The moves of the afore mentioned defense are:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5
Sicilian Defense: Paulsen-Basman defense
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I am not pleased with Black's position in a couple of lines- especially this one:
Black is scoring horribly in practice- I guess that the certain type of positions Black wants to achieve should come easier via some other move order- say ...Nc6 and ...Qb6 (AKA Grivas Sicilian).
Thank you very much for the analysis IM pfren. May I ask what in that position you don't like? My only thought is that white has an open game and superior bishop. He prevents Qxe3 with the threat of Nc7+. Yet he will have a doubled pawn structure after fxe2. I think Qb6 is only a good option if white plays Nc3 after the Paulsen-Basman defense. It then threatens and pins white's knight on d4. If white plays something else, d5 or Nf6 seem like better options. I would prefer the latter. Have you any thoughts on this analysis?
This may prove to be a rather fruitful discussion. Thank you for your time.
Ah... it seems the bishop is too easily pushed away. Better to play Bc5 after the wing variation of the Kan defense.
@Chessdude007: Do you mean this line?
pfren wrote:
I am not pleased with Black's position in a couple of lines- especially this one:
Black is scoring horribly in practice- I guess that the certain type of positions Black wants to achieve should come easier via some other move order- say ...Nc6 and ...Qb6 (AKA Grivas Sicilian).
Yeah the lack of a darksquared bishop will be trouble later on. White's open lines toward infamous weak points like f5 and d5 don't help black either. 7...Qxe3+ 8.Be2 and the queen doesn't coordinate with anything else and will just be a springboard for giving white tempi.
What's wrong with keeping the bishop on e7 and going for a Hedgehog formation? The a6-b5 look a bit loose and I'd personally castle before embarking on this expansion first. Yes an early ...b5 is usually playable but I'm not comfortable with it since you have to watch out for nasty Nxb5 sacs, especially if they're objectively sound.
May 22, 2014
0
#8
Just play 4...a6 which is the Sicilian Kan, and then Bc5 after. I'm learning this defense at the moment, and have realized that the black dark squared bishop is a very influential piece.
This was played at Gibraltar this year.
For most the part moving your bishop before your knight in the opening is bad opening principle: why break good sound opening principle develop your knights first.
The line given by pfren is a double whammy refutation.
The Kveinys Variation is refuted by the same idea:
Jan 26, 2016
0
#12
Didn't a whole book just come out on this? I believe it's actually called the Basman-Sale Variation.
I think the book is called "The Lazy Man's Sicilian".
I don't own it. Don't plan to own it. The Taimanov and Najdorf work for me, and the only other one I've had some mild interest in is the Sveshnikov. But I can't imagine a book on this would have been published in mid-2015 if the whole system was busted!
ThrillerFan wrote:
Didn't a whole book just come out on this? I believe it's actually called the Basman-Sale Variation.
I think the book is called "The Lazy Man's Sicilian".
I don't own it. Don't plan to own it. The Taimanov and Najdorf work for me, and the only other one I've had some mild interest in is the Sveshnikov. But I can't imagine a book on this would have been published in mid-2015 if the whole system was busted!
True. The book suggests to play the following horrific variation as Black:
After 12.e5! the book offers either 12...f6, or 12...Nf5. The analysis does not mention either 12...f6 13.Qd2! which was played in a correspondence game back in 2007, or 12...Nf5 13.g4! Nd4 (13...b5 14.Nxb5) 14.Qd2 Qxc4 15.Qg5+ Ke8 16.Qxg7 Nxc2+ 17.Kd2 Qd4+ 18.Kxc2 Nb4+ 19.Kb3, when Black is completely lost in both cases. Relatively best is 12...f5, although after 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Qd2 Black won't survive for long, or 12...b5 13.Ne4 Qc7 14.Ncd6 with an extremely nasty bind.
Even if Black was not lost, it's apparent that the whole thing is the complete opposite of "The Lazy Man's Sicilian". A really Lazy Man would resign at move one, and avoid the torture!
FM Dennis Monokroussos also suggests 5 Be3 Qb6 6 b4! as a refutation on his blog.
UtterlyEgregious wrote:
FM Dennis Monokroussos also suggests 5 Be3 Qb6 6 b4! as a refutation on his blog.
I don't buy this one, sorry for that. Black looks OK after 6...Bxb4+ 7.c3 Be7!
Jan 26, 2016
0
#16
pfren wrote:
ThrillerFan wrote:
Didn't a whole book just come out on this? I believe it's actually called the Basman-Sale Variation.
I think the book is called "The Lazy Man's Sicilian".
I don't own it. Don't plan to own it. The Taimanov and Najdorf work for me, and the only other one I've had some mild interest in is the Sveshnikov. But I can't imagine a book on this would have been published in mid-2015 if the whole system was busted!
True. The book suggests to play the following horrific variation as Black:
After 12.e5! the book offers either 12...f6, or 12...Nf5. The analysis does not mention either 12...f6 13.Qd2! which was played in a correspondence game back in 2007, or 12...Nf5 13.g4! Nd4 (13...b5 14.Nxb5) 14.Qd2 Qxc4 15.Qg5+ Ke8 16.Qxg7 Nxc2+ 17.Kd2 Qd4+ 18.Kxc2 Nb4+ 19.Kb3, when Black is completely lost in both cases. Relatively best is 12...f5, although after 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Qd2 Black won't survive for long, or 12...b5 13.Ne4 Qc7 14.Ncd6 with an extremely nasty bind.
Even if Black was not lost, it's apparent that the whole thing is the complete opposite of "The Lazy Man's Sicilian". A really Lazy Man would resign at move one, and avoid the torture!
If I was forced to play this disgusting position, I would probably be inclined to play 12...Rf8, to recapture on f6 with the Rook, but with the abondoned h7 and g7 pawns, I agree, this position is absoutely disgusting.
I guess it's a good thing I've decided against even trying to play this.
Usually you can tell when a book is a sale's pitch and when it's legit analysis. Why would 2015 all of a sudden mark the birth of a whole new system when chess has been around for centuries? Someone finding a new novelty on move 23 in the Najdorf? Sure, that might happen! Move 4? C'Mon, Man!
12...Rf8 fails to the simple fork 13.Qd2 f6 14.exf6+ Rxf6 15.Ne4. White is an exchange up, and Black's development is comical.
Jan 26, 2016
0
#18
pfren wrote:
12...Rf8 fails to the simple fork 13.Qd2 f6 14.exf6+ Rxf6 15.Ne4. White is an exchange up, and Black's development is comical.
Yeah, that's true.
Of course, you also have got to love those beautiful Black pieces on c8 and a8!
What are those things anyway? The one on c8 looks like it's maybe a pawn. The one on a8, a King maybe?
I can't understand why they aren't going anywhere? 
It looks as 5.Nb5! is a refutation of this variation, but of course white has to do some homework first.
Jun 15, 2016
0
#20
Mr Basman taught this opening to me in 1977. The early versions brought the Bishop to C5, knight to e7, O-O, and then other moves.... quick development in the open sicilian....
I have played this opening for lots of years.... the key is to get in d5 and get the light squared Bishop and Queen's Rook into the game. It is a fun opening to play with lots of tactics and surprize element.
Often f5 enters into the attack and even an exchange sac Bxf8 with black getting B plus two pawns for the Rook...
Enjoy,
Why is this opening not studied or discussed more? If white responded to this defense with Nc3 (likely its strongest move as it discourages Nf6), what would you play? Does anyone care to comment on Qb6 as a reply to Nc3?