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What should White do against the Sicilian Kan?

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Jim1

While I enjoy playing most open Sicilian positions with White I have difficulty coming up with a plan against the Sicilian Kan. The setup doesn't appear to have any obvious weaknesses. What's particularly annoying is the immediate freedom Black has with his dark squared Bishop. I guess 5th move choices for White include 5 c4, 5.Nc3, and 5.Bd3. I'm not sure which is best. Does anyone know of any books or videos that look at the Kan from White's point of view?

Ziggy_Zugzwang

Well there's Beating The Sicilian by Nunn. I played the Kan myself for a while and have more chess books than sense :-) New in Chess covers 5c4 against the Kan over two volumes, and I must admit, it's what I like as white. Andrew Martin covers the Kan in A Foxy video from a black perspective, but is fair to white and and goes over a Kasparov Kramnik game ending in a draw. that white could have won.

 

From a white perspective against the Sicilian myself, I have developed the notion that maturity against the Sicilian involves playing c4/Maroczy 'squeezing' on the queenside strategies that are confounding to the first player after perhaps the kingside attack positions white gets from a pawn on c2 and knight on c3- viz 'usual open Sicilian positions' - by the same token as black, I like an e4 player's reluctance to entertain c4 strategies.

toiyabe

I prefer 5.c4.  Make black show that he understands how to play against the Maroczy.  

kindaspongey

Possibly of interest:
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7671.pdf

SmithyQ

The advantage of playing Bd3 over an immediate c4 is that you avoid any Bb4 ideas.  You play Bd3, Qe2 is necessary, 0-0 and only then c4.  True, most standard Maroczy positions have the Bishop on e2, but d3 has its pros as well, including assisting the advance f4-f5.  Indeed, these types of positions tend to be more aggressive versions of the bind, where White both tries to clamp down on Black's play while also keeping eyes on the Kingside.

I made a YouTube video awhile back that shows this set-up in action, if you are interested.

pwnsrppl2

If you are a positional player, c4 is a good choice, but when I played the Kan, for me, at least, at the class A level, I found Bd3 with a kingside attack really the most strenuous test.

Ziggy_Zugzwang

@Pfren. Does Mr Kotronias cover the Pin variation and the Sicilian Four Knights ?

TwoMove

Yes, everything e6 sicilian.

Ziggy_Zugzwang

Thanks happy.png

MervynS
kindaspongey wrote:

This link provided above by kindaspongey has the intro to pfren's preferred book

unusualkid

I play the Kan and the line I actually like playing against the most is c4...

chessletsplayer

 

Yurda
chessletsplayer wrote:

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