Loek van Wely: An Anti-Sicilian repertoire

by Priyadarshan Banjan
12/23/2014 – What to do against the Sicilian? In the sharp and highly theoretical main lines you have to spend hours to be well prepared. Why not play a dangerous system that offers White good chances and that is easy to learn? Loek van Wely shows you what to do. In 60 minutes the Dutch GM prepares you for the Sicilian and gives you a solid repertoire for White.

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Loek van Wely: An Anti-Sicilian repertoire - in 60 minutes

Loek van Wely's DVD presenting an Anti-Sicilian repertoire is a training DVD in the ChessBase 60 minutes series. This series aims to help you learn a critical concept - without compromising on the quality - in 60 minutes. A hallmark of Open Sicilian positions is the huge amount of theory and memorization work that is involved in playing them. At club level even openings like the Grand Prix attack or the Closed Sicilian have been analysed deeply. The onus today has shifted from being the ‘better player’ to being ‘better prepared’.

This may prove exasperating to you when you wish to have a game of chess in which your better understanding takes you home. It might trouble you even more if you simply lack time to study 10-20 moves of theory in countless variations.

And here Loek van Wely helps if you need a good weapon against the Sicilian. In 60 minutes the Dutch GM guides you through a repertoire of what he thinks to be the most annoying lines White can play against the Sicilian - and that are easy to learn.

GM Loek van Wely is a seven-time champion of the Netherlands. He is also a regular guest in the famous super tournament in Wijk aan Zee where he has taken on the world’s elite with notable results.

Loek van Wely at the Wijk aan Zee tournament

Loek van Wely in action

Not the most outgoing of the presenters, Loek van Wely makes up with the depth of his knowledge!

GM van Wely suggests a positional weapon revolving around the move Bb5. Van Wely constantly focuses on lines in which the white pieces are mobile and the pawns exert control over the central squares.

After 1. e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 GM van Wely suggests to play the Moscow Variation 3.Bb5+. After listening to him you know what to do against all three defenses Black can play in response to 3.Bb5+, i.e. 3...Nc6, 3...Nd7 and 3...Bd7. In a simple and clear manner he explains what plans White should follow in these positions.

GM van Wely also deals with Black's main moves in the sidelines and pinpoints how to counter them.

He further points out that the Russian GM Sergei Rublevsky is the model player if you want to study this line and Van Wely uses games by Rublevsky to show how to proceed against all three moves Black has after 3.Bb5+. In the Games section of the DVD you will find model games, most of them annotated.

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 van Wely suggests to play the Rossolimo Sicilian with 3.Bb5.

