Alternative to the Sicilian Defense

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Hanzes

So I've been playing the Sicilian Defense against e4 for a long time. It's a pretty sharp line in my opinion. I'm a very agressive player, but the Sicilian Defense has it's flaws. Sometimes I win, somtimes I lose. I need a good alternative to Sicilian Defense.

Any ideas?!Tongue Out

blueemu

What sort of alternative are you looking for? One that offers winning chances at the cost of losing chances, or a "safe" alternative that gives you little chance of winning, but lower chance of losing?

I used to play nothing but the Sicilian against 1.e4, but later started playing King's side fianchetto defenses (the Pirc, the Modern, the Rat) just for variety and to make my opening play less perdictable. I scored about as well with those defenses as with the Sicilian.

What do you play against 1. d4?

Hanzes

For 1. d4 I play Grunfeld Defense or Berlin Defense. I want an opening that gives me a chance at winning, with chances at the cost of losing.

blueemu

The Pirc/Modern/Rat family worked for me. It helps if you already play either the KID or KIA, of course.

qiusi

e5

toiyabe

The Sicilian has no flaws!  

samtoyousir

The French and Caro-Kan are evil in my opion, I can't play them to save my life. But when I'm white and someone plays it, I'm ready to resign instantly. Play the French dude.

TheGreatOogieBoogie

Mine are 1...b6 and 1...e5. 

"The French and Caro-Kan are evil in my opion, I can't play them to save my life. But when I'm white and someone plays it, I'm ready to resign instantly. Play the French dude."

They're just as good as the Sicilian from a purely objective standpoint, but like someone once said just because an opening is playable doesn't mean it's playable for you.  Kasparov was told by an early coach to give up 1...c6 because it didn't fit his playing style. 

"and sicilian has some flaws"

If I had a nickel for every time the weak b6 square caused me problems or white could have played Nxb5 with a winning position in the Najdorf.  It has its flaws yes, but study them to minimize how they can be used against you.  In a certain Najdorf line white can play Qf3, which is meant to restrict the activity of black's lightsquared bishop as e5 if ...b6?? hits the knight with the pawn and rook with the queen.  This is one of the lines I'm thinking of:

gundamv

French defense.  Game is surprisingly tactical after ...c5.

Swindlers_List

1..e5!

Hanzes

Thanks everyone! You were a big help!

ThrillerFan
Rutherfordium wrote:

For 1. d4 I play Grunfeld Defense or Berlin Defense. I want an opening that gives me a chance at winning, with chances at the cost of losing.

I can promise you that you DO NOT play the Berlin Defense against 1.d4.  The Berlin Defense is a defense to 1.e4 (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6), which White can play the main line, 4.O-O, steer it more towards a Closed Ruy Lopez, 4.d3, or directly transpose to the Spanish Four Knights (4.Nc3)

dtrossen

I play the Sicilian Taimanov and the French, which pair nicely.

Or_theBashaKiller

what variation do you play of the sicilian/open sicilian ?

BigTy

Going by your rating on this website I would reccomend playing 1...e5 for a while.