Some thoughts (in addition to those I posted in Eimaj's version):

In the pre-game, you correctly state that 1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5! is well worth looking at for black. This is the Tal Gambit and is the reason very few GMs essay 2.f4, preferring 2.Nc3 if they want a Grand Prix.

On move 3 ...d6 is fine. The idea is to dominate the central dark-squares in conjunction with Bg7 and later Nd4. However, with white's Bb5, this is more difficult to achieve. An idea which I prefer is 3...e6 and a quick d5. This also gives the option of Nge7, which gets out of the way of white's e5 ideas and lends support to your c6-knight if white goes Bb5, as in the game. I think this plan of ...e6 ....d5 is good against most Closed Sicilians. You can even play 2...e6 against 2.Nc3.

I wasn't sure about your move ...a6. Why not play Bd7 and then if he takes you get ...Bxc6 when it's on a nice diagonal and not trapped behind your pawns like in the game.

Later on, you correctly spotted that your bishops wouldn't be too happy if the position closed. You allowed this to happen, however. I think the reason for this was that you played ...f5 to stop white from going f5. Whilst this is often a good plan for white in the Grand Prix, I think it's better to find your own counterplay becasue there's no good way that I know of to stop this idea except for going ...e6, which is a bit inconsistent with your 3...d6.
After the position closes (f5 and d5 from black against white's e5), I think white is clearly much better.

At 25:30, your Bf8 makes sense- defending the c5-pawn but how is black going to get his g8-knight and h8-rook into the game? I wonder if Ne7 is better, with the idea of giving up the c5-pawn, castling and getting those 2 into play, at the cost of a pawn.

At 30- a5 (trying to get the c8-bishop out) is an interesting idea, but looks too slow. You need that knight and h8-rook into the game. I would suggest Nd8 instead which is more consistent with your earlier play. At 31 you swap bishops, which brings his knight to c5 where it dominates your c8-bishop and makes ...a5 look a bit silly.
The consistent follow-up (after the bishop swap) with ...Rxb2 allows white the open file- maybe what you did (...Nd8) was best. Still, ...Rxb2 needs serious consideration.

I liked your Bd7 move! I like the follow-up Ke7- it allows your h8-rook into the game and prepares ...Nb7.

At 40:45, you NEED to look at ...c5. You had already spotted this idea earlier! Maybe it works tactically, maybe not but it's possible that this turns a loss into a win. You instantly swapped B for N and it's possible that this is the best move as you B was crap and ...c5 may not work, but you missed a chance to really stir things up.

At the end, it was a shame you fell for the fork. Although I think white is objectively lost for black, I'm sure at our level there are many ways for white to go wrong.

Thought I'd post here a copy of my responses to Sarciness from my video of the game:



Thanks thechesser/wuzhe for a hard fought game, gl in the rest of the tournament =)