@ AdorableMogwai
But what happens when your opponent plays the mainline? Trying to mix the Yugoslav and the Classical variation is not a good idea. Do you have a line prepared against the Levenfish? Do you have something prepared in the line 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5?
@ AdorableMogwai
But what happens when your opponent plays the mainline? Trying to mix the Yugoslav and the Classical variation is not a good idea. Do you have a line prepared against the Levenfish? Do you have something prepared in the line 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5?
Knowing theory is even that much more important in the dragon. Many players stop playing the dragon because of the yugoslav attack which is why I never dare to try it from the black side unless I knew what I was doing. You also need to be prepared against all the anti sicilians for white. C3, closed sicilian. Openings like the french are much easier to play as beginners in my opinion. Sicilian can get super complicated, but it does make for exciting games.
@ AdorableMogwai
But what happens when your opponent plays the mainline? Trying to mix the Yugoslav and the Classical variation is not a good idea. Do you have a line prepared against the Levenfish? Do you have something prepared in the line 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5?
I do have a line prepared for that fish, with a razor sharp hook on the end. I pull that Levenfish out of the water and fry it up for dinner with...wait for it.... 6. Nbd7! As for the Yugoslav attack with 9. 0-0-0, I do have some familiarity with it as 9. 0-0-0 seems to be the most intuitive and commonly played move by white on their ninth turn in the Yugoslav, at least it's the one I see by white most often.
I'm not an expert on the Sicilian Dragon yet, but because I'm persisting in playing this opening (despite all the naysayers talking about the supposed strength of the Yugoslav attack) I hope to one day become an expert on it. We all know you have to persevere to master chess, but you also have to persevere to master a particular chess opening. I've read a lot of discouraging things about the Sicilian Dragon, on these forums, and from a quote by Bobby Fischer himself, who said "all you have to do is open the H-file and sac, sac mate", or something. But I ignore all this because it's not true. After all, Magnus Carlsen plays the Dragon, don't you think if Fischer was alive today that Carlsen could beat him using it?
Sicilian is a nice opening, but you have to deal with Anti-Sicilians, closed sicilian setup and with White's attack on the King's side ! If you can deal with them and you like attacking, It is probable the best opening for you !!!
thank you for all your opinions guys but personally i agree with adorable, even if sicilian is a complex theorotical opening it still can be played, with practice we can do anything
Frankly I have no clue if the Sicilian works for beginners. It depends on the beginner I guess. I also know of someone who started early on vs 1. e4 with the Dragon, and shortly (okay, a few years) after attained FM. Although that I guess would be another exceptional case.
My belief is that everything is playable for a beginner. Openings don't really matter until much, much later. But in terms of chess development, a varied diet is necessary. From personal experience, I'd say a mix of stuff like the QGD/Italian/Ruy Lopez and Sicilian/Scotch are required for wholistic development. I never really played or understood the latter two, and as of now still freak out at the sight of open centres and violent mutual attacks.
@AdorableMogwai
You certainly have the right attitude and you pick a sound and challanging opening. My only advice is to remain critical of your own games. If you lose everytime you opponent remains in theory for 14 moves take note. Stick with the Dragon, you will never need to replace it if you don't mind doing the work.
The problem with beginers playing the Sicilian is "that kid" that plays 20 moves of theory in the Najdorf but can't handle an unsound sacrifice, a blunder that deviates for theory or the positions at the end of his lines. Plus everyone secretly or openly hates "that kid" for making them learn so much opening theory. The smart ones start plying stuff like the London System and watch him squirm when the opening does not dictate the plan the players must follow.
Its the psychology of sacrifices , all fall into it. But to be honest i have seen a gm beat an im in the dragon, where the best the gm objectivly had was draw. Many pieces were already of the Board.
I mean if Even the im had trouble with the opening, you are probably 1000 points underrated if u understand the opening.
man seriously i wish 1 person were serious on chess.com
pinoy what does that have to do with the sicilian defense?? is your family associated with the mafia??
did you kiss corleones ring?
the funny thing is even if it were true, the guy probably wont use his real pic and now someone whos picture he has stolen from somewere on the net will get shamed lol
Most beginners don't even know how to play openings anyway. Even some 1400s can't play openings worth crap. So it all depends on what level you hope to reach.
@AdorableMogwai
You certainly have the right attitude and you pick a sound and challanging opening. My only advice is to remain critical of your own games. If you lose everytime you opponent remains in theory for 14 moves take note. Stick with the Dragon, you will never need to replace it if you don't mind doing the work.
The problem with beginers playing the Sicilian is "that kid" that plays 20 moves of theory in the Najdorf but can't handle an unsound sacrifice, a blunder that deviates for theory or the positions at the end of his lines. Plus everyone secretly or openly hates "that kid" for making them learn so much opening theory. The smart ones start plying stuff like the London System and watch him squirm when the opening does not dictate the plan the players must follow.
I don't know if "that kid" exists. I mean really, you think there's someone who knows the Najdorf 20 moves deep who aside from that is a bad chess player? I would think the opposite, if someone is serious enough about chess to learn the Najdorf 20 moves deep then they're undoubtedly spending a lot of time on other areas of chess in addition to the opening, like tactics, endgame, etc. I'd assume they'd be more able to handle random positions.
It's possible "that kid" can recite the moves from a single line like a mantra but knows not of which he speaks. It's not that hard to memorise, even a non-chesser could do the same...
Though more likely it's just that they devote most chess study time to solely openings. Which is not a good study plan.
The Alapin perhaps there is less theory there. Although yes even the beginner need to know or experience a little bit of other openings like the sicilian before figuring out his opening repertoire.
Beginners can use any opening they like, it won't make much difference as the game will probably be decided by a blunder somewhere along the line. I'm not sure at what level/rating blunders stop being a factor, but I'm pretty sure it's well past the beginner stage.
Instead of trying to learn the humongous amount of theory for whatever opening, beginners should focus on tactics imo. And use whatever opening they think has a cool name...
It's possible "that kid" can recite the moves from a single line like a mantra but knows not of which he speaks. It's not that hard to memorise, even a non-chesser could do the same...
Though more likely it's just that they devote most chess study time to solely openings. Which is not a good study plan.
It is hard to memorize when you consider all the different branches leading up to 20 moves. I bet there's noone on chess.com who knows the Najdorf that well who isn't at least 1800.
Where does this idea come from anyway that just because someone chooses a theoretical opening that they're bad at all aspects of chess except the opening? That makes no sense. I think this is just something people who lose to the Sicilian say to make themselves feel better "well they beat me but it was just because they memorized the theory! I'm still the better chess player!"
There are so many ways for white to avoid going into an open Sicilian that knowing the Najdorf that well wouldn't get someone very far if that was the extent of their chess knowledge. Someone would be rated 900 if they did that and you wouldn't be playing them.
Yeah just start with 1Knight C3 and all is Good
Yes "that kid" exists, however I really doubt I still have the moves to the game I played against him. Basicaly I blundered and a few moves latter--when I assume his book ran out-- he lost badly from a won position. I suppose he could have been cheating with a database and not an engine, but I don't know why anyone would do that.
Has this not happened to anyone else?
Any opening is fine to play. Against opponents of the same strength as you, you will do just fine. However because it is such a theoretical opening you will probably get outplayed by players who know the opening netter than you do. I guess you could make this argument for any opening though. Keep playing it though. Even if you get slaughtered in the opening it is always a learning experience.