Ok I've wimped out long enough with the closed as white. How can I wade into the fun with reasonable mainline suggestions (not any bamboozle your opponent with 5.h3!!! or other obscure variations)
2006-10-03 19:33:57 · 4 answers · asked by Viceroy of Jello 1 in Games & Recreation ➔ Board Games
Personally, I learned the open/closed variations of sicilian by playing lots of games...and I mean lots. Basically, I devoted at least 3 blitz games a day on the Internet Chess Club, learning from trial and error.
You can apply this method to learning any other opening: king's Indian, Queen's opening, etc...
2006-10-03 20:26:16 · answer #1 · answered by ... 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your success with 1.e4 is dependent on your reply to 1...c5. It doesn't matter if you have fantastic lines prepared in the Ruy, Caro, French, Pirc and Scandinavian - if you can't handle the Sicilian you should abandon 1.e4.
To start playing the Open Sicilian you need to prepare yourself for a large number of ignominious defeats. The lines can be extremely sharp and whereas your opponent may be out of theory after 8 moves in some other openings, in the Open Sicilians they may know lines 20 moves deep, with any deviation being punished swiftly.
I would suggest starting by learning as black, probably the Dragon var. There is a good book "Play the Najdorf Scheveningen-style" Only when you are confident with the themes as black would I dare to play as white.
In the mean time I would have a look at the Sicilian Alapin "2.c3". Although much maligned it prodices some fantastic games and most Sicilian players despise it. Sam Collins recommends it in his "Opening Repertoire for White". I play nothing else and have considerable success with little theory learned.
Good luck.
Added: I've just seen in your other post that your grade is 1850. Please feel free to disregard my answer as I am of lowly grade!
2006-10-04 12:58:32 · answer #2 · answered by Friseal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your play as white depends on black. Black can veer off into the Nadjdorf, the Scheveningen, the Dragon, or some obscure variation with it's own traps. Each line requires different responses - and they must always be sharp. The open Sicilian strongly favors the player with the best preparation, so get a book. Really, it's worth it!
Some of my favorite games (on both sides of the board) were with the Yugoslav attack - if sparks can fly with a chess game, it's with that opening!
2006-10-04 03:58:54 · answer #3 · answered by OMG, I ♥ PONIES!!1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read a good text to mentally learn the best lines and the pitfalls; and then play, play, play. There is no substitute for experience!
2006-10-07 07:06:59 · answer #4 · answered by funtym888 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