Very Interesting Line in the Sicilian

Ever since I started out playing chess, I've been employing some sort of uncommon variation in the Sicilian. It started out as me just playing this line by accident, but I continued playing it and found some interesting ideas.

After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4, I play 3. ...Nf6. I looked it up in my engine and it says it's a book move, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone use this variation. I've analyzed this variation every month or so because I really wanted to see the reason behind its unpopularity. My analyses never showed any huge problems for Black - in fact, I very much like the positions I get. 

Today, I decided that I'd really like to know what's going on in this line. I've added some of the variations I've analyzed: 

What do you guys think?

black doesnt know how to play

-nothing else

Bump 

http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=599014781

So I checked my database and in 2 games 3. ...Nf6 was played. I could put the games here but I'm bad with chess.com forum lol 

One was actually with two strong players (2206 vs 2063). The game went like yours but white played 6. a3 as a deviation to what you have. White won the game though (as well as the other with lower rated players).

However, just by looking at it I don't see that it is a bad move but computer gives an edge to white so...

Cool I got it!

Such an idea works more effectively in this way: 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 Nf6.

Black's position after 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Nc3 may be even uglier than its looks (Houdini evaluates this as +0.98, but I'm pretty sure white is already close to winning).

You are getting 5c3 as a book move, because it transposing to a known line of 2c3 Alapin sicilian, covered in for example Delchev's book on "Safest sicilian". It's far better for white to play 5c4 though, and don't really see the motivation for avoiding 3...pxp.

In my most recent standard games on this site (I've only played 7 OTB games and never used this line), I really have already abandoned this line because I felt it was a bit "off." As hard as it is for me, considering I've played this line for such a long time, I think I'm going to almost completely abandon it, only using it occasionally in my bullet games (maybe in blitz as well...). It's a nice surprise in bullet, but I doubt I'm going to continue being comfortable in the positions I'm getting now that I'm much higher rated. 

@Gugajrf: Yeah, if White plays a bit correctly he should be getting an edge out of the first four moves of the opening, haha. However, as pfren mentioned, engines give this position as being almost a pawn up for White. 

@ghostofmaroczy: Yeah, as I was looking my line up, the databases thought I meant d6 instead of e6. Your suggested version is indeed quite a lot better, and I should probably consider playing it. I like the SIcilian, but I hate theory; I know you're obviously going to have to know SOME theory, but I prefer to avoid the Dragon and other such extremely highly complicated variations.

@pfren: Indeed, instead of 6. d5, a move Rybka recommends at much lower depths, going with Bg5 seems to give White a 0.73 advantage at depth 20. Out of curiosity, at what depth does Houdini give 0.98?

@TwoMove: Hmm, I'm not very familiar with theory, though I should have known that this transposes to the Alapin. 

After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. c4 Nb6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Nc3, Rybka doesn't evaluate this position too kindly...

I'm guessing that the problem of this line is that after c5 and e6, you can't play d6, which is the move that should be played to avoid all of these positional problems Black faces. With d6, you'd have something like the Alekhine, where White's huge space advantage still gives Black a fully playable position, correct?

So, is 2. d6 perfectly playable, or should I abandon this idea altogether? 

Thanks

It was at 32-ply, which is the absolute minimum I am using at correspondence chess (not here of course- at LSS, where engine usage is allowed).

Black's main problem is developing his queenside. If Black swaps on d4, then white takes back with queen, and after an eventual Qd4-d6 the only way for Black to develop his queenside is reposting that clumsy b6 knight- but there are no good squares for it...

Sure enough, the nature of white's advantage is purely static, and Black might be able to find a mid-term way to develop, and eventually equalize. However, in practice this is far, far from being an easy task. I do not think it's wise to enter such a line as Black.

Yes, perhaps the computer gives too much credit to White, but it definitely is a lot better for White. As I mentioned, I'm realizing the errors of this line as I climb up the rating ladder, so I'm only going to use it as a surprise weapon for speed games now and then. However, as ghostofmaroczy mentioned, can't I just play 2. ...d6 instead of e6 and test out the resulting positions? I can memorize endless lines, but until I'm at a much higher level, I prefer to avoid the Dragon and Najdorf. So, for now, I've been playing this line with 2. ...d6 instead and the 2. ...e6 Sicilian without 3. ...Nf6. 

I don't get how you can avoid the mainlines after 2...d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3. Black has no good alternative to 4...cd4 which leads straight to the mainlines after 5.Nxd4.

