" … Dragon Set-up … as in all Sicilians, Black is always thinking about the ...d5 break …" - IM Sam Collins (2005)
Is there a book that explains the Sicilian?
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yup, saw that. Still that's one off-beat line of text instead of the chapter that it deserves.
PawnstormPossie wrote:
kindaspongey wrote:
" … Dragon Set-up … as in all Sicilians, Black is always thinking about the ...d5 break …" - IM Sam Collins (2005)
Understanding the Chess Openings
.and White's 1.e4 move is discussed on the previous page.
That's actually not true. Black's alternatives to e5 are explained on page 54.
What exactly do you expect from a book about the sicilian? The sicilian defense is one of the most analyzed openings while at the same also one of the largest complexes with different structures ( and together with this different ideas). Writing a book/ DVD that covers all the ideas in every sicilian variation for white and black nears insanity especially since the opening is constant evolving. Besides its size the other reason why such books are hard to come by with regards to the sicilian is because intrinsically it is tactical by nature which means variations do matter: this would make it pointless to only look at ideas since forced variations matter so much (for example the yuguslav attack in the dragon). If you want to learn a specific variation of the sicilian buy a book with that specific variation in mind; if you want to learn the entirety of the sicilian: you probably will have to buy a lot of books.
The few chess lessons I had , years ago, were for intermediate players at best while I was a beginner (I'm stilll one) and were focused on the closed games. So we learned about The Ruy Lopez closed, a variation of the French considered closed game and closed Sicilian which I liked to play a lot. Just another thematic. Nice thread. I suppose what has been said about the different variations of the Sicilian is also true for the closed Sicilian, it'd need a whole library full of books for itself ? ;^-)
To understand the Sicilian it might be helpful to go beyond opening books. There are books out there that explain the strategic/planning aspects of standard pawn structures that result from the Sicilian: Scheveningen structure, Boleslavsky Hole, Maroczy Bind, hedgehog, Dragon, Closed Sicilian, etc. Understanding how to approach those structures will enable you to better understand the variations leading up to them.
The books that explain this topic most directly, in my experience, are "Pawn Structure Chess" by Soltis, "Chess Structures: a Grandmaster Guide" by Flores, and "Pawn Power in Chess" by Kmoch. There is an out-of-print book called "Mastering the Sicilian" that focuses on pawn structures; I haven't seen it myself, but it had mediocre reviews.
ruben72d wrote:
What exactly do you expect from a book about the sicilian? The sicilian defense is one of the most analyzed openings while at the same also one of the largest complexes with different structures ( and together with this different ideas). Writing a book/ DVD that covers all the ideas in every sicilian variation for white and black nears insanity especially since the opening is constant evolving. Besides its size the other reason why such books are hard to come by with regards to the sicilian is because intrinsically it is tactical by nature which means variations do matter: this would make it pointless to only look at ideas since forced variations matter so much (for example the yuguslav attack in the dragon). If you want to learn a specific variation of the sicilian buy a book with that specific variation in mind; if you want to learn the entirety of the sicilian: you probably will have to buy a lot of books.
That's not true. Yes, tactics are super important in the Sicilian. But tactics always happen because of the positional elements.
PawnstormPossie wrote:
Mastering the Sicilian-🤔
I have several books from the "Mastering the..." series (French, Nimzoindian, Spanish, KID) and they're pretty good. But the reviews for the one on the Sicilian often mentioned that it wasn't as good as the others in the series and sometimes said that it was outright bad.
"Mastering" in the title is a marketing gimmick, of course. But the approach, understanding an opening by learning the pawn structures that result from it, is sound, IMO.
This video is worth watching.
Pawn Structure Chess
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101523/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review908.pdf
Chess structures: A Grandmaster Guide
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-structures-a-grandmaster-guide/
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7495.pdf
Pawn Power in Chess
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110136/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review249.pdf
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486264866.html
Mastering the Sicilian
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627112552/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen24.pdf
you missed my point: such books would not sell because tactics are so important. The closest i can think of that covers your wishes is flores' rios chess structures book. however this does not only cover the sicilian and does not cover closed sicilians/ anti-sicilians so you may be a bit flustered by that as well.
The ieony is that I know that you're right on almost every point and I disagree with almost all your conclusions. I wrote a blog like last year about what annoys me about opening books. Point 11 is in the comments:
https://www.chess.com/blog/bergjes007/top-10-annoying-things-about-opening-books
How about Lev Polugaeyesky's 'Sicilian Labyrinth' vol. 1 and 2? They're next on my reading list, and look pretty good to me. Polugayevsky was a life-long Sicilian devotee. He's going over all the main variations (not one by one, but rather in terms of specific themes), and although he does give variations, he's not stinting on verbal explanations. Volume 1 is more specifically on the tactics and preparations, while volume 2 is more geared towards middlegame strategy, pawn structure, open lines, piece value (with specific reference to the Sicilian complex) and the endgame.
"Starting Out: The Sicilian Defense" by John Emms
Thanks everybody for the suggestions! There are some very nice jewels in that list 
I only agree with regards to number 8 and 9 and this is for me what defines good from bad. number 11 is a difficult one since its my opinion players up to a certain level should not invest in opening theory and those beyond that level should have the basics under control to understand any opening book. Opening prep depth is more of a preference than an obligation. However with regards to your other points, most of the issues you raise either come from a difference in preference (1,2,5,6,10) or from you disagreeing in study methods (3,4,7). writers are unfortunately not bounded by Your Preference thus making those points moot. This leaves points 3,4,7: maybe a more appropiate course of action for you may be to hire a coach. This will be a solution to these issues and if you're lucky also solve some of the problems with regards to preference.
ruben72d wrote:
its my opinion players up to a certain level should not invest in opening theory and those beyond that level should have the basics under control to understand any opening book.
See the gap?
would you please elaborate on that?
that all white's advantages link to the pawn on e4, that black's positional key move is d5, and that there is SOOOOOO much of the play on both sides that has to do with exactly that.