The Classical Sicilian: A Timeless Counterattacking Weapon

Introduction

Structure of the Course

This course provides a comprehensive and structured approach to the Classical Sicilian, covering key variations, typical middlegame structures, and practical plans. The chapters are carefully organized to help you build a solid foundation while also preparing you for the most theoretically challenging and fashionable lines played at the highest level.

 

 

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 And now we are the cross roads of the Open Sicilian. Black can choose his direction 5...a6 Nadjtorf, 5...g6 Dragon or 5...Nc6 Classical . These are the main systems and in this course we will deal with the Classical Sicilian. Nc6 The Classical Sicilian is one of the flexible Sicilians where Black can choose the character fight according to Whites response. And one more point I like about this opening is that we can get this position by two move orders , One from 2...d6 and another from 2... Nc6. Its a fighting opening to add in your aresenal. To name a few experts from this Opening , Former World Champion Kramnik used it heavily in 1990s . In recent times ,top Grandmasters like Gelfand ,Parham Maghsoodhloo,Tabatabei , Sam Shankland employ it quite often adding a flavour to the opening. Yours Truly also plays from time to time with good success :). 6.Bg5! White's most challenging response . Whenever I prepare the Classical Sicilian for a tournament game, most of my opponents have exclusively or automatticaly only employed this option. Known to be the Ritcher Rauzer Attack named after the legendary player Rauzer is on top tier list. Firstly it pressurizes the f6 Knight cutting off the g7-g6 option which is no longer a thing. Apart from 6.Bg5 the other challenging options are 6.Bc4 & 6.f3. 6.Be3 Ng4! 6.g3 g6 6.h3 e5 Here 6....g6 is met by 7.g4 and its a totally different story as Whites aims for long castle then. Whenever White aims for long castle ideas ,we refrain from Dragon setups. 6.Be2 Simpler Classical approach and we should know the schematic setup of our pieces. e5 6...g6 7.Be3 Again White can castle long ,so we prefer the direction with...e5. 6.f3 Aiming for English with Attack with Be3, Qd2-0-0-0 stuff. As Direct 6.Be3 is inefficient due to 6...Ng4 ,White first plays 6.f3. e5! is the prescribed move. 7.Nb3 Be6 Preparing to free up with...d5 is the main agenda. 6.Bc4 is another option which is getting immensenly popular in recent times and he we prefer 7.. .Qb6 a very interesting concept to push the d4 Knight ,other than the common 7. ..e6. Qb6! Black should be fine here as well. The bishop loses a lot of time. 6...e6 And we deal it in greater depth in the main chapters. Black develops his Bishops to e7 and d7 and maintains its intactness of its pawn structure. Opposite side castling takes place and the race of who is faster is relevant as always in the Sicilians. And often when we place our Bishop on e7 ,White takes on f6 ,gives the Bishop but in turns gives us the doubles f pawn in majority of cases as we will unable to take with the Bishop due to the hanging pawn on d6 . So we must be brave to accept that our pawn sturcture is shattered but on the other hand the good news is we have double Bishops!
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
01 Introduction & Overview--
Various Options & Sidelines on Move 6