I don't want to avoid mainlines; I just want to avoid endless theoretical battles. My definition of a theoretical battle is as follows: the first person to "go out of book" will get a losing or worse position. I just want to play chess, and that's why playing the Grunfeld doesn't appeal too much to me (for now). You're right, though; the 2. ...d6 idea will obviously transpose to more common waters, so I should probably just  play cxd4 from the get go. 

Meh, I guess the point of this thread is moot. I like to play 2. ...e6 and I guess I'll just go into the Taimanov, but I don't mind Classical Sicilians either. I'm glad I analyzed this line, though, so that people can learn from my errors...This 3. ...Nf6 idea is an interesting one, and at least now I know that the space advantage confers huge benefits (most of the times...)!

If play more normal e6 sicilians can use that line of Alapin after 5c3. White doesn't have any transposition tricks to avoid it, and doesn't allow white to simplify the position, so suitable for play against weaker opponents. Am learning it myself, but not finding the positions that easy to play. The main continuations are 7a3 intending bd3 which used to be thought advantageous for white but 7...bd7 intending bc6 is ok for black, or 7Bc4 then 7...Nb6 8Bd3, or 8Bb3, or maybe the more interesting 7...Nc6 because BxN is rarely good for white.

I apologize, TwoMove, but I don't seem to understand what line you're talking about. Where would 5. c3 come in? 

ChessMN16 I realize this is your thread, but may I address BettorOffSingle?  1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 c4 as he suggested allows Black to equalize with 3...e5.

The position after 5c3 in your orginal diagram can be reached after 1.e4 c5 2c3 Nf6 3e5 Nd5 4 d4 pxp 5pxp e6.

@BetterOffSingle: I usually don't have too many problems with theory as White because I just follow a "system" against basically all Sicilians: Bc4, Be3, Qd2, knights to their usual squares, etc. Of course, this is a good set-up against the Dragon, so if I make sure to play solid moves, I can avoid much of the theory required to play against the Dragon. However, due to following this setup, I almost never play Ndb5 in the Sveshnikov (I return my knight to its usual square), which gives Black easy equality. 

So, my point is, I don't really face many problems with the White side (now that I've also learned a bit about the Sveshnikov and don't need to follow "my system"), but I do really like your idea about playing c4 as some sort of auto-pilot move. I will definitely start employing this idea in my games, as I usually like Botvinnik setups.

So, I will play (1. e4 c5 2. c4) occasionally if I feel I want to go into more positional waters, but my main problem lies with the Black side of the Sicilian, so that's why I posted the line in the OP: I want to see how to improve my play as Black. 

I think I'm going to stick with the Taimanov or maybe even the Kan. Yes, I really like the 2. ...e6 Sicilian. However, I am open to other suggestions. The Queen's Indian Defense appeals to me, but wouldn't it require too much study? I'm not so sure. 

Anyway, again,  thanks for the suggestion. I don't mind a positional battle now and again, so I'll definitely be incorporating the Botvinnik into my repertoire (of course I have to learn some ideas first). 

Also: http://www.chess.com/article/view/accelerated-dragon-maroczy-bind

http://www.chess.com/article/view/more-maroczy-amp-making-master

@ghostofmaroczy: Hmm, I'm not so sure about 3. c4. 2. c4 seems better to transpose to the Botvinnik...with 3. c4, I think you give Black too many chances. 3. c4 is probably not for me. 

@ TwoMove: Yes, I will definitely be using this line when I'm confronted with the Alapin! However, against the Alapin, I usually go for e6 and d5, which is quite playable according to my sources. I like your idea as well, though (which is apparently the main line) - I'm definitely going to be using both lines against the Alapin. I think I can afford to study some openings now that I don't fall for one-move mates and have better understanding of the positions I get. 

As a final note, I prefer the Sicilian against 1. e4 and the Horwitz against 1. d4 (1. d4 e6 transposes to basically everything). With the Horwitz, I usually go into the French, Nimzo-Indian, or Tarrasch. So, I think I found the opening repertoire that suits me, but I just want to add the final touches.

Thanks again for all the help. 

After 1.e4 c5 2Nf3 e6 3c3 (with this move order white can avoid the more traditional Nf6 lines in Alapin) have had more sucess with 3...d5 too. After 4e5 black choose transpose to advance French, whilst an early d4 line is playable too. 4pxp is more of a problem if need to win. 4...pxp leads to very solid Tarrasch French type positions, were if white plays  d4xc5 black can keep bishop on c5-f2 diagonal instead of being played to d6 like normal, because c3 not a developing move. Maybe 4...Qxp is more ambitious though.

Yes, thank you very much for the helpful analyses, TwoMove. I've been seeing quite a bit of the Alapin lately!