A Bust to the Sicilian Defense

ok boomer 

Please explain.

Ok Sicilian fans I have a question for you. What is the objective of the Sicilian? As best I can tell the sole purpose of the move is for black to try to trade their c pawn for white’s d pawn

avoiding my question... la la la la la

Whites rapid development will win the game. White will quickly develop both bishops and place the knight on a3, while black is still trying to free up his bishops and develop a center presence. Na3 is the decisive move in all of these 2. d5 lines. Without it black can hold, but if white plays it his development is just too rapid and there will be no safety for the black king

I answered your question just now, so please answer mine!

White's advantage is negligible.

"... White wishes to erect a pawn centre with d2-d4, supported by the pawn on c3. … If there is a weakness to [1 e4 c5 2 c3], it's that [2 c3] doesn't help White's development. Furthermore, c2-c3 also deprives White's b1-knight of its most natural square. Both [2...d5 and 2...Nf6] take advantage of this fact. …" - GM John Emms (2009)

"Objectively, the Alapin System is not that dangerous for Black. ..." - GM Mikhail Golubev (2017)

That’s why my Na3 novelty is so brilliant. 

1472

Be3 is far more dangerous.

staples13 wrote: ... 10.Nb5 Qf5 { Now white has many good options here, the simplest and most boring is to just play Bg3 where white enjoys a small advantage. } 11.Nc7+!? Kf8 12.Bg3 { White is probably going to be down a pawn in this line, but he has better development, the center will be open. Black will have the worlds stupidest rook on h8, black's king can never castle, and is exposed with an open center. Here I'd say the position is roughly equal, so I would play the immediate Bg3 where white retains the advantage. }

staples13 wrote: Thank you for demonstratin the point that I’ve been trying to make whenever we analyze these d5 lines Pfren which is that Na6! needs to be played and it needs to be played earlier than move 9. Otherwise white’s development isn’t rapid enough and black can catch up and draw. If white plays Na6 earlier his position would’ve been crushing, but since he waited he only comes out with a small advantage

IM pfren wrote: ... First of all, if white plays Na6 in any part of the opening, he will be warned by the arbiter (illegal move).

Second, Black is better after 10...Qf5 in the above game, and it seems to me that white has to play 11.Bg3, as after 11.Nc7+ Kf8 12.Bg3 I do see a stupidly placed piece: The knight at c7, while the rook at h8 is doing just great after a quick ...h5. Oh, and white is a pawn down, with no obvious way to create some play.

"Needs to be played earlier than move 9" -when? …

kindaspongey wrote (October 21, 2018): ... Are we going to see staples13 identify a specific pre-move-9 winning improvement for White?

This thread will never die.

There are several objectives for playing the Sicilian. 

Ok objective 1: trade c pawn for opponents d pawn

what are the other objectives 

Is there much point to listing the usual characteristics of a mainline Sicilian game? As GM John Emms wrote, "the c3 practitioner forces his opponent into his territory as early as move two", but why should one then conclude that White has a forced win? As part of his discussion of 2...d5, GM Emms wrote:

"... So White has an early initiative and attacking chances, but if Black can neutralize these he has good chances of success later on. There are many examples of quick wins by White, but also a number of longer games where Black finally wins that isolated pawn and makes his extra pawn count!"

And GM Vassilios Kotronias wrote:

"1.e4 c5 2.c3 … is designed to control the centre by playing d2-d4 next. … However, … [2.c3] neglects development. Also, after [2...Nf6], White is forced to abandon control of the d5-square, which is already a strategic success for the second player. …"

The objectives are : to avoid white getting a big center and remain flexible for the way to develop.

As I am repeating once again, you didn't refute this line :

@staples13 is always talking about general stuff, while not getting into the exact positions. Could he do one post where he tries to "refute " all variations ? That would be nice thks
 

2. Ultra sharp

3.counterplay

Well I’ve done what I can do. If you all won’t listen to reason and analysis then there’s nothing more I can do. 

Its just a matter of time before computers completely solve chess, and this thread will be vindicated. Thank you all. 

Can you at least post something that explains how to refute all variations?

I have. At least two dozen times, including just about every possible variation in the 2. d5 line blacks most common response. 

There is nothing more I can do. Undoubtedly countless members have switched to the Alapin after reading this thread, which is why chess.coms Alapin usage is at an all time high, but as for the rest of you holdouts  I can lead you to the water but I can not make you drink. 

You did not post one. Where did you post? Proof?