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Sicilian Defense - Taimanov Variation with 5.Nxc6
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Thank you, Gabor!
Feb 12, 2025
0
#10
You play the QGA too, right?
We have basically the same repertoire. Though I play the a6 taimanov - not sure which one you're playing.
And I switched from the QGA to the slav because I think the slav punishes harder when black goes wrong, but both lines are amazing.
If I was a masters player though... maybe I'd go back to the QGA, I'm not sure.
Chameleon slav is also on the list.
Of all the sicilians I find the taimanov is the most complex + the least explored.
Optimissed wrote:
It might be ok after 6. e5 but that pawn can be challenged, I should have thought. If not 6. e5 then 6. ...d5 equalises. However, black can play ...dc surely?
6.e5 doesn't work for White because of 6...Qa5+ and the e5 pawn is lost. What do you mean by ...dc? 5...dc? It is bad, Black should play 5...bxc6 as you can see in the video. 
crazedrat1000 wrote:
You play the QGA too, right?
We have basically the same repertoire. Though I play the a6 taimanov - not sure which one you're playing.
And I switched from the QGA to the slav because I think the slav punishes harder when black goes wrong, but both lines are amazing.
If I was a masters player though... maybe I'd go back to the QGA, I'm not sure.
Chameleon slav is also on the list.
Of all the sicilians I find the taimanov is the most complex + the least explored.
I don't play the Queen's Gambit Accepted with Black, I play 2...c6. You say the slav punishes harder when black goes wrong, but I think you meant '...white goes wrong'. Slav is Black's opening.
Regarding the Taimanov, in which move do you play ...a6?
Optimissed wrote:
I've just spent 10 mins looking at 5. ...dc. I think that if ever Nxc6 became a main line, then people would be looking very hard at ...dc. It may be the way for black to play for a win. So black would have a choice: ...cd to ensure the draw but ...dc to try for the win.
The Slav, played well, is a fearsome weapon. But I get a lot of wins against it when people play an early ....Bf5, thinking they're developing the bishop. Or even worse and excruciatingly horrible for black, an early ...Bg4.
Sorry, I'm not sure that we are talking about the same position... The starting moves are: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nxc6. After 5...dxc6, White just plays 6.Qxd8, so the Black king has to capture back and cannot castle. The pawn structure is symmetrical and your king is stuck in the middle. Why would it be a good way to play for a win for Black? 5...bxc6 is definitely a better option because it strengthens the center and creates an asymmetry in the position.
Optimissed wrote:
Bgabor91 wrote:
Optimissed wrote:
I've just spent 10 mins looking at 5. ...dc. I think that if ever Nxc6 became a main line, then people would be looking very hard at ...dc. It may be the way for black to play for a win. So black would have a choice: ...cd to ensure the draw but ...dc to try for the win.
The Slav, played well, is a fearsome weapon. But I get a lot of wins against it when people play an early ....Bf5, thinking they're developing the bishop. Or even worse and excruciatingly horrible for black, an early ...Bg4.
Sorry, I'm not sure that we are talking about the same position... The starting moves are: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nxc6. After 5...dxc6, White just plays 6.Qxd8, so the Black king has to capture back and cannot castle. The pawn structure is symmetrical and your king is stuck in the middle. Why would it be a good way to play for a win for Black? 5...bxc6 is definitely a better option because it strengthens the center and creates an asymmetry in the position.
It's playable for black in my opinion. The structure is complex enough to try to win with as black.
I should try another way, though. Can you prove that it's a forced win for white after ...dc? If not, then it looks like it can be used to attempt to win with black.
I didn't say that there is a forced win for White after 5...dxc6, I'm just saying that White is better after that. By that logic, we could also say that you should play 1.e4 f5 with Black because there isn't a forced win for White after that. 
Optimissed wrote:
I think white's better but not that much better. The engine here is suggesting about 0.64. It's a position I'd be interested in playing from the black side & I don't think it's as bad as 1. e4 ... f5.
There are some who think that 1. g4 is a forced loss for white but I don't buy it. What do you think??
It is not a forced loss.
Feb 13, 2025
0
#17
Bgabor91 wrote:
Regarding the Taimanov, in which move do you play ...a6?
Do you play the slav or semi-slav? And what do you play as white?
Taimanov is a great line. I'm playing 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6
(some poor developer broke the embedded board, otherwise I'd show you)
I usually transpose back into the bastrikov, however against 6. Be3 I play Nf6 and it's more of a pseudo four knights position, which in a few cases can transpose later.
But for the main line - by move 10 black has novelties, it's very underexplored. I haven't had anyone play the sharpest continuation yet, it could change as I climb but... I'm not that worried.
I also find the position is very volatile, small errors often result in pretty radical swings in the eval.
All things I like about it.
Feb 13, 2025
0
#18
Optimissed wrote:
The Slav, played well, is a fearsome weapon. But I get a lot of wins against it when people play an early ....Bf5, thinking they're developing the bishop. Or even worse and excruciatingly horrible for black, an early ...Bg4.
Your move, good sir (ideally without the engine) -
Though most people play 3. Nc3, I just play dxc4 and it's a sharp game.
In most of these slav lines black is outscoring white, often by wide margins.
In most of these slav lines black is outscoring white, often by wide margins.
Dear Chess Friends,
I started uploading my opening repertoire to my Patreon channel. If you want a strong repertoire for yourself, I highly recommend you to watch my videos in which I talk about opening lines and I explain middlegame strategies, too. I checked my lines with Stockfish, so they are completely reliable.
In this video, I'm talking about the Taimanov Variation with 5.Nxc6 in the Sicilian Defense (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Hxc6). Here is the link to that: https://www.patreon.com/posts/sicilian-defense-122117635?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
I hope you'll find it useful. If you like it and you want to see my private educational videos, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel. I upload 4-6 hours of videos / month and you can learn about openings, strategies, tactics and endgames, too. I also upload daily puzzles in 4 levels every day.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to write to me.
Kind regards,
Gabor