi, I'm Paladin and today I am going to present the Sicilian Checkhover with 8. e5?.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4!? [The Sicilian Checkhover, White immediately centralizes his Queen] ...Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 [Giving up the bishop pair to keep the Queen in a commanding post in the centre] ...Bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 e5? [This seemingly good move threatens the Queen. However, this is bad as 8. ... e5? weakens the d5 and d6 squares and offer white's knights outposts on f5 and d5] 9. Qd3 Be7 10. 0-0-0! [Not 10. 0-0?! or 10. Bxf6?! when white does not have pressure on the d-file. Now, white has pressure on the d6 point] ...0-0 11. Bxf6! [The best move. Black must lose a pawn or face an attack along the g-file.] ...Bxf6 12. Qxd6 [White is now a solid pawn ahead and Black's counterplay is insufficient]

If 11. ... gxf6? then black faces a dangerous attack down the g-file.

11. ...gxf6? [Black had to content himself with 11. .. Bxf6 even if it loses a pawn. Now, white uses the g-file and the f5 square to launch an attack on the Black king] 12. Nh4! [Aiming for the f5 post and clearing the 3rd rank for the Queen] ...Bd7 13. g4! [Opening the g-file. If 13. ... Bxg4? apparently winning the pawn and threatening the rook, then 14. Rhg1 f5 15. Rxg4 fxg4 16. Nf5 with a good position for white. White will win back the pawn and the exposed king offers compensation for the exchange.] ...Rc8 14. Nf5 [And black is paralyzed on the kingside]

===========================Resources====================================

A very good article by MikeRossel on Chess.com, http://www.chess.com/article/view/the-sicilian-checkhover-variation-a-diamond-in-the-rough2

A video on why 8. ...e5? is bad, http://www.openingmaster.com/component/option,com_seyret/Itemid,141/task,videodirectlink/id,44/

I welcome your comment and thank you for reading! :)

Hi guys, anything to say?