Now Black has two main replies namely 3...e6 and 3...g6. In both cases he proposes a simple positional line in which White trades on c6 to reach a position in which Black has the bishops but White a long lasting structural advantage and a lead in development.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Ne7 6.Qe2 Qc7 7.Ng5 e5 7...Ng6 8.f4 c4!? 9.dxc4 Ba6 10.b3 Nxf4 10...Bc5 11.e5 d5 12.exd6 Bxd6 13.0-0 0-0-0 14.Nc3 Rhe8 15.Nce4 Bf8 16.Nxh7 Bb4 17.a3 Ba5 18.Nhg5 1-0 Anand,V (2779)-Radjabov,T (2728)/Mainz 2006/ (57) 11.Qf3 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qxg5 13.Bxf4 Qa5+ 14.Bd2 Qb6 15.Nc3 Be7 Bauer,Ch-Nataf,I/Besancon/2006/ and 7...h6 8.Nh3 g6 9.f4 Bg7 10.c4 e5 11.Nc3 d5 12.0-0 0-0 13.g4 exf4 14.Bxf4 Qd7 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Rae1 Nc6 17.Nxd5 Nd4 18.Qg2 Qxg4= Ponomariov, R-Anand,V/Linares/2003/ 8.f4 Grischuk rushes the opening of the play, since the black pieces are somewhat artificially developed. 8.0-0 h6 9.Nh3 g5! 10.f3 d6 Marcelin - Lautier, France 2003 8...exf4 9.0-0 Ng6 10.Qh5 d6 10...h6? 11.Nxf7! Kxf7 12.Bxf4+- 10...Bd6 11.g3 Ba6 12.gxf4 Rf8 13.e5 Be7 14.Nc3 0-0-0 15.Nge4 f5 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.Qxg5 d6 18.Be3 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qxe5= 1-0 Bologan,V (2679)-Lautier,J (2676)/Reykjavik 2004/ (46) 11.Bxf4 h6? A serious mistake at the moment, when the defender can decide between two better continuations. Shirov could have obtained surprising chances with the help of seemingly risky exchange of the second bishop. 11...Be7 12.Nd2 12.Nxf7 0-0! 13.Ng5 Bxg5 14.Bxg5 Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 c4 12...Bxg5 13.Qxg5 f6 14.Qg3 Nxf4 15.Qxf4 0-0= 11...Nxf4!? 12.Rxf4 g6 13.Qf3 13.Qh4? h6! 14.Nxf7 14.Rxf7? hxg5 14...Rh7! 13...Bg7! 14.Rxf7 14.Nd2!? 0-0 14...Bd4+ 15.Kh1 Qd8 16.Nxh7 Bf5 17.Rxf5 17.Rb7 Bd7 17...gxf5 18.Qh5+ Kd7 19.Qxf5+ Kc7 20.Ng5∞ 12.Nxf7! This positional sacrifice promises to White better play practically without risk. Qxf7 13.Bxd6 Qe6 14.Bxf8 14.Qxc5?! Qxd6 15.Rxf8+ Qxf8 16.Qxc6+ Kd8 17.Qxa8 Qc5+ 18.Kh1 Qxc2 14.Rxf8+ Rxf8 15.Qxc5 Ne7 14...Rxf8 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Qxc5 Grischuk had no desire to offer his creative opponent chances to generate counterplay after the long castling. 16.Nc4 0-0-0 17.Qxc5 Kb8∞ 16...Qe7 16...Nf4 17.Kh1 17.g3?! Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Nxg3+! 