Many amateur chess players are put off from playing the Open Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 followed by 3.d4) as White because of the wide range of choices at Black’s disposal and the apparently large amount of theory you need to know to support this choice. The Open Sicilian looks like a lot of study. But 2.Nf3 followed by 3.d4 is looking better than anything else against the Sicilian these days, and the anti-Sicilian side-lines (especially the Grand Prix, Smith-Morra, and Alapin) have accumulated enough theory of their own to make the effort to learn them nearly comparable to some main line repertoire choices. A number of repertoire books, including John Nunn’s three editions of Beating the Sicilian (my first influence), Nigel Davies’s interesting Taming the Sicilian, Jesus de la Villa’s mixed bag serious English system in Dismantling the Sicilian, and (the best of the lot and most current) Quality Chess’s multiple-authored Experts vs. the Sicilian make it almost seem possible to get your arms around main line Open Sicilian theory with just a little guidance [and without having to read several volumes of Khalifman's].
But is it possible to construct a low-theory, not-so-mainline Open Sicilian repertoire that is completely supported by free web sources? That’s the challenge I took on in compiling the following “Five Easy Pieces” main line Sicilian webliography. If anyone is looking for a “starter” Open Sicilian repertoire on the web, here it is. I may revise it down the road if my interest (or that of readers) merits, especially to add to the supplemental resources at the end. As always, reader suggestions are most welcome.
The lines I have chosen emphasize White’s claim on the center, typically with an early f4 advance. These are very dangerous lines, especially at the amateur level where you are likely to score many quick kills by just over-running your opponent in the center (typically with an early e5) or on the kingside (often with an f5 advance).
1) Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Variation (B71)
The Levenfish Variation has always intrigued me. White sets a huge trap for naive Dragoneers (or hasty blitz players) who continue with the natural 6…Bg7, when 7.e5! leads to some very sharp and dangerous play (that anyone who is booked enough to survive would have avoided by playing the safer 6…Nc6 in the first place!) And some Black alternatives turn out not to be completely free of danger, as the following resources suggest.
- The Openings Explained: The Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Attack [B71] by NM Abby Marshall at ChessCafe
- The Verdict by Andrew Martin at JeremySilman.com
- Blitz #165 vs daviv52 (1904) by Kingscrusher at Letsplaychess.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE3k0BrcNJw
A smashing game with an interesting idea in the Levenfish for White, meeting Flohr’s 6…Nbd7 with 7.Qe2!? trying to force through the e5 push. - Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation (B71) at Chessgames.com
Transpo Tips: Black can sidestep the Levenfish and “enter the Dragon” via an Accelerated (2…Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 g6) or Hyper-Accelerated (2…g6) move order. You can meet the Accelerated with an early f4 push in the Maroczy Bind (which is essentially a Four Pawns Attack against the KID) as described in “How to Beat a GM, Part One Torture” and “How to Beat a GM, Part Five” by IM Tim Taylor. And you can meet the Hyper-Accelerated with 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4! Nf6 5.e5! as discussed by Gary Lane in Opening Lanes #115 — meeting 3.d4 Bg7!? with 4.dxc5! Qa5+ 5.c3! as discussed by Jonathan Hilton in “How Wojo Won: The Accelerated Dragon” (which covers Nakamura – Wojtkiewicz, New York 2005, where Wojo lost; also see their game from 2004).
2) Najdorf (B93), Scheveningen (B82), and Classical (B56) with f4
Viktor Kupreichik and others have played a very straight-forward f4 system against lines where Black gets a small center (with d6 and e6). This is most clear in the Najdorf line 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 followed generally by a4, Bd3, Nf3, O-O, and possibly Qe1-g3 or -h4. This is a very straightforward line and much easier for White to play than for Black.
- Shankland Teaches the Najdorf 6.f4 at Chess.com
A preview of a Chess.com video, available to subscribers, which begins laying out the basic ideas for White and Black in the Najdorf and the ideas behind 6.f4, recommending 6…e5 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.a4 as the natural continuation. - Sicilian Najdorf, 6.f4 (B93) at Chessgames.com
- Sokolov Playing Sicilian Najdorf 6.f4 (B93)
A great selection of Andrei Sokolov’s games which offer a very good repertoire. - Victor Kupreichik playing Sicilian B56 at Chessgames
- B82: Sicilian, Scheveningen, 6.f4 at 365Chess.com
3) Sveshnikov Variation, Markovic Attack (B33)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5
This might be called the “simplified Svesh,” as White avoids the long and well-trodden paths of 7.Bg5 for the exchange line 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5, fixing the pawn center and giving the game a more strategic character. White can play this line in a few ways, but my links below focus on two: (1) the tricky and tactical 8…Nb8 9.Qf3!? meeting 9…a6 by 10.Qa3 pinning the a-pawn so that the Knight can remain on b5 and preparing a direct piece assault on the backward d-pawn by Bd2-b4, and (2) the solid 8…Nb8 9.c4 planning an eventual f4! to hault Black’s kingside ambitions before getting on with the business of a queenside attack with c5. The latter will hold up best long-term, but the former makes for some fun games and perhaps an interesting side-line.
