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| Posted by white_disc uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 02:22:13 Play online chess |  Subject: Starting out on the SicilianMessage: I'm thinking of having a go at the Sicilian, an opening I have never played much (less then 5 games), and strangely enough, never really met, although some say 50% or more of the responses to 1. e4 is the Sicilian. Rather than going in and learning from blunders, I'm trying to find out key points of Black's game. Also, faced with so many variations, I am not sure which to choose. Can anyone kindly enlighten me ? Thanks a lot :) All help greatly appreciated :) Rgds, white_disc |
| Posted by lorddreyfuss uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 02:43:06 Play online chess | Scheweningen Message: This is what I usually play these days: 1.e4,c5; 2.Nf3,Nc6; 3.d4,cd4; 4.Nd4,Nf6; 5.Nc3,d6... The problem with this setup is that it allows all kinds of attacks (Rauzer, Veimirovic etc.), so I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. When I was starting I played different move order: 1.e4,c5; 2.Nf3,Nc6; 3.d4,cd4; 4.Nd4,d6; 5.Nc3,e6 and then Be7+Nf6+0-0. This move order avoids Rauzer attack completely, but it is vulnerable to Maroczy bind with c4+e4. However, since I knew what could happen I prepared myself for Maroczy setups and (although in cramped positions) I never lost games against it. But in time my rating and competition level increased so I had to give up on this and adopt today's move order. Some new players like to start with Dragon variation, but I never liked it due to the fact that it is usually better known to White players (it is simple to choose a variation) than flexible Scheweningen setups. I was also influenced by Kasparov and his book on Sicilian defence. |
| Posted by craigaosborne uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 04:12:06 Play online chess | Sicilian Message: hi. i may have a low rating but i do know a little about the sicilian defece. 1 e4, c5 blacks response is to create a flank attack if white was to next play 2 d4 than after black takes with cxd4 both black and white pawns are in the centre, if white was to now take with 3 Qxd4 it would not be so good because black could then develop a knight to c6 and threaten the Queen, forcing it to move followed by the other knight to f6.If the pawn advances to e5 then the kight on c6 could then take and would have a good start game and be a pawn up. If after 1 e4, c5 2 ?, black could use a double edged sicilian with 2..., f6. this is a system that has been used by Kasparov many times and has a number of variations. why dont you experement with a chess board at home and try out some ideas and combinations. ——— New book sheds light on Magnus Carlsen's link-up with Garry Kasparov — A new Norwegian book sheds light on the mysterious episode two years ago when the all-time No1, Garry Kasparov, briefly became the chess coach of Norway's brilliant 20-year-old Magnus Carlsen, who now tops the world chess rankings. It was billed as the ultimate pairing which would elevate Carlsen to new heights, but after less than six months they went their separate ways. The journalist Hallgeir Opedal followed Carlsen for a year, much as Life magazine's Brad Darrach did with Bobby Fischer in 1972. Opedal also had direct access to Carlsen and his father/manager, Henrik. The partnership's great success came at the start in 2009 when Carlsen won in Nanjing, China, with ... |
| Posted by mattafort uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 05:05:49 Play online chess | I give a6 a test now. Message: I have always favoured 2 ... Nc6 before, and mostly in combination with g6, Bg7. Still think 2 ... Nc6 is best move. I have an ongoing game now. I thought I should try the popular move a6. This prevents the common white move Nb5. cmitchdin vs. mattafort - board #850885 1. e4 c5 2. d4 d6 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 After 6. Bg5 I had to play 6... e6. So this version has pawns on: d6, e6 and a6 -------------- For black in sicilian the usual choice is among these moves: d6 e6 e5 g6 Nc6 a6 Different combination of these gives many variations. Also many different move-orders is possible. Nf6 is played in most any variation. mattafort ——— Kings vs. Queens: Almost perfect — The Kings vs. Queens chess tournament ended in a victory for the guys, mainly due the Herculean effort of St. Louis resident Hikaru Nakamura, who scored an almost perfect 9.5 points out of 10 games. The event pitted top female chess players against strong male competition in an interesting format. Unfortunately for the Queens, female world No. 1 Judit Polgar was forced to withdraw from the tournament just days before the first round, and her absence paved the way for Hikaru to rack up some serious points. Judit was busy beating the world's best men in Khanty-Mansisk, Russia, at the World Chess Cup. The World Cup is a knockout event with many of the world's top chess players. Judit's American fans were ... |
| Posted by white_disc uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 05:20:54 Play online chess | Thanks a lot for the help :) Message: I am presently trying to gather more resources (books mainly) to gain more knowledge on the topic. Are there any "must-have" authorites (books) on the subject ? I am presently looking at the Najdorf and the Taimanov variations, as some of the good players here, notably brunetti, plays the Najdorf, and there are games available. One thing about knowing openings --> how many moves must I memorise ? 20 ? Thanks a lot :) Rgds, white_disc ——— Chess World Cup: Peter Svidler All the Way — It was the most amazing move of the 2011 Chess World Cup in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, a wonderful coup de grâce you don't see every day. And it could have been enough to play it, go home and enjoy it for years to come. But it was not all Peter Svidler had done at the World Cup this month. The six-time chess champion of Russia easily carved through the 128-player knockout tournament and won it almost as efficiently and convincingly as Novak Djokovic did the tennis Grand Slams at Wimbledon, Melbourne and New York this year. It was Svidler's greatest result. Svidler defeated his countryman Alexander Grischuk 2.5-1.5 in the final match. Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine finished third, eliminating ... |
