top 5 responses to the Sicilian ranked - Chess Forums - Page 8

Ilampozhil25

Jun 7, 2023

0

#141

never said i would do that

just saying your question makes no sense

for whom is the open sicilian best?

gms

thats a valid answer if i take your question at face value

SamuelAjedrez95

Jun 7, 2023

0

#142

Chuck639 wrote:

Ilampozhil25 wrote:

top or best for the little known people called gms

Is that who you follow?

If this GM plays that, so will I?

Theres a big gap between 2500 to 900 where knowledge and ideas don’t even apply or impractical.

I think you are severely misunderstanding the topic and purpose of this thread. The purpose of this thread was to rank the responses to the Sicilian purely based on quality.

What a beginner should or shouldn't play or how often it's played isn't a factor.

Chuck639

Jun 7, 2023

0

#143

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

You clearly miss the point and don’t follow.

No, you are not following and now are making nothing arguments.

"You should believe what I believe"

"Well I don't because of x reason"

"Aw man, you just don't get it"

Rhetorical argument.

What is the topic of this thread?

I don’t agree #1 is the Open Sicilian because I only see it a minority of the time at the 1600-2000 bracket. Even OTB I rarely see it. Which is one reason I dropped the Najdorf from rapid play.

I don’t see #2 or #3 because I don’t play the Old Variation.

May be you see more Open Sicilians at the 900-1200 bracket?

May be the situation is just unique to you.

This logic doesn’t hold up though. I see the Marshall QGD and the Baltic more commonly than the Slav and Semi-Slav in the 1700-1900 bracket, but that does NOT make them better defenses, all it does is artificially inflate my ELO.

It’s hard to say in your situation because you’re a d4 player.

E4 is the most popular opening so the sample size would be larger and more accurate, if not, conclusive.

Sure but this point still stands back when I was an e4 player. I genuinely saw more Czech/Small Center Pirc games than French games total, more Owen’s games than Caro-Kann games, more Philidor games than Petrovs and Nc6 games, more Old Steinitz games than Morphy and Berlin games, et cetera. People will always play objectively worse openings for one reason or another, but they’re still objectively worse openings.

If you want to be objective, do what helps you. Being influenced by YT and worshipping GMs isn’t the way to go about it.

I play Nf3 or c4 because it’s “best” for me, even though e4 is the most popular opening and some would argue the best opening.

Ethan_Brollier

Jun 7, 2023

0

#144

KingVandheer wrote:

Ethan_Brollier yazdı:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

You clearly miss the point and don’t follow.

No, you are not following and now are making nothing arguments.

"You should believe what I believe"

"Well I don't because of x reason"

"Aw man, you just don't get it"

Rhetorical argument.

What is the topic of this thread?

I don’t agree #1 is the Open Sicilian because I only see it a minority of the time at the 1600-2000 bracket. Even OTB I rarely see it. Which is one reason I dropped the Najdorf from rapid play.

I don’t see #2 or #3 because I don’t play the Old Variation.

May be you see more Open Sicilians at the 900-1200 bracket?

May be the situation is just unique to you.

This logic doesn’t hold up though. I see the Marshall QGD and the Baltic more commonly than the Slav and Semi-Slav in the 1700-1900 bracket, but that does NOT make them better defenses, all it does is artificially inflate my ELO.

It’s hard to say in your situation because you’re a d4 player.

E4 is the most popular opening so the sample size would be larger and more accurate, if not, conclusive.

Sure but this point still stands back when I was an e4 player. I genuinely saw more Czech/Small Center Pirc games than French games total, more Owen’s games than Caro-Kann games, more Philidor games than Petrovs and Nc6 games, more Old Steinitz games than Morphy and Berlin games, et cetera. People will always play objectively worse openings for one reason or another, but they’re still objectively worse openings.

I am seething just by reading Czech Pirc. Why do people play that damned thing. The rest of your list is enough to ruin my day.

Yeah I switched to d4 because of all that nonsense. Haven’t looked back and jumped from 1550 to 1750 in like a week.

Ilampozhil25

Jun 7, 2023

0

#145

ok chuck ill worship you, as youre saying....

also you just said that everyone should play like you; or atleast none of the best openings

gms play ruy too, so i shouldnt play it?

SamuelAjedrez95

Jun 7, 2023

0

#146

Chuck639 wrote:

If you want to be objective, do what helps you. Being influenced by YT and worshipping GMs isn’t the way to go about it.

Exactly. Worshipping GMs and YT is bad. Worship Chuck instead.

Chuck639

Jun 7, 2023

0

#147

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ilampozhil25 wrote:

top or best for the little known people called gms

Is that who you follow?

If this GM plays that, so will I?

Theres a big gap between 2500 to 900 where knowledge and ideas don’t even apply or impractical.

I think you are severely misunderstanding the topic and purpose of this thread. The purpose of this thread was to rank the responses to the Sicilian purely based on quality.

What a beginner should or shouldn't play or how often it's played isn't a factor.

