Taimanov Sicilian

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Avatar of Knights132

I am planning on switching from my current defense against e4, the Caro-Kann, to the Taimanov Sicilian. I liked to play the Caro-Kann until I was being crushed due to passivity in the Advance Variation. Could someone give me an overview of the Taimanov or other Sicilians I could play that are positional?

Avatar of Knights132

Well okay fine. Here is a typical situation when the squeeze on the kingside in Caro-Kann becomes too much during later stages of the game. 

With that being said, I want sharper play. The Caro-Kann does not fit that description leading to my original question.

Avatar of Yigor

Why Taimanov and not Dragon or Najdorf ?!?

Avatar of Vinguden

Because the dragon have been replaced by the dog. The dog is simply better and more reliable. Check it out. 

Avatar of Vinguden
Yigor skrev:

Why Taimanov and not Dragon or Najdorf ?!?

Do u understand?

Avatar of Michael-Holm

Sign up to chessable and use their free book to learn the opening. Here's the link:

https://www.chessable.com/short-sweet-the-taimanov-sicilian/course/7385/

Alternatively you can look into playing the Kan variation. That's what I play. It's very similar to the Taimanov and they often transpose into the same positions. Here's the link for that book:

 https://www.chessable.com/course/8992/

Avatar of Vinguden
Vicariously-I skrev:

Sign up to naughtymilfs and use their free trial to learn the openings of certain areas. Here's the link:

https://www.chessable.com/short-sweet-the-taimanov-sicilian/course/7385/

Alternatively you can look into playing the Kans admirable pubichair. That's what I play with. It's very similar to the Taimanov-djungle and they often transpose into the same varieties of naughty stuff. Here's the link for that book:

 https://www.chessable.com/course/8992/

What do u mean by all this dude

Avatar of Michael-Holm

@Vinguden I don't see the point in changing what I wrote. Do you think you're funny? Because you're really not.

Avatar of Vinguden

I did not Mr. I assure u its is fake news.

Avatar of Michael-Holm

@Vinguden I just reported you. I won't respond further.

Avatar of kindaspongey

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7070.pdf

Avatar of StinkingHyena

If you want sharper, look at the e5 sicilians. They are all sharp. The Lowenthal is the probably the most dubious, but probably a draw with best play from black (white has to fight through some hairy tactics but ends up in a better position). The other e5s Kalishnikov, Scheshnikov various lines of others, are solid and about as sharp as it comes. Learn them all as a system (the ideas kinda build on one another). If white plays an open sicilian it wont be a boring game.

Avatar of Knights132

I do not want super sharp, just a little sharp. I prefer strategic games where there are many positional imbalances.

Avatar of StinkingHyena

Fair enough, but the way I see its usually whites choice in the type of game you get. Otherwise we would never see the exchange french and slav, the alapin or any of those other soul draining, wake me when its my turn lines. wink.png

Avatar of kindaspongey

"In chess there are two distinct approaches to playing the opening with Black. The first is to try and negate White's advantage of moving first through careful, no-nonsense play. The second, more risky strategy is to counterattack at once, … The Caro-Kann, with the exception of one or two sidelines, belongs firmly to the first group. It is an opening that should appeal to those who like a solid structure with relatively easy development and do not consider a draw with Black to be an unmitigated disaster. This doesn't mean that the game will not become complicated, just that the onus is mainly on White to sharpen things up." - GM Joe Gallagher (2002)

Avatar of kaspariano

I used to play the Taimanov, and the sicilian kan.  I gave up on both, I found that in most cases with these defenses if you are not ready to give up your dark squares bishop for the knight (on c3) you are just bluffing.  And when you give up the bishop for the knight, most times you have to be too careful not to lose.  If you keep the bishop, you might have as well played some other variation of the sicilian in the first place anyways.  Those are some of the reasons I decided for the e5 sicilians instead...  

Avatar of IMKeto

I am currently working my way through the chessable book: Short and Sweet - The Taimanov.

Avatar of Lucky_Pawns

I agree with you, i don't like too with the passive positions