Is the Sicilian meant for chess experts only?

Here's another nice win by "Not an Expert". Once again proving that No, you don't have to be an expert to learn and play the Sicilian. Guaranteed to flummox lower rated players.

You should learn the basics first...agreed.

Hi!

I wouldn't recommed to play the Sicilian to beginners, but I find it suitable for intermediates and beyond. Any Sicilian variation requires a minium of chess skills and some theoretical background to play it and enjoy it.

Good luck!

Playing black can be somewhat easier than playing white. Choose one opening to play against e4 and one to play against d4 you will learn faster those two openings than most openings as white. That said the Sicilian has a wider variety to it than other e4 options. For me I play the Sicilian as black, that is my opening against e4 and I do well enough in ir against my oponents, the games are challenging but fun. I prefer it to playing the other openings. But I should probably play more openings as black to broaden my chess knowledge and thinking.

Back in 1988, when I was able to get a seat in a Mikhail Tal simul, I played the Sicilian Najdorf against him. Was I supposed to play something else?

Blueemu, did the game reach the Tal variation? 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.f4

I typed all that then noticed Najdorf. Nevermind.

Here's another nice win by "Not an Expert" against a much higher rated but somewhat unprepared opponent. A lot of people make strange moves against c5.

Best times to play the Sicilian:
1) You desire to crush a much lower-rated opponent

2) You want to have an exciting game

3) You want to win

1800 vs 1200:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/19074986763

Yes.

if you know the sicilian better then white does, then you can win quicker than usual as you can punish whites poor play much harder in the open sicilian then you can in some closed game (thats why intermediates play the closed games).

i have a good 85% win rate after 2.d6 as black. I also typically know the sicilian much better then white. The only real hassle is when white just ignores whatever you do and goes for his little system setup (very common) and you gotta figure out a way to win and convert your advantage (which can eat at your clock).

but this same concept also applies to white. if black is not careful, then he will be absolutely crushed in an attack. What makes black position playable in the najdorf is the fact that black does not have to commit to castling and black is garunteed to get a counterattack (as long as he can handle whites attack)

when i used to take chess very seriously, i played the most challenging lines to the sicilian (and i did well with it too!) these type of gambits and thoughts got me to 1800. 12.Nd5 is an interesting gambit ive seen in some master games before, which made me want to employ it.

black can just play it like a french and be fine?

and what that 1800 did almost worked! you didnt know how to handle it and he was +1 in the opening with a superior development advantage and an extra pawn.

very often in the Richter-Rauzer and Bg5 najdorf castling kingside is too dangerous for black so he leaves his king in the center or goes queenside. that says something about how dangerous the Bg5 mainlines can be...

I love that this thread has been revived!

I was never in trouble and don’t care what the evaluation says.

It’s hard to visualize everything in 90/30 nevermind a 15/10 time format.

I relish risky and complicated situations.

Did you participate in a simultaneous against Tal ? I envy you.

Could you tell us something about that experience, perhaps in some other thread ? The figure of Tal fascinates me a lot.