Spassky liked it.
Should I learn another opening against the Sicilian? I currently play the alapin
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You’re Wrong, Lostpawn!
2 World Champions used the Closed Sicilian with devastating effect!
Boris Spassky & Vasily Smyslov played it a lot.
It has also been used by Carlsen!
Thats 3 different Former World Champion playing the Closed Sicilian!
Carlsen even used the Closed Sicilian to transpose into Grand Prix Attack as I mentioned.
It’s pretty outrageous that you’re saying the Closed Sicilian has never been serious line!
The Closed Sicilian is also 1 of the only lines besides the Open Sicilian where White has a Slight Opening Advantage!
Black has to play accurately to neutralize White Opening advantage to reach equality!
Ask any Strong Chess Player the Nagging Pressure the Closed Sicilian can cause!
The Closed Sicilian is like a Cold you can’t shake.
If you disrespect the Closed Sicilian, White will end up with a Slight Advantage. Then White will begin nurturing that small Advantage making it grow bigger and bigger!
Before you know it, you are completely lost and you’re scratching your head wondering how in the world did it all go wrong!
This is why players such as Boris & Vasily were so strong with it.
They were very Strong positional players at heart!
Compadre_J wrote:
You’re Wrong, Lostpawn!
2 World Champions used the Closed Sicilian with devastating effect!
Boris Spassky & Vasily Smyslov played it a lot.
It has also been used by Carlsen!
Thats 3 different Former World Champion playing the Closed Sicilian!
Carlsen even used the Closed Sicilian to transpose into Grand Prix Attack as I mentioned.
It’s pretty outrageous that you’re saying the Closed Sicilian has never been serious line!
Congratulations. By naming off practically the only two players who have made the Closed Sicilian relevant in the last 50-60 years, you have single-handedly proven how irrelevant the Closed Sicilian is in modern times. Since you want to toss out names of players who have played the Closed Sicilian, I'll let you know that the Alapin has been played by former World Champions Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, and numerous other current Super GM's.
I'm not saying that the Closed Sicilian has never been a serious line. I'm just stating the clear fact that it's not relevant in current times and it is just as foolish to play it, as it is to play the Alapin when "Fame, Money, and Glory are on the line!!!"
What is outrageous is that you spout off hyperbolic nonsense about the Alapin without objectively laying out the pro's and con's of playing it, yet you don't show the same level of critical thought when talking about the Closed Sicilian.
2 days ago
0
#28
One of my clubs played White in an Open Sicilian in a recent vote-chess game:
2 days ago
0
#29
Open Variation is fun and you see more replies than with the Alapin. 2. Nc3 going for a closed game is an idea as well. If you choose the Bowlder attack with 2. Bc4 you'll see better play replying a4 to Black's a6 move. Your main thing to watch for is the Nc6 lines instead of Nd7. You can try the MacDonall Variation but beware of the Bd7 block to the check as Black can generate some counterplay. If you play the standard 2. Nf3 lines, you have 5 different replies that come from the open position after move 5: the Najdorf, Schevenigan, Dragon, Open, and Sozin attacks become available as well as the Keres Attack. Some of these are booked out quite a bit. I would suggest playing different Sicilians in daily games since you can use the explorer feature (really good if you're a premium member). Also, get a decent app like chessis and load stockfish 17 for post game review. There are many popular opening databases to get as well but play a bunch of games regardless of result and see what fits your style of play
2 days ago
0
#30
As a Sicilian player, the Grand Prix Attack is just bad in my opinion, when I see it recommended it's always by like 1700 level players at most. It works well against an unprepared Black, but I am always happy to see it.
The Closed Sicilian is fine, I hate playing it personally, because it's the same plans and structures every goddamn time, except with a million small variations. I prefer playing something where I have a bit of scope for creativity in my approach.
I wouldn't learn the Morra because people can transpose that into the Alapin if they want to anyway, so what's the point?
If you learn the Open you will need to do it bit by bit. Like I said, I would transpose back into the Alapin against 2...Nc6 and 2...e6. I would just play the quiet K-side castle lines against the Dragon right now (something like 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1) because the theory gets a bit gnarly in the main lines. Against the Classical you can play 6. Bc4 and get a good, easy game. This way you can concentrate on learning something against the Najdorf, which is by far the most common 2...d6 Sicilian you will face. I learnt my line from this video but there are a million good lines you can choose.
lostpawn247 wrote:
Compadre_J wrote:
You’re Wrong, Lostpawn!
2 World Champions used the Closed Sicilian with devastating effect!
Boris Spassky & Vasily Smyslov played it a lot.
It has also been used by Carlsen!
Thats 3 different Former World Champion playing the Closed Sicilian!
Carlsen even used the Closed Sicilian to transpose into Grand Prix Attack as I mentioned.
It’s pretty outrageous that you’re saying the Closed Sicilian has never been serious line!
