@ pfren : i was thinking like u until i watch database and notice that no top GM play this way with black and usually tranpose into symmetrical english.
I dont know what is the problem with your variation which seems logical and efficient, but there must be something...
Me guesses the FM was drunk when authoring the video.
pfren: If you're going to be nasty, I wonder if you were drunk when you wrote your comment.
FM Szuveges was perfectly clear (and sober) that he was offering the average player, who doesn't much time for opening study, "an alternative system which will give you a reasonable position where you can fight it out based on the chess."
Furthermore, Szuveges said straight-out that it wasn't the best line for White and wouldn't be suitable for GM play.
There is no best response, just as there is no best first opening move. I don't buy the whole best-by-test baloney.
More than once, I have seen this quote attributed to Bent Larsen. Anyone know the origin?
"Almost everyone plays 3 d4. But isn't that a positional error? I am not joking. I like my centre pawns, and I like a d-pawn better than a c-pawn. Well then, isn't 3 d4 something like a cheap trap? I know it can be combined with purely strategical ideas, but I find it easier to discuss strategy when I have an extra centre pawn!"
"... it sometimes occurs to me that I should play open Sicilians as White! Once or twice I have tried to act on these more unrealistic notions: at one time I spent a number of weeks trying to learn the Botvinnik Variation of the Semi-Slav as White. The first game in which I actually played this was an unmitigated disaster." - GM Nigel Davies (2010)
Resign and take your pillow xO
More than once, I have seen this quote attributed to Bent Larsen. Anyone know the origin?
"Almost everyone plays 3 d4. But isn't that a positional error? I am not joking. I like my centre pawns, and I like a d-pawn better than a c-pawn. Well then, isn't 3 d4 something like a cheap trap? I know it can be combined with purely strategical ideas, but I find it easier to discuss strategy when I have an extra centre pawn!"
I agree with Larsen, and often think of this quote. The biggest problems I've had when facing the Sicilian is when white avoids ceding me the central majority. I wonder wether against Nc6/d6 Sicilians the future isn't Bb5...By analogy the Scotch, except for its brief modern resurgence at the top, and other early d4 schemes for white, eventually gave way to the slower Ruy Lopez...
"Two-thirds of this book deals with 'Open Sicilian' positions, in which White plays 2 Nf3 followed by 3 d4. This is by far the most common way for White to meet the Sicilian. White opens more lines for his pieces and attempts to exploit the fact that he will be ahead in development.
Let's take a look at the possible opening moves 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 ... . White is up in development and can move his pieces more freely. Black, however, has a structural advantage of an extra central pawn, which gives him long-term chances of taking control of the centre. A typical imbalance has arisen. The onus is on White to exploit his lead in development in order to secure an early initiative. If White plays passively or his initiative runs out of steam, then typically it's Black, with the better pawn structure, who enjoys the long-term chances. Thus it's quite rare for a state of 'dull equality' to arise. Often in the Sicilian, if Black 'equalizes', he is already slightly better! This structural advantage is seen in most Open Sicilian lines: for example, the Dragon, the Najdorf, the Scheveningen and the Classical Variations. The major exception to this rule is the Sveshnikov Variation, in which Black accepts pawn weaknesses in return for activity." - GM John Emms (2009) in Starting Out: The Sicilian, 2nd Edition
I like responding with d4 ,the open Sicilian. The position is rich and will improve your dynamism. At first you might get uncomfortable with d4, but as you play a lot, you will improve your handling of open sicilians.
you are going to have to elaborate on what you mean by went wrong... if it is a case of forgetting an idea in your opening you're just going to have to refresh your memory and be patient. if you're not playing the opening in the "spirit" of the position then you should work on your basic chess skills.
Ziggy! Great point. Who knows what the future holds for the open Sicilian or any other system. I've personally seen Magnus Carlsen play some garbage yup openings because he wants to get his opponent "out of book" as soon as possible. The Sicilian is a really good defense to avoid main lines.
"... I will try to predict the future course of developments in the theory of the Sicilian, over the near future. ... The more deeply we study [the position after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4], the more apparent White's advantage will become. The Polugaevsky Variation and the Dragon Variation will die out. The Paulsen and Najdorf Variations will survive longer, but they will face an unenviable fate: it will be hard for them to survive in the face of computer programs and multi-million game databases. ..." - GM Evgeny Sveshnikov (2014)
GM Evgeny Sveshnikov may not want to have a look here. The Sicilian is apparently quite solid in the computer world.
Actually, what is really interesting is that while many think computers are just used to memorize moves and what-not, computers possess an ability which most humans do not have--they play according to the situation. Many humans would be horrified that Rybka nor Houdini ever castled. But that's beside the point--even in the computer era the Sicilian is still going to remain a strong and dominant defense for black due to the fact that a variety of situations can arise. For instance, dxc6 in the accelerated dragon is not that bad of a move as the king is safe on c7 after the queen swap. When humans are playing each other, a human can easily throw another player out of preparation and gain a quick psychological upper-hand that gives him an edge throughout the game. There is no way to refute the Sicilian even in the computer world.
Nf3
I have a question. I am starting to study the open sicilians, i play 10 minute chess games to practice the openings. problem is...i rarely get someone who plays 2...d6 or anything similar. All i seem to get is 2..Bc4! I look it up and can't find what variation it is. Any thoughts or help?
I'm afraid I'll never understand the point in playing d4; exchanging a center pawn against a side one, and opening the c file to fit black desire :-o