ThrillerFan wrote:
This entire thread is nothing but complete spam!
Indeed I agree.
LOL at the sicilian
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Plutonia I have a question for you.
What are you trying to accomplish with this forum?
I agree with the entire post that ThrillerFan made, and I refer you back to my earlier comments on the thread: the Taimanov Sicilian is a great opening and the OP has made no reasonable effort to prove why it is hard to play. I employed it three times this past weekend in the U2200 section of the Eastern Open, in fact, and won two of those games (granted, I got quite lucky in one of those wins, but I got at least equal positions in all three games).
And the Taimanov doesn't require constant theoretical checking-up nearly to the degree of the Dragon or Najdorf. I'd say that owning the John Emms book on the opening is just about all one needs.
Dolphin27 wrote:
As for the Chekhover anti-Sicilian with 4.Qxd4, I believe GM Mihai Suba came up with a move order that cuts that option out for White against d6 Sicilians.
3.d4 Nf6 as Giri played against Carlsen in the Qatar Open (Carlsen has employed the Chekhover a few times, and Giri wanted to avoid it, IF that is saying something to someone, who prefers to smile instead).
It's not that simple after 4.dxc5 after both 4...Nxe4 and 4...Qa5+ - objectively Black is not equal yet.
Heh. Indeed, I smile a lot, IF that is saying something to someone who is not Giri, nor playing Carlsen, who prefers to not avoid it.
8)
Indeed you did Dpnorman
I can not say alot on the Taimanov Sicilian.
Simply because I have never played it myself.
However, the OP gave the following label the Kan/Taimanov lines.
The OP showed them together and said bringing the dark squared Bishop outside the pawn chain is not really an improvement.
I have played the Kan Sicilian.
Thus, I knew he was wrong.
In the Kan Sicilian the dark bishop can be a very powerful piece.
Especially if white is not careful.
There is a video you can watch which can help you understand.
How the dark bishop can be a key feature in the Sicilian Kan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDk-rKv197A
^^^^
In the above video the part I would like you to focus on happens at 13:25 to 15:40 in that video.
If you feel like watching the other parts of the video that is completely fine.
However, I shall warn you some of what that guy said in other parts of his video are completely nonsense.
plutonia wrote:
Yes trust me, I've experimented with almost all sicilians.
Najdorf: the sharpest and the most double edged. The most aggressive and uncompromising. The best Sicilian. Unfortunatly there's ton of theory.
It is certainly popular at the highest level. And tons of lines start as this. In my opinion up to a fairly strong standard of play, by club standards, the time spent memorising opening theory to the extent you need to to play this is better spent otherwise.
Dragon: uh, it's popular because of the name I think. While you can do amazing attacks against white's O-O-O, I prefer white with the Yugoslav attack (in the version where they castle long instead of Bc4).
I think the reason for it's popularity is that the KB so obviously belongs on g7. Players take it up early and some stick with it.
Sveshnikov: that's the coolest of all Sicilians. The position is very interesting. The problem is that many moves are forced and this means your opponent might have memorized very deep.
This is my opening.
I took it up in 1985, know immense amounts of theory and have a lot of experience with the resulting positions. I have had players play it against me once and never enter an open sicilain again.
It started to become popular at the highest level in the 1990's because the top players all want to be like me.
Closed sicilian: here I struggle to equalize with black. Queenside play just doesn't seem enough against white advance in the centre and kingside.
At club level players tend to specialise in this. And they are often among the most dangerous players who want to avoid the open sicilian. My experince anyway.
Smith-Morra: good, white is just down a pawn. Ok I'm kidding but I prefer black, I just don't believe in this gambit.
I do. If white knows what he is doing, black's position remains awkward for a long time.
Early Bc4 stuff: the bane of all sicilian players. Everybody is convinced it loses by force, but it just doesn't. White players can adopt this just to mess with you.
It certainly does not lose by force. I don't think I have ever seen a GM play this. Club players play it because they want to avoid the theory. Often they just want to develop their pieces w/o any real plan. I very rarely have any trouble in the opening here.
And it can be more common than the open sicilain at club level.
Dec 31, 2015
0
#170
I just played a plutonia on lichess, hey OP was that you? Lol. If it was you don't ask for take backs after you blunder it's pathetic.
Players feel forced to play the Sicilian because it's so notorious. Why? Because 1) e4 is more predominant than 1) d4. Just sit back a minute and ask yourself the question, does it suit your playing style?
I promise you, there are players out there memorising every opening book on this defence when it doesn't even suit their way of play - this is the illusion that they feel like they're under because of it's reputation. They'll come across as strong (through opening theory) because they've done their homework, but get them out of the lines and you realise it doesn't suit them.
They become passive, defend awkwardly, shy away from the exchange sac', manouver in order to improve where there just isn't time. Stick to your guns and play openings that suit you.
Fiveofswords wrote:
ironically the sicilian is a great choice if you want to avoid theory and avoid tactics. its difficult to find anything for black which is as safe and 'dull' as the kan sicilian. the sicilian promises nothing on move 1 things have to happen later.
WOW WOW WOW FOS.
You can't say the Sicilian Kan is "Dull"
Especially when the Taimanov can be played in the Sicilian Defense.
It is obvious the Sicilian Taimanov is the little brother that never measured up!
It is "Dull" and "Lifeless" in comparision to its big brother the Sicilian Kan.