Congratulations. By naming off practically the only two players who have made the Closed Sicilian relevant in the last 50-60 years, you have single-handedly proven how irrelevant the Closed Sicilian is in modern times. Since you want to toss out names of players who have played the Closed Sicilian, I'll let you know that the Alapin has been played by former World Champions Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, and numerous other current Super GM's.
I'm not saying that the Closed Sicilian has never been a serious line. I'm just stating the clear fact that it's not relevant in current times and it is just as foolish to play it, as it is to play the Alapin when "Fame, Money, and Glory are on the line!!!"
What is outrageous is that you spout off hyperbolic nonsense about the Alapin without objectively laying out the pro's and con's of playing it, yet you don't show the same level of critical thought when talking about the Closed Sicilian.
- Chess has had 22 World Chess Champion!
4 out of the 22 are considered unofficial World Chess Champions because there was a time in chess when the chess federation split apart.
- This leaves 18 Official World Chess Champions.
6 out of the 18 played chess during a Chess Era when the Sicilian Defense was considered a Bad Opening.
Thats right! There was a time in chess when playing 1…c5 was considered a mistake!
- This leaves 12 Official Chess World Chess Champions who played chess during a time when people actually played the Sicilian and didn’t think it was trash!
Out of those 12 players I just told you 3 of them played the Closed Sicilian!
The number is actually a lot
- We are talking 1/4 or 25%!
————————-
AND
Keep in mind, I am not factoring in the Positional Player Dilemma which exists!
This Dilemma exists for Positional players, but not Tactical Players!
———————————
Attacking players who enjoy playing attacking Chess often play 1.e4 and go into lines like the Open Sicilian for the Chaos!
Positional players who enjoy playing positional Chess often favor playing 1.d4 instead of 1.e4.
A true positional player is going to want to play a Catalan or Queen Gambit.
1.d4 has Robbed some of the worlds finest Closed Sicilian players!
Its a pure tragedy which you’re not even factoring into your thought process!
Most of the Closed Sicilian players we have today are those who are Positional at Heart, but don’t mind having a flair of chaos!
1.e4 are generally very chaotic which runs off a lot of the pure positional players!
It takes a special breed of Chess player to play the Closed Sicilian because it’s positional, but there is always a small element of chaos which could make its way into the game!
———————————
It’s so easy for you to be so high and mighty saying Boris & Vasily are the only relevant Closed Sicilian players in last 50 years when you’re completely ignoring the context of the situation!
1.d4 has been Booming in the last 50 year’s!
Not to even mention 1.c4!
They have been taking all our Great 1.e4 Closed Sicilian players!
Make no mistake about it!
Compadre_J wrote:
lostpawn247 wrote:
Compadre_J wrote:
You’re Wrong, Lostpawn!
2 World Champions used the Closed Sicilian with devastating effect!
Boris Spassky & Vasily Smyslov played it a lot.
It has also been used by Carlsen!
Thats 3 different Former World Champion playing the Closed Sicilian!
Carlsen even used the Closed Sicilian to transpose into Grand Prix Attack as I mentioned.
It’s pretty outrageous that you’re saying the Closed Sicilian has never been serious line!
Congratulations. By naming off practically the only two players who have made the Closed Sicilian relevant in the last 50-60 years, you have single-handedly proven how irrelevant the Closed Sicilian is in modern times. Since you want to toss out names of players who have played the Closed Sicilian, I'll let you know that the Alapin has been played by former World Champions Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, and numerous other current Super GM's.
I'm not saying that the Closed Sicilian has never been a serious line. I'm just stating the clear fact that it's not relevant in current times and it is just as foolish to play it, as it is to play the Alapin when "Fame, Money, and Glory are on the line!!!"
What is outrageous is that you spout off hyperbolic nonsense about the Alapin without objectively laying out the pro's and con's of playing it, yet you don't show the same level of critical thought when talking about the Closed Sicilian.
- Chess has had 22 World Chess Champion!
4 out of the 22 are considered unofficial World Chess Champions because there was a time in chess when the chess federation split apart.
- This leaves 18 Official World Chess Champions.
6 out of the 18 played chess during a Chess Era when the Sicilian Defense was considered a Bad Opening.
Thats right! There was a time in chess when playing 1…c5 was considered a mistake!
- This leaves 12 Official Chess World Chess Champions who played chess during a time when people actually played the Sicilian and didn’t think it was trash!
Out of those 12 players I just told you 3 of them played the Closed Sicilian!
The number is actually a lot
- We are talking 1/4 or 25%!
————————-
AND
Keep in mind, I am not factoring in the Positional Player Dilemma which exists!
This Dilemma exists for Positional players, but not Tactical Players!
———————————
Attacking players who enjoy playing attacking Chess often play 1.e4 and go into lines like the Open Sicilian for the Chaos!
