Sicilian confusion

Sort:

DaveyJones01

Jan 20, 2016

0

#1

Hi all, I've recently been trying to open some games with the sicilian defense, just to see what its all about, and a lot of the moves seem really odd and nonlogical. For example, this happened in one of my games

It appears that I hung my night, but opening explorer, and my opponent, played a6. Why is that? I couldn't find any variations where white can be winning after losing the knight, and am kind of lost. Also, from my limited understanding, most of the main moves seem illogical, almost like developing for the sake of development to arbitrary squares. also just the general plans are blatantly not apparent to me, for white and black, other than the English attack as white vs some of them, but when I can't bring my dark square bishop out put my queen behind it and then long castle I really don't understand what the objective is, or really what black is trying to do in any plan except for again the english attack. As a learning player, I feel like at least understanding the plans in the sicilian/why I make the moves I make is important, to keep me from being blown off the board

ThrillerFan

Jan 20, 2016

0

#2

I play this opening as Black myself. It's known as the Taimanov Sicilian.

Were you playing Blitz or Bullet? If so, that explains it. Probably pre-moved.

After the normal move order, 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7, which transposes to the game above, White has the following options:

A) 6.Be2, usually intending 6...a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Na4 and Black has options here. This is considered the "Main Line".

B) 6.Be3 and 7.Bd3 - Considered a tad more aggressive than the main line, but there are different issues with this line compared to the main line.

C) 6.Be3 and 7.Qd2 - Usually shows intent of playing the English Attack

NOTE: 6.Be3 can also transpose to the main line after 6...a3 7.Be2.

D) 6.f4, where Black must be careful about developing that Knight to f6 because of potential e5 issues by White.

E) 6.g3 - the Fianchetto Variation, which is considered passive and nothing to scare Black off in the Taimanov

F) Then there are some real offbeat sidelines, like 5.Be3, 5.Nxc6, 5.Nb5 (the most common of the sidelines, usually leading to either a Sveshnikov Structure after 6.Bf4 or a Maroczy Bind after 6.c4), etc.

6.Bd3?? is a beginner's blunder and hangs the Knight.

DaveyJones01

Jan 20, 2016

0

#3

ThrillerFan wrote:

I play this opening as Black myself. It's known as the Taimanov Sicilian.

Were you playing Blitz or Bullet? If so, that explains it. Probably pre-moved.

After the normal move order, 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7, which transposes to the game above, White has the following options:

A) 6.Be2, usually intending 6...a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Na4 and Black has options here. This is considered the "Main Line".

B) 6.Be3 and 7.Bd3 - Considered a tad more aggressive than the main line, but there are different issues with this line compared to the main line.

C) 6.Be3 and 7.Qd2 - Usually shows intent of playing the English Attack

NOTE: 6.Be3 can also transpose to the main line after 6...a3 7.Be2.

D) 6.f4, where Black must be careful about developing that Knight to f6 because of potential e5 issues by White.

E) 6.g3 - the Fianchetto Variation, which is considered passive and nothing to scare Black off in the Taimanov

F) Then there are some real offbeat sidelines, like 5.Be3, 5.Nxc6, 5.Nb5 (the most common of the sidelines, usually leading to either a Sveshnikov Structure after 6.Bf4 or a Maroczy Bind after 6.c4), etc.

6.Bd3?? is a beginner's blunder and hangs the Knight.

Ah it was blitz, I was thinking that maybe because opening explorer has Bd3 as the like 5th most common move and then after that it doesn't say anybody takes the knight (the only move it has is a6) in GM play so I was thinking maybe white had some sort of cool tactic or something to get the advantage.

IM pfren

Jan 20, 2016

0

#4

The opening explorer is messed up regarding transpositions.

In your case 6.Bd3 does hang the knight for nothing.

ThrillerFan

Jan 20, 2016

0

#5

jengaias wrote:

There are many Sicilians , each one has it's own plans and objectives although some of them are common.The main ones are Dragon , Sheveningen , Najdorf , Tajmanov/Kan and Pelikan(and God save me from the trolls of I forgot any).

Tajmanov and Kan are 2 variations that have very similar plans and often transpose.The characteristic is the eraly ...e6 and ...a6 and the delayed d6 so that to keep the option of developing Bf8 at c5 or b4 or in some cases at even at d6.Many times Black aims to pin Nc3 with ...Bb4 and create apressure on e4 or play an early ...d5.

Sheveningen is characterized by early ...d6 , ...e6 and short castling.Black's plan is to play at q-side as it is in 90% of the cases in Sicilian.

Najdorf is characterised by an early ...d6 and ...a6 and Black's main aim is to play ...e5(...a6 prevents Nb5) if and when possible(White can prevent it by playing directly against the about to be weakened d5 square with Bg5.In this case Black usually avoids e5)

Dragon is characterised by the k-side fianketo.Black's plan is to play on q-side.

Pelikan finally can be described probably as accelerated Najdorf.Black plays ...e5 quickly without caring about Nb5 or the weakness at d5 .His compensation is dynamic and his play might be on both sides of the board.

In all Sicilians black's plan is to play on q-side with moves like ...a6-b5-b4, doubling rooks on c-file and other manoeuvres like ...Na5-Nc4 or ...Ne5-Nc4.Black also is looking for chances to do the thematic central breaks ...e5 and ...d5(prefferably both , ususally first ...e5 with...d5 to follow).

Various transpositions are possible.For example Black mught start with Najodrf and fianketo his king bishop(the so called Dragandorf)or start as Najdorf and transpose to Sheveningen.

White usually attacks the k-side with moves like g4-h4 or the centre with moves like f5 and e5.

It's difficult to explain you Sicilian in one post.If you want we can play a takeback/unrated game(or more) and I will try to explain you the purpose of the moves.Message me if you are interested.

Not all Sicilians are about going down the c-file and a6-b5-b4.

The Taimanov is actually a very flexible opening. In some cases, Black might very will play b5 and b4 (a6 is almost automatic).

However, in many other lines, like the 8.Kh1 variation, for example, Black will often play ...h5 with ideas of ...Ng4 and possibly ...Nh6 and ...Nf5 if White has advanced ...e5. Often times those attacks are direct attacks on the Kingside.

There are actually a number of cases where Black castles Queenside or not at all in the Taimanov.