whats the best way to learn the sicilian as a 1100-1200 player?

wtf isnt this a chess forum?

It just depends whether you prefer to play against the Rossolimo or Qxd4. I wouldn't be too concerned about the Rossolimo as black can often gain a space advantage and the doubled pawns can actually be useful.

I double checked and didn't find the comment of them saying they were unsure if they want to learn it.

It's better to start with principled major openings as it's teaching you good habits like developing naturally and controlling the centre. The italian is perfect for that: you put a pawn in the centre, develop a knight, develop a bishop and you're ready to castle on move 4. The openings you said are ok but a lot of them are dubious openings that don't follow those principles.

I like the Alekhine a lot actually and know there is an aggressive strategy behind it but in principle you move the same piece a bunch of times in the opening and give up the centre. The Scandinavian you bring out your queen early and move it a bunch of times. The Vienna is more solid but it's not putting so much pressure on your opponent.

The Italian should be lesson 1 in openings as it's super principled. It's ok to experiment with different things after that. It's important to play a variety of positions and also learn how to counter a lot of offbeat and unsound openings. I would say this is an important part of the learning process as you learn how to play without depending too much on an opening system so it can develop some skills. A lot of players lose to these types of openings simply because they are uncomfortable with them. It's also important to learn to play an objectively good opening though. Whether you choose the Sicilian, the French, the Caro-Kann or e5 it's better to start sooner rather than later so you get used to it and become more familiar with the ideas as you go rather than starting from square 1 later on. This is ground up learning.

That's cool 👍

Yh I know, this tinfoil hat wearing mf just came out of nowhere and went full turbonazi on us

lichess studies are helpful i have a study on sicilian its not very good in my opinion but feel free to give it a try ig https://lichess.org/study/8wKyYJ1t

Omg, post that comment again, that was hilarious 🤣

I think you did a pretty good job. It covers a lot of the basic lines of the Sicilian. There are some concepts that weren't detailed fully though. For example, Qc7 covers the c-file but also covers the e5 square so that white can't push e4-e5 so easily. So it expands the scope of the queen along both the file and the diagonal.

I made a study covering many lines of the Najdorf. It's not in the style of a lesson though as there's too much for that.

https://lichess.org/study/ZvMAyzQe

Thought I was being too off-topic, so I took it down.

But ... for entertainment value ...

The 9-step process to becomming ... one of them:

Step 1) Learn about strange and new theories on the internet, specifically those that are anti-science and anti-establishment.

Step 2) Use your preferred search engine to find more creators with similar content.

Step 3) Subscribe to the ones that seem most compelling, so you can better form your opinion about these new, fascinating viewpoints. You mean the moon landing was faked? Wait, earth isn't round? What is a reptilian, and why are they among us? 5G internet does what to us, again?

Step 4) Donate to the cause. The government keeps trying to shut down your favorite content creators, because the government hates that they are exposing the truth! Consider yourself a shepherd. A warrior. A fighter for truth. Believe yourself enlightened - aware of a great deception that the masses remain blind to. You are one of the chosen few who sees the light - you are a special snowflake.

Step 5) Turn your back on your friends and family if they challenge your new viewpoint - they are the sheep. They will be cast into the fire, and you will triumphantly yell "I told you so!" as they plummet to their doom.

Step 6) Are you remembering to subscribe and donate to the cause? Be sure to avoid anything your doctors offer you - medicine is full of nanotechnology and microchips and miniature mind-controlling hydras. Buy our pills, instead. They are loaded with ancient, previously undiscovered herbs that will protect against any and all disease. The Mayans used these herbs to live for thousands of years. Order now, for a limited time discount!

Step 7) Did our prediction fail to come true? Fear not - we have more predictions - eventually some of them will land. Realise that the truth is a complex thing. Embrace the idea of "alternate facts" - it will make it easier for you to accept when we're wrong. Don't forget to donate more!

Step 8) Are you brainwashed yet? Ahem, sorry, that was a Freudian slip. What I meant to ask is: are you seeing the Matrix, yet? I'm sure you are. You, after all, are smarter than the rest. We are the chosen few. You are the enlightened. Donate to the cause. Join the protest. His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson ...