Positional players who enjoy playing positional Chess often favor playing 1.d4 instead of 1.e4.
A true positional player is going to want to play a Catalan or Queen Gambit.
1.d4 has Robbed some of the worlds finest Closed Sicilian players!
Its a pure tragedy which you’re not even factoring into your thought process!
Most of the Closed Sicilian players we have today are those who are Positional at Heart, but don’t mind having a flair of chaos!
1.e4 are generally very chaotic which runs off a lot of the pure positional players!
It takes a special breed of Chess player to play the Closed Sicilian because it’s positional, but there is always a small element of chaos which could make its way into the game!
———————————
It’s so easy for you to be so high and mighty saying Boris & Vasily are the only relevant Closed Sicilian players in last 50 years when you’re completely ignoring the context of the situation!
1.d4 has been Booming in the last 50 year’s!
Not to even mention 1.c4!
They have been taking all our Great 1.e4 Closed Sicilian players!
Make no mistake about it!
I lack the time, patience, and motivation to deal with you any further. Goodbye.
2 days ago
0
#33
My personal experience with the Sicilian,
1) The Open Sicilian is definitely hardest to face as black but there seems to be some reluctance for many middle rated White 1. e4 players to study the many variations of the Open Sicilian.
2) The Alapin is good to play for White and Black does have to be careful. How black plays against the Alapin often depends on what their response is against the Open Sicilian after 2. Nf3.
3) My problem as Black after white plays 2. Nc3 (possibly leading to the Closed Sicilian/Grand Prix/King's Attack attack) are move orders. White can remain uncommitted for a few moves and black has to respond such that they don't end in a Sicilian variation they are unfamiliar with.
2 days ago
0
#34
Perhaps tomorrow night I'll post some games where I play as Black to give the OP some ideas of what they might face as White if they choose to play the Open Sicilian as White. The games are not the best but for 1000-1400 they might be a good starting point.
2 days ago
0
#36
Here's another one of my OTB rated tournament Open Sicilians from the 1980s.
If you have a lot of time to study then you could try the open Sicilian but be prepared for the Najdorf, Dragon, Sveshnikov, Taimanov and a few others. If you don't have much study time you could try a different anti-Sicilian.
2 days ago
0
#38
Jim1 wrote:
If you have a lot of time to study then you could try the open Sicilian but be prepared for the Najdorf, Dragon, Sveshnikov, Taimanov and a few others. If you don't have much study time you could try a different anti-Sicilian.
The best way to learn a new line is to lose a few painful games in that line.
What exactly is the problem with losing a chess game? I must have lost THOUSANDS of chess games in the past 50 years.
Did that ruin me? Or did it leave me at 2350?
2 days ago
0
#39
I support the suggestion for the Smith-Morra Gambit. It's as straight-foreword as possible---attack at all costs--- while presenting as tactically complex a game as one wishes. Playing the Morra forces one to improve one's game, or lose.
The OP has a Terrible Tactics Score!
The OP has been playing Positional lines prior to changing openings!
————————————
People are telling the OP to play Smith Morra Gambit & Open Sicilian!
I feel like people are setting the OP up for failure.
All these lines are extremely aggressive and to play them well you need to have good tactics, calculation, and it doesn’t hurt to have natural attacking ability.
The OP has been playing Positional lines so he hasn’t been building up any of those chess skills.
If the OP plays these openings, He is walking into a Gun Fight with only a Knife as weapon.
This opponents are going to blow him off the board!
It’s going to be pretty nasty!
The Question is what does the OP want?
Is he going thru Chess Phase were he feels like changing it all up?
Or is he just looking for a more solid line while keeping the positional feel?
You’re forgetting the Closed Sicilian!
As a chess player that considers myself as a Closed Sicilian specialist, I have to mention the Closed Sicilian!
The Grand Prix Attack can be played using the Closed Sicilian move order as well!
- The Open Sicilian is more tactical usually
- The Closed Sicilian is more positional usually
It really depends on your play style, but in your case you have been playing the Alapin.
The Alapin is generally more positional which is why I have been saying Closed Sicilian
Do you like Fianchetto lines?
Or Closed Positions with a lot of maneuvering?
Or Strategic Game play?
"When thousands of fans are cheering your name in an audience, when millions of dollars are on the line for the winner of the tournament, when you can be immortalized with the title of World Chess Champion, What line would you play to give yourself the best chance to beat the Sicilian Defense?
When Fame, Money, and Glory are on the line, The Best Chess Players in the world never picked the Closed Sicilian!
All the Chess Openings in the World to chose from and they didn’t pick Closed Sicilian!
There is a difference between playing something for fun and just messing around
vs.
Playing with your reputation and livelihood on the line
If you want to mess around, Then fine - Go ahead play the Closed Sicilian!
BUT make no mistake about it!
The Closed Sicilian has never been a serious line!"