- The Comeback of the e5 Sicilians by Stefan Bücker
This article not only covers our preferred variation but also throws in great coverage of the Lowenthal (5…a6) and Haberditz (5…Nf6 6.N1c3 h6!?) The focus is, however, on the tricky 8…Nb8 9.Qf3!? of Paragua – Poliakov, Goa India 2002 and Solleveld-Alekseev, Santo Domingo 2003. The line was discussed in SOS #1 by Jeroen Bosch. Bücker offers an important improvement on earlier analysis that might just make this line viable for human players despite what some “Centaur analysis” might suggest. In any case, it is good also to know the more positional variations discussed below. - Opening Lanes #33 by Gary Lane
Covers the tricky 9.Qf3!? line.
- Chess Knowledge Base Forum
Analysis of the tricky 8…Nb8 9.Qf3!?
- Eduard Gufeld, 1936-2002, by Jack Peters
In his obituary, Peters analyzes the game Gufeld – Ivanovich, Soci 1979.
- Kuperozov – Schipkov, Hungarian Ch 1990 by Boris Schipkov
- Eismont – Schipkov, Team Match 1982 by Boris Schipkov
- Vink – Harikrishna, Corus 2001 by Boris Schipkov
- Dvoirys – Heedt, Biel 2005
A useful GM-amateur game that shows the ideal situation for White in this line — though it involves the idea of a4-a5 instead of the c4 that I advocate.
Transpo Tips: Black can try to reach the Sveshnikov while side-stepping the 7.Nd5 line via different early-e6 move orders, but the f4 system I recommend will generally keep play in our ballpark. White also needs to be prepared for the other …e5 lines, especially the Haberditz and Lowenthal discussed by Bücker above. Strong play against the Lowenthal was demonstrated in the game Robson – Vigorito, which I have annotated.
4) Paulsen and Kan (B48)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 followed generally by Be3, Bd3, O-O and eventual f4 advance. This is much more straight-forward than the g3 “Guseinov Gambit” lines I’ve written about here previously.
- Paulsen System with Bd3 by IM Zoran Ilic
From the Archives, features White playing an early Be3 and Bd3 against Black’s e6 system. - Friedel – Zivanic, USCL San Francisco – Dallas 2009 analyzed by John Donaldson — compare also his notes at the team’s blog.
- Friedel – De Jong, Hoogeveen 2009 analyzed by Ljubomir Kavalek
- Friedel – De Jong, Hoogeveen 2009 annotated by Jack Peters
5) Pin Variation, Koch’s Refutation (B40)
The ultra-sharp Pin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4) has become popular among amateurs, but Koch’s 6.e5 looks practically like a refutation.
The ultra-sharp Pin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4) has become popular among amateurs, but Koch’s 6.e5 looks practically like a refutation.
- Old but Unknown Is As Good as New by Ignacio Marin
From the Internet Archives. You must see the game Tisdall-Lee, London 1981 to appreciate White’s attacking power here. You can see some updated information in a ChessVibes Review of Dismantling the Sicilian. - Pin by Michael Rohde
Annotates Waitzkin-Tate, Boston 1996 with notes on the main line with 6.e5. - Sicilian Defence: Pin Variation by Grakowsky at Chess.com
Good overview of Koch’s killer 6.e5!
Supplemental Material
Black has a number of sidelines that you need to know as White. I may add more material here and welcome reader recommendations.
Black has a number of sidelines that you need to know as White. I may add more material here and welcome reader recommendations.
- Kovacevic vs Pazos-Gambarrotti at Chessgames
A solid response to 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d5!? is 5. Bb5, which practically forces a favorable ending for White — as analyzed in depth by Gary Lane in Opening Lanes #124 at ChessCafe. - Tofte – Wohl, Arctic Challenge 2009 at Chessgames
This looks like a good approach to the Grivas (early Qb6), which represents essentially a transposition to the f4 lines considered above. The main line Grivas for White typically involves an ultra-aggressive g4 and O-O-O here, but I think White does better with the more circumspect O-O treatment that Tofte demonstrates. - Against the Nimzovich Variation with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6, you can play 3.e5 but it is complicated and not necessarily better for White (see, for example, Andrew Martin Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 — also here and here — and a recent Gary Lane piece that ignores Martin’s recommendations for Black). Easiest may be to head back to main lines with 3.Nc3, though you need to be prepared for 3…d5!? when White’s simplest option may be represented by Movsesian – Markos 2001.
