How do you play the sicilian
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It all start with 1...c4
Nono Orejano. c4 is a move for white, therefore being the ENGLISH opening. Sicillian starts with e4 c5. ANd a lot of variations after.
... 
(black just laughed)
well.. yeah sorry. my mistake.
I don't play it since an experienced player told me that it is not an opening for beginners, if some day I get to a 1800 rating, I'll have to give it a try.
FreeCat wrote: I don't play it since an experimented played told me that it is not an opening for beginners, if some day I get to a 1800 rating, I'll have to give it a try.
It may not be an opening for beginners, but if you play 1.e4 as white, you should try to know something about it, because it WILL be played against you.
Baseballfan wrote: FreeCat wrote: I don't play it since an experimented played told me that it is not an opening for beginners, if some day I get to a 1800 rating, I'll have to give it a try.
It may not be an opening for beginners, but if you play 1.e4 as white, you should try to know something about it, because it WILL be played against you.
Actually it is being played against me; what I meant is that I was adivsed not to play it as black. But the think is that there are so many lines wihthin the Sicilian and so many strategical ideas behind it, that you realize why it isn't a good option for beginners, not even for intermmediate players if they don't know the strategical ideas behind this opening and play it mechanichally.
FreeCat wrote: I don't play it since an experimented played told me that it is not an opening for beginners, if some day I get to a 1800 rating, I'll have to give it a try.
I agree with baseball fan. I must add that its doubtful that you'll get an 1800 rating without knowing anything about the sicilian! Many players open tournament games with 1.d4, not because they prefer closed positions, but because they know that their opponent has a better handle on this opening than them! It's certainly worth learning how to avoid savage lines like the dragon and the sveshnikov, even if you don't feel ready to learn to play them.
In terms of learning, the best approach (as with any opening) is to get a board out, rope in a friend and play a few games back to back as both colours. You'll learn more in a hour than reading about it all night long. Once you have a fell for it, and its fresh in your head, try to find out which line is most similar to the way you played it, as this line will probably suit your playing style. From there, you can find out more about why the 'correct' moves you made are a part of book, and why the bad moves you made aren't.
The main line sicilians run 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 but there are plenty of others.
Blacks 2nd move will usually be e6, Nc6 or d6. Avoiding the d6 lines is probably a good idea for someone new to the opening, but there is complexity pretty much whatever you choose.
Just to add a clue to the conversation, the sicilian is usually referred to as the most common move after 1. e4! More common than 1. ... e5!
But the think is that there are so many lines wihthin the Sicilian and so many strategical ideas behind it, that you realize why it isn't a good option for beginners, not even for intermmediate players if they don't know the strategical ideas behind this opening and play it mechanichally.
If someone plays through their opening of choice mechanically, and without some concept of the strategic ideas behind it, then they are a beginner.
grey_pieces wrote: FreeCat wrote: I don't play it since an experimented played told me that it is not an opening for beginners, if some day I get to a 1800 rating, I'll have to give it a try.
Many players open tournament games with 1.d4, not because they prefer closed positions, but because they know that their opponent has a better handle on this opening than them! It's certainly worth learning how to avoid savage lines like the dragon and the sveshnikov, even if you don't feel ready to learn to play them.
You're talking about top players, which obviously is not the case.
Jun 27, 2008
0
#13
The Sicilian is one of the more complex openings, and seldom a draw. You can try the Sicilian Najdorf, 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6, or the Dragon with 5...g6 (or ...g6 any time). You can try 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 or 2...e6 instead of 2...d6. You will have to watch for the Sicilian, Smith-Morra Gambit, 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3. The best way to learn all the openings of the Sicilian is to look at the Game Explorer. The best way to study it is to look at all the Sicilian traps (games 20 moves or less) to see what to avoid or what to try and play. Grandmasters analyze the Sicilian deep into the middlegame (beyond 20 moves) and into the endgame. I have a lot of people trying 1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 on me. Others play the Sicilian, Closed variation with 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3. A lot of Sicilian play involves castling on opposite sides, then attacking towards the enemy king. Whoever gets there first, wins. Black needs to protect his king on the kingside, but usually attack on the queenside.
For me, I don't play the Sicilian as black, it's just more than I want to invest in learning right now. As White, when facing it, I've started to adpot the Smith-Morra Gambit. I know what some people will say, but at my level, it's not a bad opening. I find that since I know more about it than most others do at my level, it's actually very effective. Is it sound at the Master level? I don't know, but I'm no where near there, so I don't really care all that much.
I used to play the sicillian but I stopped mainly due to the Moscow/Rosolimo systems with 3. Bb5
Jun 27, 2008
0
#16
elethon wrote:
I was just wondering how do you guys play the sicilian? Because I don't play it and I want to get started.
I play it quite badly...
Only the good Lord knows how to play the Sicilian, and He's probably not up on the very latest variation.
Play something else against e4. And if you're white, don't open with e4 until you're up to 1800 or so.
I love the sicilian! dont care if im black or white. i found i had to learn it well enough as white to start with, because i had it played against me so much especially in OTB tournaments its without a doubt one even a beginner should have a basic idea on how to defend. Find a book that teaches the basic concepts and all the main lines have similar idea's on that. Juts go about it differently. I found the most common sicilian was najdorf variation. U can learn it with a basic concept os tactics and strategy really. But getting good at it takes time, im still learning and i am over 1800+ at the moment. Remember where the pawns go the attack usually follows!
CJBas wrote:
Play something else against e4. And if you're white, don't open with e4 until you're up to 1800 or so.
Granted, I'm probably not the best for chess advice, but I'm not sure I agree with you on this. I'm no where near 1800, and I play 1.e4 pretty much exclusively with white. This is mostly becuase it leads to the Spanish game, which I absolutely LOVE to play. As I said, if black wants to go the Sicilian route against me, I will throw up the SMG, and I usually do just fine.
I was just wondering how do you guys play the sicilian? Because I don't play it and I want to get started.