| Posted by verticalchess uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 05:34:44 Play online chess | Closed. Message: The only problem with focusing on the open Sicilian is that White can choose to play 2.Nc3 instead of 2.Nf3 and establish a Closed Variation. It is just as important to learn the lines of this opening because it Black does not defend properly that the attack can be fierce and overwhelming. ——— Peter Svidler of Russia Wins World Chess Cup — Peter Svidler, a Russian grandmaster, won the 2011 World Chess Cup on Monday by holding his opponent, Alexander Grischuk, a fellow Russian, to a draw. That clinched the match for Svidler by a score of 2.5 to 1.5. The World Chess Cup, held this year in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, is a biennial competition that has become an important part of the process to select a world chess champion. The top three at this year’s tournament qualify for the Candidates Matches, so Grischuk will advance along with Svidler. Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine won a match against Ruslan Ponomariov, another Ukrainian, on Monday to claim the third spot. For his victory, Svidler earned $96,000, after expenses. Grischuk received ... |
| Posted by peppe_l uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 05:40:41 Play online chess | 20 moves? Message: "One thing about knowing openings --> how many moves must I memorise ? 20 ?" Whoa...there are GMs who dont memorize 20-move opening lines! For example one of our (Finnish) GMs often plays "harmless" systems like London or rare Sicilian lines, but he wins games because he has realized other things - like tactics, endgames and strategy - are more important. ——— Chess: Bobby Fischer clears up — The game looks a mess – until Fischer exercises the clarity and control for which he's renowned. RB: This week the boot is on the other foot and it's Dan's turn to puzzle over the position. I chose this position because in some ways it seems a very unFischer-like game. Among the legendary former world chess champion's most notable qualities were clarity and control. It's hard to see those qualities at work here. In fact – is it treasonable to suggest? – this looks like the kind of position chess amateurs like me might stumble into. Let's see what the grandmaster makes of it. DK: The Fischer games I selected for Ronan over the previous few weeks are, I think, typical of his style: pieces ... |
| Posted by peppe_l uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 05:42:38 Play online chess | Verticalchess Message: Not to mention Alapin, Grand Prix attack, Morra... |
| Posted by verticalchess uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 07:15:42 Play online chess | True - Message: I love playing the Grand Prix. It can lead to a strong Kingside attack and gives alot of opportunities for White! |
| Posted by brucehum uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 11:08:10 Play online chess | Learning openings Message: means learning the main ideas and themes of each line. A very good way to do this is playing over games up until the end, to see what kind of endgames one gets with that opening. If you want to memorize lines (mainly for OTB play), you should memorize all the main lines for the first 7-12 moves. A very good way to do this is to get in front of your REAL board with pen and paper, and annotate the moves as you make them (either from a book or a computer). Then you should learn the ideas of different lines. Another option is to follow Fischer's suggestion: you should get your opening book an play through all moves there once. Then you know which lines to choose (because you like) and study. I wouldn't recomend this system to anyone, by the way!! |
| Posted by mattafort uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 11:30:58 Play online chess | verticalchess Message: What is Grand Prix? I don't know, but maybe I have played it. It is not unlikely. I guess only a few of Forum readers are familiar with that. They might know that 1.e4 c5 is called Sicilian Defense" :D If you spoke with a specialist of the Human Brain, you do not want him to use those Latin terms, without explaining to you. And if he did, you would suspect, he is out to give you a showcase. Make himself look superior. We many times take for guaranted, that everyone knows as much, or little, as we do ourselves. But that is not a good thing. As I see it. mattafort |
| Posted by premium_steve uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 11:48:30 Play online chess | variations Message: alapin is 1.e4,c5 2.c3 white's most common replies are 2...d5 and 2...Nf6 grnd prix is 1.e4,c5 2.f4 (i always like playing out my f-pawn :D) smith-morra gambit is 1.e4,c5 2.d4,cxd 3.c3 |
| Posted by mattafort uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 11:59:51 Play online chess | thanks premium_steve Message: thanks. Yes, i have played Grand Prix without knowing the name. 1.e4 c5 2.f4 It often leads to "normal" variations, where f4 is played later. mattafort |
| Posted by komei uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 15:13:55 Play online chess | In 1993... Message: ...The Najdorf variations were all the rage in the (probably now almost unknown) 'world title' (though it wasnt really... bit like boxing no on eknows what world champion means any more...) matches of Kasparov vs Short. Sometimes I play Najdorf, but prefer Dragon variations myself as Black. As white, I dunno what its called (if anything) but I usually play along this line: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 or Nc6 3. Bb5(+) Anything wrong with that? Or sometimes I play (again as white): 1.e4 c5 2. c3 against people I think are expecting a standard sicilian. |
| Posted by caldazar uskidscompute.com 5/28/2003 15:21:38 Play online chess | Komei Message: No, there's nothing particularly bad about either bishop move. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 is the Rossolimo, aiming to damage Black's pawn structure at the cost of the two bishops. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ is the Moscow Variation which has a reputation of being somewhat drawish due to the early exchange of a pair of pieces (after 3... Bd7). However, it offers decent opportunities to outplay your opponent positionally, and there are the occasional unbalanced setups here and there (for an example, see Kasparov vs. The World, 1999) |