Sicilian players usually have a favorite variation that they can't wait to play: I know because I used to be one of them. Anti-Sicilians tend to give them the kind of positions that they don't want to play. But there's really nothing you can do about it. If you're going to play the Sicilian, you simply have to be ready for all of the anti-Sicilians. It might be small comfort, but as some GM whose name I can't remember observed, none of them is a particularly solid attempt by White to secure an opening advantage.
(For Sicilian Players) Is it just me or do we all hate the Anti-Sicilians?
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May 12, 2018
0
#4
LouStule wrote:
Which response from white is considered an “anti Sicilian”?
Any response that is not an Open Sicilian. That includes the Closed Sicilian, Alapin, Wing Gambit, Smith-Morra Gambit, Rossolimo, Grand Prix Attack, etc.
I hate to say, but yes, only if that person studies specifically to beat the Sicilian Defence to get back at you for something
May 12, 2018
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#7
EyesOfaPanther wrote:
How can we destroy all the annoying Anti-Sicilians especially the Bowdler Attack?
In response to this and the headline, it is only you! I specifically quit the Sicilian for 1 reason. The Open Sicilian! The rest are a joke! I will gladly transpose directly to a line of the closed Sicilian if White plays 1.f4 and goes for a Reverse Leningrad. It ends up transposing to the 6.f4 line in the Closed Sicilian.
The Morra is a joke. 2.c3 is an easy draw for Black. I did not play 2...Nc6 lines so Rossolimo was never an issue.
The only problem was 2.Nf3 and 3.d4, so I quit playing the Sicilian!
May 12, 2018
0
#8
LouStule wrote:
Which response from white is considered an “anti Sicilian”?
Anything other than 2.Nf3 and 3.d4.
The Bowdler Attack is best handled by either 2...e6 or my personal favorite 2....Nc6. Just for fun about a month ago, I wanted to see how long I could go without ....e6. it finally became necessary on move 9.
i like to play the Bb5 lines [on the 3rd move] vs the Sicilian. [but not the other lines vs the Sicilian]
Good topic.
What is the best plan against e4 c5 nf3 nc6 and then bb5?
Also the best plan against e4 c5 nc3?
What is the best plan against e4 c5 nf3 nc6 and then bb5?
Also the best plan against e4 c5 nc3?
With proper play that Bishop in the Bowdler Attack can either be traded off or the diagonal can be closed off so it's not that dangerous.
May 12, 2018
0
#14
from my limited experience in these matters, the rossolimo and closed sicilian should be taken very seriously.
the closed sicilian especially since many of the arising positions are practically deadlier for black than white. White often gets a straightforward kingside attack with pawns rolling on like lava, whereas black gets a very slow technical queen side majority.
Sure some of the more critical lines like early nd4 may lead to book equality but the point of the closed is to get complex game where book is not nearly as important. Either white plays along with 20+ lines of theory to drizzle to equality or white if he likes these positions settles for playing on his turf at the cost of an earlier equality.
Same here. I don't like it to be honest to play against the main lines. It's more comfortable to play against anti-sicilians. Playing against main lines as black is more challenging in my experience.
May 13, 2018
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#16
ponz111 wrote:
i like to play the Bb5 lines [on the 3rd move] vs the Sicilian. [but not the other lines vs the Sicilian]
What would you do against players like me that played 2...e6? While I "occasionally" played the Najdorf, I was mainly a Taimanov player (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 [3.Bb5 is bad here] cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 [5.Nb5 is White's other option, 5.c4 is bad because of 5...Bb4! - White must wait for 5...d6 after 5.Nb5 before he can play c4] Qc7 6.Be3 [or 6.Be2] a6).
May 13, 2018
0
#17
darkunorthodox88 wrote:
from my limited experience in these matters, the rossolimo and closed sicilian should be taken very seriously.
the closed sicilian especially since many of the arising positions are practically deadlier for black than white. White often gets a straightforward kingside attack with pawns rolling on like lava, whereas black gets a very slow technical queen side majority.
Sure some of the more critical lines like early nd4 may lead to book equality but the point of the closed is to get complex game where book is not nearly as important. Either white plays along with 20+ lines of theory to drizzle to equality or white if he likes these positions settles for playing on his turf at the cost of an earlier equality.
Well, if you played 2...e6 like I did when I was a Sicilian player, the Rossolimo doesn't have to be taken seriously. 3.Bb5 is just bad in that line. 2...e6 players had to deal more with the King's Indian Attack, but I played the same line as I play when they do it against the French.
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 b5 9.e5 Nd7 10.Nf1 a5 11.h4 Ba6 12.N1h2 b4 13.Bf4 a4
OR
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 d5 4.Nbd2 Nf6 and then copy moves 5 onward above.
IMO, for each of the anti's, there is a solid line that is enough for black to understand. But given that one line black is fine and even has a good chance to grind down white over time. In the open Sicilian, you can't reduce the Rauzer, for example, to understanding 1 line. So many play anti's these days and so few play main lines that I'm getting better at anti's than at main lines. Odd.
How can we destroy all the annoying Anti-Sicilians especially the Bowdler Attack?