Beginners make up about 80% of this site, that’s a big factor.

Ethan_Brollier

Jun 7, 2023

0

#148

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

You clearly miss the point and don’t follow.

No, you are not following and now are making nothing arguments.

"You should believe what I believe"

"Well I don't because of x reason"

"Aw man, you just don't get it"

Rhetorical argument.

What is the topic of this thread?

I don’t agree #1 is the Open Sicilian because I only see it a minority of the time at the 1600-2000 bracket. Even OTB I rarely see it. Which is one reason I dropped the Najdorf from rapid play.

I don’t see #2 or #3 because I don’t play the Old Variation.

May be you see more Open Sicilians at the 900-1200 bracket?

May be the situation is just unique to you.

This logic doesn’t hold up though. I see the Marshall QGD and the Baltic more commonly than the Slav and Semi-Slav in the 1700-1900 bracket, but that does NOT make them better defenses, all it does is artificially inflate my ELO.

It’s hard to say in your situation because you’re a d4 player.

E4 is the most popular opening so the sample size would be larger and more accurate, if not, conclusive.

Sure but this point still stands back when I was an e4 player. I genuinely saw more Czech/Small Center Pirc games than French games total, more Owen’s games than Caro-Kann games, more Philidor games than Petrovs and Nc6 games, more Old Steinitz games than Morphy and Berlin games, et cetera. People will always play objectively worse openings for one reason or another, but they’re still objectively worse openings.

If you want to be objective, do what helps you. Being influenced by YT and worshipping GMs isn’t the way to go about it.

I play Nf3 or c4 because it’s “best” for me, even though e4 is the most popular opening and some would argue the best opening.

Yeah I completely agree. I don’t watch YT videos or listen to GMs to learn openings, I do my own analysis and see what works for me and I often don’t choose to play mainlines. However, I recognize that they aren’t mainlines and may be slightly dubious at top level.
e4 is a holdover from a bygone generation. I’d make an argument for it being the 4th best opening. The English is best, Reti is second, d4 in third, and e4 in fourth imo

SamuelAjedrez95

Jun 7, 2023

0

#149

Copy Chuck. Play what Chuck plays. Play what Chuck tells you to play.

All hail great leader Chuck.

Chuck639

Jun 7, 2023

0

#150

Ilampozhil25 wrote:

ok chuck ill worship you, as youre saying....

also you just said that everyone should play like you; or atleast none of the best openings

gms play ruy too, so i shouldnt play it?

Do you understand it?

e4 is arguably the best opening and I wouldn’t argue with it, but I don’t play it because I don’t understand it.

SamuelAjedrez95

Jun 7, 2023

0

#151

Chuck639 wrote:

The purpose of this thread was to rank the responses to the Sicilian purely based on quality.

What a beginner should or shouldn't play or how often it's played isn't a factor.

Beginners make up about 80% of this site, that’s a big factor.

I'm going to say it now: You're totally missing the point.

Chuck639

Jun 7, 2023

0

#152

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Copy Chuck. Play what Chuck plays. Play what Chuck tells you to play.

All hail great leader Chuck.

What is wrong with you? Stop that…

TheSampson

Jun 7, 2023

0

#153

Our great leader! Apologies for our utter insolence, our master. The Andras Toth kingdom had corrupted us, to even touch the… *shivers*…. Najdorf Sicilian….

SamuelAjedrez95

Jun 7, 2023

0

#154

Yes! Chuck knows best!

SamuelAjedrez95

Jun 7, 2023

0

#155

Sorry master Chuck. I should have never listened to an impure youtuber over your holy doctrine.

Chuck639

Jun 7, 2023

0

#156

TheSampson wrote:

Our great leader! Apologies for our utter insolence, our master. The Andras Toth kingdom had corrupted us, to even touch the… *shivers*…. Najdorf Sicilian….

Play what you understand, and if that’s the Najdorf…..

TheSampson

Jun 7, 2023

0

#157

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Sorry master Chuck. I should have never listened to an impure youtuber over your holy doctrine.

We have gone astray, but, nonetheless, we have returned to our great master, our holy leader, whose wisdom is matched by none but gospel!

Chuck639

Jun 7, 2023

0

#158

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

You clearly miss the point and don’t follow.

No, you are not following and now are making nothing arguments.

"You should believe what I believe"

"Well I don't because of x reason"

"Aw man, you just don't get it"

Rhetorical argument.

What is the topic of this thread?

I don’t agree #1 is the Open Sicilian because I only see it a minority of the time at the 1600-2000 bracket. Even OTB I rarely see it. Which is one reason I dropped the Najdorf from rapid play.

I don’t see #2 or #3 because I don’t play the Old Variation.

May be you see more Open Sicilians at the 900-1200 bracket?

May be the situation is just unique to you.

This logic doesn’t hold up though. I see the Marshall QGD and the Baltic more commonly than the Slav and Semi-Slav in the 1700-1900 bracket, but that does NOT make them better defenses, all it does is artificially inflate my ELO.