Step 9) Spread the word. If you find any open-minded sheep, rejoice - they were once like you! Bring them to us. Drag them into our gaping maw. We hunger for more flesh to consume. Ahem - I mean, make sure they subscribe. Make sure they donate. Donations are important. Your money helps us fight the big bad establishment. Your subscriptions help us bring you the truth. VISA and Mastercard are both accepted forms of payment. Do you like our new logo? It's now available as a window sticker, so you can spread our message on the back of your vehicle, like the rebel you are. Order now, from our shiny new online store. You are a special snowflake. They are the brainwashed sheep, not you. Would you like a t-shirt with our slogan on it? Or perhaps a baseball cap? Our rebellious attire is now available in three different colors, suitable for any occasion! Remember: you are an independent thinker. You are in charge of your own destiny. Do not listen to others who contradict us. We control your mind now. You belong to us. Stay tuned for more developments ...

Hahahaha 😂 amazing.

Don't listen to the sheeple who tell you you're crazy. They are a part of the matrix and the government agenda.

Join Project Mayhem.

+1 bonus points for knowing the Fight Club reference.

Lmfao

Hi! I wouldn't recommend you to learn now the Sicilian but when you are at a more advanced stage. General recommendation for players less that 1300 rating would be 1.e4, e5 as Black. Personally I learnt the Sicilian when I was well in intermediate2 /advance level.

But since you seem so interested in the Sicilian, here my recommendation:

-Find out reason why you like it. Perhaps you saw master games, played it some times or just heard about it.

-Sicilian has so many variations then you should select the one you prefer. Do you recall the variation you liked when saw it in games (Dragon, Najdorf, Taimanov, Scheveningen, Classical...)

-Have a look at master games

-Buy a book on the variation you like

-Try to learn it from an expert player

Good luck!

Lmfao at all the caro plebs, they can't go 1 minute without mentioning it in any possible scenario

"hAve yOu heArd of the CaRo KAnn?? jUst plAy the cArO kaNn mAN, jUst dO it

diD I tEll yoU abOut tHe CaRo kAnN? iT's sO eAsy tO plAy, juSt pLaY it"

I absolutely love the Caro-Kann! Well... as White, anyways. I haven't lost to a Caro-Kann in probably like 25-30 games. I can't personally recommend it because it doesn't seem intuitive, you block natural piece development, often trade bishops for knights, there are more ultra-viable sidelines against it than any other opening I'm aware of, and Black doesn't currently have a solid to the Advance variation iirc.

Take it easy man, the person has a point.

I successfully switched over to e6 Sicilians from d6 a couple months ago because I was running into too many anti-Sicilians like the Bowdler Attacks, Closed Sicilian, Smith-Morra, Grand Prix, Moroczky Bind and Alapin at the club level (1300-1800 bracket).

E6 is flexible, practical and easier to navigate in shorter time controls. I don’t really miss the Najdorf or Dragon but in rare times, I’ll transpose to the Najdorf or double fianchetto set-up for strategical reasons, depending on what white is doing.

I play the Wing Attack and Katalimov as they complement each other well and transpose.

Which Sicilian did you pick?

Yeah but that's not the Caro-Kann? I'm assuming you're responding to a different post, because nothing you said makes any sense as a response to what he said.

Ah yeah, I know another guy who loves tearing apart the Caro Kann and plays this Fantasy variation and Advance, Tal variation. I like playing the Panov Attack as the position opens up way more than what a caro player would be used to in other lines.

To be clear, I have nothing against the Caro Kann or anything like that. It's a legit opening and one of the big 4 responses to e4.

It's just funny when some of these caro players are preaching their opening everywhere and promote it as a "beginner friendly" opening where "you don't have to know theory". Particularly when someone mentions the sicilian and they always chime in "please don't play the sicilian! play the caro kann!".

I play the Najdorf. I absolutely love it. It's the most flexible Sicilian.

This is my favourite opening with the white or black pieces. With white I play the Bg5 main line.

Awesome.

I got away from the Najdorf because I rarely got the open Sicilian, I cannot remember the last time I got an open Sicilian in a rated rapid game funny enough.

https://www.chess.com/game/live/19074986763

Just make sure you firm up your replies against the anti-Sicilians as I previously noted because d6 can be a wasted tempo or weakness structurally depending on what white does.

You could even transpose to the dragon against certain anti-Sicilians being a d6 pawn structure or even Botvinnik System for that matter.

Good luck.