19.hxg3 Qh3+ 20.Kg1 Qxg3+= 17...Qe7 17.Rxf8+ Kxf8 18.Rf1+ Kg8 18...Ke8 19.Qc4 19.Qxe7 Nxe7 20.Nb3! Rd8 21.Nc5 White has managed to locate his knight on the domineering square. Bc8 22.Kf2 Rf8+ 23.Ke2 Rxf1 The board was offering just one open file, so sooner or later it would have been necessary to swap the rooks. 23...Bg4+ 24.Ke1 24.Kxf1 Ng6 25.b4 Kf7 26.Ke2 Nf4+ 27.Kf3 Ne6 28.Nb3! The refusal to exchange the knight looks like a wise decision. White should advance his pawns and two enemy pieces are suffering from the lack of space for the manoeuver. Shirov is unable to give up the piece for three pawns, the concept that could save the game. Ke7 29.Ke3 Kd6 30.d4 Nc7 31.c4! Be6 32.Kd3 White has to play very carefully. The immediate advance of the d pawn would give Black a chance to fullfil his dream. 32.d5? cxd5 33.cxd5 Bxd5! 34.exd5 Nxd5+ 35.Kd4 Nxb4= 32...Bg8 33.a4 Ne6 34.g3 Ng5 35.Nd2! Another exact move, otherwise the defender could cleverly give up the piece. 35.h4?! Bxc4+ 36.Kxc4 Nxe4= 35...a6 36.h4 Nh3?! In a desperate search for counterplay Shirov is stretching the matter too far. Kasparov visisted the Tal memorial and remarked: It is even not clear, which one of the black pieces on g8 or h3 is worse! 36...Ne6 37.d5 Nc7 38.Kd4± 37.Ke3! g5 38.d5 cxd5 39.exd5 gxh4 40.gxh4 Bh7 Due to the knight at the edge of the board the defender can not realistically think about giving up the bishop for two pawns. 40...Bxd5 41.cxd5 Kxd5 42.Kf3 Ng1+ 42...Ke5 43.b5 axb5 44.axb5 Kd5 45.Ne4! Ng1+ 46.Kf2 Nh3+ 46...Kxe4 47.b6+- 47.Kg3 Ng1 48.Nc3+ Kc5 49.Kg2+- 43.Kf2 Nh3+ 44.Ke3 Ng1 45.Nf3 Nh3 45...Nxf3 46.Kxf3 Kc4 47.b5 axb5 48.axb5 Kxb5 49.Kg4+- 46.Nd4! Kc4 47.b5 axb5 48.axb5 Kc5 49.Kf3!+- 41.Ne4+ 41.Kd4 Nf4 42.c5+ Kd7 43.Nc4± 41...Ke5 Three connected passed pawns can be stronger than a rook. In case of the piece swap the knight from f2 would certainly not be able to match them. 41...Bxe4 42.Kxe4 Nf2+ 43.Kd4+- 42.Nc5 Nf4 43.d6! Ne6 43...Ng2+ 44.Kf2 Kxd6 45.Kxg2 Bg8 46.Nxa6 Bxc4 47.Nc5+- 44.d7 Nd8 45.Nxa6 Kd6 46.Nc5 Bg8 47.Kd4 Nc6+ 48.Kc3 White is already operating with four connected pawns for the piece, the game is over. Ke7 49.b5 Ne5 50.b6 Nxd7 51.b7 Grischuk was so delighted by his creation, that he declared the game to be his best ever achievement. 51.b7 Nb8 52.a5 Kd6 53.a6 Kxc5 54.a7+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Grischuk,A2710Shirov,A27201–02006B30Moscow Tal Memorial 1st7