It’s hard to say in your situation because you’re a d4 player.

E4 is the most popular opening so the sample size would be larger and more accurate, if not, conclusive.

Sure but this point still stands back when I was an e4 player. I genuinely saw more Czech/Small Center Pirc games than French games total, more Owen’s games than Caro-Kann games, more Philidor games than Petrovs and Nc6 games, more Old Steinitz games than Morphy and Berlin games, et cetera. People will always play objectively worse openings for one reason or another, but they’re still objectively worse openings.

If you want to be objective, do what helps you. Being influenced by YT and worshipping GMs isn’t the way to go about it.

I play Nf3 or c4 because it’s “best” for me, even though e4 is the most popular opening and some would argue the best opening.

Yeah I completely agree. I don’t watch YT videos or listen to GMs to learn openings, I do my own analysis and see what works for me and I often don’t choose to play mainlines. However, I recognize that they aren’t mainlines and may be slightly dubious at top level.
e4 is a holdover from a bygone generation. I’d make an argument for it being the 4th best opening. The English is best, Reti is second, d4 in third, and e4 in fourth imo

I’ve witnessed people switched from e4 to d4 with success as well.

Ethan_Brollier

Jun 7, 2023

0

#159

KingVandheer wrote:

Ethan_Brollier yazdı:

KingVandheer wrote:

Ethan_Brollier yazdı:

Chuck639 wrote:

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

SamuelAjedrez95 wrote:

Chuck639 wrote:

You clearly miss the point and don’t follow.

No, you are not following and now are making nothing arguments.

"You should believe what I believe"

"Well I don't because of x reason"

"Aw man, you just don't get it"

Rhetorical argument.

What is the topic of this thread?

I don’t agree #1 is the Open Sicilian because I only see it a minority of the time at the 1600-2000 bracket. Even OTB I rarely see it. Which is one reason I dropped the Najdorf from rapid play.

I don’t see #2 or #3 because I don’t play the Old Variation.

May be you see more Open Sicilians at the 900-1200 bracket?

May be the situation is just unique to you.

This logic doesn’t hold up though. I see the Marshall QGD and the Baltic more commonly than the Slav and Semi-Slav in the 1700-1900 bracket, but that does NOT make them better defenses, all it does is artificially inflate my ELO.

It’s hard to say in your situation because you’re a d4 player.

E4 is the most popular opening so the sample size would be larger and more accurate, if not, conclusive.

Sure but this point still stands back when I was an e4 player. I genuinely saw more Czech/Small Center Pirc games than French games total, more Owen’s games than Caro-Kann games, more Philidor games than Petrovs and Nc6 games, more Old Steinitz games than Morphy and Berlin games, et cetera. People will always play objectively worse openings for one reason or another, but they’re still objectively worse openings.

I am seething just by reading Czech Pirc. Why do people play that damned thing. The rest of your list is enough to ruin my day.

Yeah I switched to d4 because of all that nonsense. Haven’t looked back and jumped from 1550 to 1750 in like a week.

Thats a serious change in ratings wtf many people dont go that high in years. What could be changed for 200 points increase? Maybe it you could express yourself better when people were unable to play annoying stuff? Though there are some gimmicks against d4 too it seems.

This sort of thing is normal, I started at 1000 about a year and a half ago, so at this rate I’ll hit 2000 by late November, and this is all steady growth.
I started with nothing and hovered 950-1050. Learned the basics of the Ruy Lopez as both colors and jumped to 1050-1150.
Learned the Polerio as Black and jumped to 1150-1250.
Learned the London as White and jumped to 1250-1350.
Learned the Caro-Kann and Benko as Black and jumped to 1350-1450.
Learned the Sicilian and KID as Black and jumped to 1450-1550.
Learned the French as Black and jumped to 1550-1650.
Learned d4 as White, Semi-Slav against d4, and French against e4, jumped to 1650-1750 and that’s been my repertoire ever since.
I’m currently looking into the Nimzo-Indian as a possibility to learn next time I get bored.

exceptionalfork

Jun 7, 2023

0

#160

TheSampson wrote:

1. Open Sicilian

Do I even have to explain this? It’s the mainline for a reason, absolute 10/10

2. Rossolimo

Probably the most solid anti-Sicilian, and the best move according to the engine (I think), making it #2.

3. Tiviakov

I’m shaky on this one, but it seems really solid and it apparently aims to play f4 and Nf3, gaining a somewhat spacious position.

4. Alapin

The Alapin and it’s divert counterpart are kind of dry imo but definitely not bad.

5. Closed Sicilian

I ranked it this low because white actually gets a space crunch here, especially on the queen side. Usually, the pawn storm doesn’t get through, and white’s left with a hopeless position.

please give any feedback you see fit, I may have misordered (especially with the Tiviakov) but that’s up for you to decide

Seems like a pretty accurate list. I've never heard of the Tiviakov until today, but it looks interesting. Might try it out at some point.