Is the Sicilian meant for chess experts only?
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ANOK1
Jan 18, 2017
0
#41
[COMMENT DELETED]
BronsteinP: I was validating X's comment:
The main point I was trying to make is:
2...g6
is the Hyper-Accelerated dragon
I imagine Black is ultimately OK in the Maroczy. But the positions seem drained of possibility with the onus on Black.
French is my homebase and it was easier to go back.
Jan 18, 2017
0
#43
Good to see people backing up from the Maroczy! I play that as White lol!
ipcress12 schreef
The main point I was trying to make is:
2...g6
is the Hyper-Accelerated dragon
I imagine Black is ultimately OK in the Maroczy. But the positions seem drained of possibility with the onus on Black.
French is my homebase and it was easier to go back.
2.g6 is indeed the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon ( thus without 2...Nc6 with is the Normal Accelarated dragon , but were white indeed can also play for 3.Bb5 the Rossolimo variation )
( Finaly the normal Dragon is with 3...d6 )
But after the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon white can also take back (and this is maybe also stronger) with the Queen. Thus 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4! Nf6 5.e5! then can follow
5...Nc6 6. Qf4 Nd5 7.Qe4 Ndb4 ( or Ndb6 ) With the 2...Nc6 line white can choses the Rossolimo. You can have or avoid everything. But also Black has very many choices. Thats what makes the Siciclian so exciting.
Ruben: I didn't particularly like 4.Qxd4 as Black either, but no one thought to play it against me in the H-A Dragon.
It's not necessary to memorize lots of stuff for this fantastic opening (especially the Najdorf Variation) for Black. Just understand the basics by studying how Fischer played it. Then just use it. When you get wiped out you have something to work with.
alex-rodriguez: I don't play the Sicilian, much less the Najdorf, but I'll bet you're right for class play.
Jan 18, 2017
0
#47
Its easy to say "its not neccesary to memorize or study the Najdorf" when you are playing with monopoly money and not OTB.
Jan 18, 2017
0
#48
2Q1C wrote:
I play the french but I think the sicilian might be better so ive got a book "winning with the najdorf" by daniel king. Its pretty cool. I'm also an e4 player so you should know how to play the sicilian if you want to defend against it good. That's my thoughts on it anyway.
I prefer the Sicilian myself, but don't underestimate the French. It's not a defensive opening, despite its reputation. It's quite ambitious and (in many lines such as the Winawer) quite tactical.
I usually play Sicilian formations with a Scheveningen center (Pawns side-by-side on e6 and d6).
Jan 18, 2017
0
#49
Kasparov once famously said that nobody under 2500 understands the Sicilian.
That may be true, but you don't need to understand the opening fully to play it. And, you may understand it better than your opponent. The key to playing the Sicilian from either side is to be aware of thematic tactics and understand the long-term goals of each side.
A good place to start is to study what Mark Taimanov wrote about the Sicilian. He explained some of the common goals for both sides. A good second book on the Sicilian is Shereshevsky's Mastering the Endgame!
Jan 18, 2017
0
#50
SmyslovFan escribió:
Kasparov once famously said that nobody under 2500 understands the Sicilian.
That may be true, but you don't need to understand the opening fully to play it. And, you may understand it better than your opponent. The key to playing the Sicilian from either side is to be aware of thematic tactics and understand the long-term goals of each side.
A good place to start is to study what Mark Taimanov wrote about the Sicilian. He explained some of the common goals for both sides. A good second book on the Sicilian is Shereshevsky's Mastering the Endgame!
What is Taimanov's book called like?
Jan 18, 2017
0
#51
Taimanov wrote several great books that deal with the Sicilian. I have three. Probably the first book to check out is Winning With the Sicilian. Also well worth perusing is Polugaevsky's two volume work, The Sicilian Labyrinth.
Jan 18, 2017
0
#52
SmyslovFan escribió:
Taimanov wrote several great books that deal with the Sicilian. I have three. Probably the first book to check out is Winning With the Sicilian. Also well worth perusing is Polugaevsky's two volume work, The Sicilian Labyrinth.
The Birth of a new variation!
Thanks for the books recommendations.
BronsteinPawn wrote:
Its easy to say "its not neccesary to memorize or study the Najdorf" when you are playing with monopoly money and not OTB.
It's also easy to say that opening theory doesn't matter much for players below 2000.
I'm sure you can get creamed deviating on the tenth move of the Najdorf, but does that really happen much sub-2000?
Jan 18, 2017
0
#54
ipcress12 escribió:
BronsteinPawn wrote:
Its easy to say "its not neccesary to memorize or study the Najdorf" when you are playing with monopoly money and not OTB.
It's also easy to say that opening theory doesn't matter much for players below 2000.
I'm sure you can get creamed deviating on the tenth move of the Najdorf, but does that really happen much sub-2000?
This has happened to me in blitz games.
Jan 18, 2017
0
#55
I think the problems start appearing when you go deeper on the lines, and at that point it shouldnt worry you unless you are a top GM or play centaur chess.
The Sicilian offers black the opportunity for some really interesting games. I would try and get to play a lot of unrated skittles games with it to get a feel for the kinds of position the different variations throw up and then settle on one that you feel most comfortable with. I've played the Najdorf and the Dragon during the course of my chess life and have really enjoyed both, having had some truly memorable wins and some real pastings. All of the better or more interesting defenses nowadays have lots of theory. The chances are that your opponent won't know much more of it that you do, unless you get pitched up against a titled or near-titled player.
"When you are playing the White pieces all openings equalize for Black. When you are playing the Black pieces all openings lead to a White advantage" - Some famous chess player whose name I cannot remember
We just have to live with this "fact"
Focus children. We are meant to be introducing Gamificast to the Sicilian
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 [*] 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 [*]
From #11, "5. ... g6 is not the Accelerated Dragon. It's the Dragon."
Sure. I was getting confused with the "Classical Dragon 2. ... Nc6 5. ... d6 6. ... g6"
See Smyslov v Botvinnik 1958 Game 21
and "Accelerated Fianchetto 2. ... Nc6 4. ... g6"
and "Modern Dragon 2. ... d6 5. ... g6" which I wrongly called the Accelerated Dragon, sorry ( now that is twice (#14) I have said soz guys!! )
I realise X_PLAYER_J_X is a dragon fan with maybe ... a6 thrown in for good measure - See the Najdorf 6. a3 thread for his good dragon stuff.
As BronsteinPawn shows in #56 Najdorf types have to watch for Bxe6 blowing holes in black centre pawn advantage.
See also my #14 and Opps #1 with the same theme ( which rather gives it away that Opps #2 was a GM blunder two moves out of "book" )
Where as #3 has to show Dragon types have to watch out for Yugoslav Attack
Ruben in #33, shows some of the other Sicilian variations ( [*] above ).
Meanwhile Gamificast seems to have lost interest in his own thread. hmmm.
Rat1960 wrote:
Meanwhile Gamificast seems to have lost interest in his own thread. hmmm.
I haven't. I just haven't been online since yesterday, and I've been busy reading all of your helpful comments. 
I think I will start playing the Sicilian seriously again, and I will study it hard. It's just a pity that a lot of the "great games" that feature the Sicilian are games that White wins. 