It doesn't surpise me at all that Mark Taimanov lost to Bobby Fischer 0-6.
If he would of played the Sicilian Kan exclusively we know what would of happen!
3-3
Even score with Mark Taimanov pushing for the win!
1...e5 is great but if you arent a computer and dont know theory omg theres infinite ways you can get wrecked quickly.
As a young player I hated all the wacky double KP stuff that could happen. So I played the French.
Bad stuff can happen in the French of course and it's not easy to play, but you can be pretty sure you're not going to get blown out of the water by move 10. There's not that many White plans you have to worry about.
Fiveofswords wrote:
then you also have stuff like the okelly where whites best try for an advantage actually seems to be a transposition to a possible alapin position lol...yeah the dragon or najdorf...themselves not always terribly sharp for either side but can be...are not guarunteed from an open sicilian. black has lots of things and the evidence piles up that the open sicilian neither promises white an advantage nor does it promise a sharp game that requires black to know any theory at all.
Two openings which I hate.
Both being mentioned in the same sentence.
It doesn't surpise me at all.
I might manage to beat them one day if I could stay awake long enough to study a line against them.
I try to play the French to add life to the Alapin. lol
Trying to add life to a lifeless position.
I am surpised a refutation hasn't surfaced yet.
However, It doesn't surpise me a whole lot considering any one who refutes it would than have to live with the horror of people naming the refuation after them.
It would damage a chess players reputation for sure. lol
I once watched a GM play black against the Alapin.
It started off with a spicy move at move 3.
After 2.c3 d5 3.exd5
Black played the spicy tactical move 3...Qxd5 move.
Adding the only life to the position.
After that I fell asleep.
I woke up to the sounds of the GM celebrating his victory.
He said did you boys see that?
That is exactly why no serious player plays the Alapin.
I was like yes sir!
I don't alapin.
He was like what do you play?
I play only the Open Sicilian or Closed Sicilian that is all.
That is a wise choice young man you are going to go far!
I was like can I go do some tactical puzzles now Sir?
Yes, be fruitful in your tactical puzzles.
Than we clasped hands in friendship and I went on my tactical puzzle journey!
I managed to score the impressive puzzle ranking of 1507.
I was feeling very motivated that day.
Jan 1, 2016
0
#175
I did a quick search for the Alapin in a database. Nakamura recently beat Nepomniachtci and Yu with it, and Adams and Andreiken both played it. Zhigalko played it. Few logical moves are never played.
AKAL1 wrote:
I did a quick search for the Alapin in a database. Nakamura recently beat Nepomniachtci and Yu with it, and Adams and Andreiken both played it. Zhigalko played it. Few logical moves are never played.
Thank you very much for bringing factual information to this thread
Nakamura ranked number 6
Magnus Carlsen ranked number 1
AKAL1 wrote:
The point is that "serious players" actually do play the Alapin
I made a joke.
Which was directed to Five of Swords.
Five of Swords plays the Alapin lol.
He was making fun of my O'Kelly defeats lol.
Which I give him a hand it was pretty funny.
Hopefully now you can understand I am joking.
Indeed. I like it all the better when White thinks they can blow Black out of the water when playing against a Sicilian. Using Anti-sicilian lines actually validates those who are devoted to it. My priority of study has always been to the Najdorf , Scheveningen, Classical because they're (2. ...d6 systems) all related and can transpose. I play 2. ... Nc6 sometimes because I can avoid certain lines & gives me some flexibility. 2. ... e6 stuff is "easier" to play but kind of does lead to dead ends if you need a.win. It's not happening with best play. Plus I don't like facing the KIA as it can easily transpose into some lines of the French with ...c5.
All in all whatever suits you. I don't think anyone is forced to study lines of the Sicilian. Every opening merits some memorization especially if you're just learning it. I applaud players who suddenly realize they rather play another defense as I always assume most chessplayers these days don't have just one defense they play. I certainly don't.
Heh. I think it's unrealistic to believe most people play 1. e4' inasmuch I believe most intermediate players only play 1. d4. Heh. It's a moot point.
Wow! It's amazing how much utter bull$hit can be found in a single thread, from the original post to plutonia's complete bull$hit about the Taimanov and the Bishop outside the pawn chain. First off, what pawn chain? Black's pawns aren't even on dark squares, fool! f7-e6-d7, f5-e6-d7, and f7-e6-d5, last time I looked, are all light squares, so the dark - squared bishop is not in or out of the pawn chain. It's a good bishop. Only time you see a pawn on a dark square in the Taimanov is occasionally on d6. That either comes way later to contest or prevent e5 by white, or else happens in the ...h5 lines of the English Attack, in which case the Bishop is often on e7, NOT outside the pawn chain.
The Taimanov is best known for its flexibilty. The Bishop can go to b4 to pressure e4, c5 to control the diagonal the white king is on, d6 to contest Bd4 ideas with Be5, not to mention other cases where the Bishop goes to e5. From d6, you also pressure h2. Then the is e7 where it is tucked safe away and is often used in the main line after the knight has gone to a4 or in lines of the English Attack.
If you don't play it, don't make an utter fool out of yourself by putting idiotic comments that are outright wrong and make yourself sound like a complete moron!
I should also say as one that plays the Maroczy Bind against the Accelerated Dragon that it's not like White has this easy path to victory like you make it out to be, basically saying the world has come to an end for Black in the Maroczy Bind against the Accelerated Dragon.
This entire thread is nothing but complete spam!