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Sicilian Swiss Cheese Variation

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Cherub_Enjel

Can someone explain the ideas of this opening, and why it's not just not really bad for black? 

It looks horrific for black, yet it seems to be OK (and it is). Take a look: (and yeah, this is actually a book variation for black in the Sicilian)



Smoggyabbainopadano

I think it is playable,u have some weaknesses on dark squares and a difficulty to develop Bc8,but it is playable.

Karpark
An expert or titled player would go through those black squares as if they were holes in a lump of ... err ... Swiss cheese.
Cherub_Enjel

Lol I saw a game where Smyslov won against a master, playing this variation. It looks very anti-positional, but it does restrict white's knight fully. 

JamesColeman

I've not seen it in that exact position I don't think but have seen it quite a bit with 5.Bd3 rather than 5.Nc3. I've seen Kamsky play it a lot. The basic idea is that if Black is allowed to, he wants to quickly play ...Bg7, ...Ne7, 0-0 and then a quick d7-d5. 

 

With the white bishop already committed to d3, it takes White a bit longer to get Be3/Qd2/Bh6 in as something would have to be done about the N on d4 first. It's probably riskier for Black in the move order you gave. After 5.Bd3 g6, White often continues with 6.c4 to cut across the plan mentioned above.

 

 

dpnorman
pfren wrote:

5...g6 is playable against 5.Bd3 (Kamsky employs this all the time), but against 5.Nc3 as well?

Very unlikely!

 

What's the refutation after 5. Nc3 g6? Just the plan Coleman gave?