I like playing the closed Sicilian with 3.Bb5 so 2...a6 intrigued me. I wonder if after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.d4 is best? And is 3.f4 b5 4.Nf3 ok for white? Not that there is anything wrong with transposing to a Najdorf after black's second move, but it would be cool to understand if and why there are both good open and closed options for white here. Thanks for any ideas you guys may have.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6. Does white now have to open things up and play for d4?
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tonymura
Sep 11, 2018
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#1
Sep 11, 2018
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#2
P.S. sorry I couldn't figure out how to post the analysis board with the variations and comments on here The position on the diagram is from 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3,d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3 Nf6
2. ...a6 is somewhat fashionable recently so there have been many tries by white, one of my favourite games played in that line is
Transposing into the Najdorf might be difficult because after 3. ...e6 black can also try to get a good version of the Kan Sicilian (nothing wrong with that, but you have to be at least aware of it). White has tried many things, 3. a4, KIA delaying f4 or some sort of grand-prix like in the game above amongst others.
3. d4 is propably not very critical because black can develop freely and archieve an equalizing d5 break or even try for more.
Sep 11, 2018
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#4
ragingnoob1 what where the moves to the 88th German Championship game you just put up? (your diagram doesn't appear to be fully functional.)
My bad, I edited it. Should be working now.
Well from 1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 a6 3 d4 cd 4 Qd4 Nc6 5 Qd3 Nf6 my database has a 13-3-2 in favor of Black, with 2 wins from White coming from 6 Bf4 e5.
Sep 11, 2018
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#8
As White against 2. ... a6, I would just play it as a closed Sicilian. Pawns go to d3, e4, f4, g3; Bishops to e3 and g2, etc.
One small adjustment I might make to accommodate Black's move order would be to make sure that as soon as Black got in ... b5 and was threatening to push onward to b4, I responded with a Queen move, clearing d1 for the Knight in case White attacked it.