In the final leg of the DVD the discussion centres on the position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6. Here, GM van Wely asks us to play the King's Indian Attack with 3.d3.

The idea to play the King's Indian Attack in similar structures was a favorite of the 11th World Champion Bobby Fischer. He thought that ...e6 weakened the dark squares on Black's kingside which White now can attack. If Black also plays ...g6 things might easily look grim for him. GM van Wely here suggests two different approaches, one in which White attacks directly and one which does not allow Black much counterplay on the queenside.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 d5 5...d6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Re1 0-0 8.c3 Bd7∞ 6.Qe2!? Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.e5 Nd7 8...Ne8!? 9.c4 Nc7 10.Nc3 Rb8 11.Rd1 b5 12.b3 Ba6 13.a4 bxc4 14.bxc4 Rb4 15.Ba3 Rb6 16.Nb5 d4 17.Nd2 1-0 Jones,G-Knott,S/BCF t-ch 0203 2003/(42) 9.c4! Nb6 9...d4 10.h4 Qc7 11.Bf4 b6 12.Nbd2 Bb7 13.Rfe1 Nb4 14.Nf1 a6 15.a3 Nc6 16.N1h2 b5 17.Ng4 Rfe8 18.h5 1-0 Beshukov,S-Drozdovsky,Y/Moscow op 1999/CBM 70 (38) 9...dxc4 10.dxc4 Qc7 11.Bf4 Rd8 12.Nc3 Nf8 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.Rad1 Bd7 15.h4 Be8 16.Bg5 1-0 Galdunts,S-Weiss,O/Baden Baden op 2002 (54) 10.b3 10.h4!? Bd7 11.Bf4 Nd4 12.Nxd4 cxd4 13.Nd2 Bc6 14.Rad1 dxc4 15.dxc4 d3 16.Qg4 Qd4 17.b3 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Rfd8 19.Nf3 Qe4 20.Rfe1 Qc6 21.Re3± 1-0 Glek,I-Wyss,T/Valle d'Aosta op 2002/(24) 10...a5 10...Bd7 11.Bb2 Qb8 12.Re1 Rd8 13.Nbd2 Be8 14.Nf1 a5 15.a4 dxc4 16.dxc4 Nd4 17.Nxd4 cxd4 18.Red1 Bc5 19.Nd2 1-0 Kovalev,A-Novkovic,M/Presov 2000/(47) 10...f6 11.exf6 Bxf6 12.Bb2 Bxb2 13.Qxb2 d4 14.Re1 Bd7 15.Qe2 Qf6 16.Nbd2 Soylu,S-Greenidge,K/Bled Olympiad 2002//1-0 (35) 11.Na3N 11.a4!? Bd7 12.Nc3 Nb4 13.Bf4 Bc6 14.Rad1 Nd7 15.h4 b6 16.Rfe1 Qc8 17.Ng5 Qb7 18.Nb5 h6 19.Nh3 Rfd8∞ Fiorito,F-Borges,J/ Santa Clara-A 2000/0-1 (39) 11...a4 12.h4 Bd7 12...f6!? 13.Bb2∞ 13.Bf4 Nb4 Knowing how badly this move turned out for Black in this game, I dare suggesting 13...f6!? 14.Rfe1 fxe5 15.Nxe5 Nd4 14.Nc2! Nxc2 15.Qxc2 Bc6 16.Nh2 A typical but strong manoeuvre - White finds a way to transfer his knight to the K-side. f5 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Rae1 Bxh4 19.Rxe6 axb3 20.axb3 Qc8 21.Rfe1 Bf6? A terrible move, after the correct 21...Ra1!? White must still work hard to convert his initiative into something real. 22.Bd6? White should have preferred 22.cxd5 Nxd5 22...Bxd5 23.Rxb6+- 23.Qc4 b5 23...Nb6 24.Rxc6+ Nxc4 25.Rxc8 Rfxc8 26.dxc4+- 24.Rxc6! bxc4 25.Bxd5+ Kh8 26.Rxc8 Raxc8 27.bxc4+- 22...Rf7 22...Ra1 23.Bxf8 Qxe6 24.Rxa1 Bxa1 25.Bxc5± 23.Bxc5 Nd7 24.Bd6 White again missed a very good oportunity to get a big advantage 24.cxd5!? Bb5 25.d4 Nxc5 25...b6 26.d6 26.Qxc5 Qxc5 27.dxc5 Bd4 28.Nf3 Bxc5 29.b4!± 24...Nf8 24...dxc4 25.dxc4 Bd4 26.Ng4± 25.R6e2 Strange move, a natural development of the initiative can be achieved by 25.cxd5!? Bb5 25...Nxe6 26.dxe6 Re7 27.Bxe7 Bxe7 28.d4+- 26.Qxc8 Rxc8 27.Ng4 with winning position 25...d4 25...dxc4!? 26.Qxc4 26.dxc4? Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Qc6+-+ 26...Bxg2 27.Kxg2± 26.Bxf8 Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Qc6+ 28.Kg1 Raxf8 29.Re6+- Qd7 30.Qe2 Bd8 31.f4 31.Re5!? 31...Ba5 32.Ra1 Bd2!? 33.Qe4! Be3+ 34.Kg2 h5 35.Rf1 35.Ra5!?+- 35...b5 36.Re5 bxc4 37.bxc4 h4 38.Rh5 38.Nf3 hxg3 39.Ng5 Rf5 40.c5!+- 38...Rf5 There wasn't a rescue in 38...Qb7 39.Rxh4 Qxe4+ 40.dxe4 Rc7 41.Ng4+- 39.Rxf5 39.Rxh4 Re8 40.Qf3 39...Rxf5 40.Ng4 White has both positional and material advantage, so the rest is pretty clear. Ra5?! 40...hxg3 41.Nxe3 dxe3 42.Qxe3+- 41.Rb1!? 41.Rh1!? 1–0
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  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vescovi,G2633Shabalov,A26231–02004C00Bermuda8

You can study the lines presented in the videos more deeply in the Games section. A nice feature of this DVD is the ‘Analysis’ option right beside the video segment icon. After the segment is over, you can make the moves yourself on the chessboard in the Analysis section, refreshing your memory of what you just studied in the video segment.

In just 60 minutes this DVD presents an opening repertoire against the Sicilian can thus prove to be a useful preparation tool - even if you play a tournament.

A simple but useful idea!

A glimpse of the analysis

If you are a serious chess player who wants an alternate system against the Sicilian that you can play confidently, or if you just want a position to outplay your opponent in the middlegame, this is the DVD for you. Additionally, for an 1.e4-player who is busy with other worldly pursuits apart from chess, this DVD may prove to be a boon. Within sixty minutes GM Loek van Wely prepares you for fighting against the Sicilian without burning a hole in your pocket. This makes this DVD useful, especially at club level.

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An Anti-Sicilian Repertoire

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Priyadarshan Banjan is a 23-year-old club player from India. He works as an editor for ChessBase News and ChessBase India. He is a chess fanatic and an avid fan of Vishy Anand. He also maintains a blog on a variety of topics.

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