How To Crush The Sicilian In 3 Check: 4. Qc7
I recently learned the best way to play against this line from @gavity so I thought I would give him a shout out by including some of his games.
Plans and Ideas:
- Play Nb5 to gain a tempo on Black's Queen and follow-up with Nd6+.
- After Bxd6 don't waste time recapturing on d6 but instead play Ng5 with the idea to either take on f7/e6 or reroute the Knight to e4 depending on how Black responds.
- Don't give up your 2nd Knight for a 2nd check if you help your opponent's pieces get to better squares (unless you can immediately get a third check). It's often better to get your Queen in position first. That way you will have more tactical combinations available and your opponent will have fewer defensive resources.
- Always be on the lookout for deflection tactics to get checks.
- Always focus on creating threats towards Black's King. The initiative is very important so try to avoid playing passive moves whenever possible.
