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I believe that anyone looking for a suitable response to 1.e4 will sooner or later discover the Sicilian! Why is that? It's simple: The Sicilian avoids exchanges that simplify the game and lead to less dynamic positions. The typical Sicilian pawn structures usually lead to double-edged play and offer excellent opportunities to play for the full point. These are ideal conditions - if it weren't for the seemingly vast amount of opening theory to study, especially in the sharp Dragon or Najdorf variations.
The flexible Taimanov Sicilian + A Complete Guide for Black against the Anti-Sicilian
Looking for a realistic way to play for a win with Black against 1.e4 without taking unnecessary risks? The Taimanov Sicilian is a reliable system, and hence one of the best options out there!
For those who prefer to base their game on understanding rather than memorizing long lines of theory, International Master Robert Ris has recently released a bundle of two Fritz trainers that combine the best aspects of the Sicilian.
His first Fritz trainer, "The Flexible Taimanov Sicilian," focuses on one of the statistically strongest variations of the Sicilian for Black, which is also a favorite of many top 100 grandmasters—a true mark of distinction for this variation!
In an extensive 9 hours of video content (!), IM Ris unveils the secrets of the Taimanov Sicilian, a variation known for its flexibility and solid foundation. IM Ris has successfully put together an impressive repertoire that leaves nothing to be desired!
After the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6, we reach the first key position of the Taimanov Sicilian.
Ris first discusses the less common lines such as 5.Nxc6, 5.Be3, the fianchetto with 5.g3, and 5.c4. He then moves on to variations that were more popular in the 70s and 80s than they are today, like 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 and 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4—think of the famous Karpov-Kasparov game!—as well as 5.Bf4.
Ris then expertly guides you through both modern and classical main lines following 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7. These include the intriguing 6.Ndb5!?, the surprising and modern 6.Ncb5, and the exciting queen excursion with 6.Qd3!?.
In the Fianchetto variation, Ris covers the line 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Bf4 d6 11.Qd2 h6 12.Rad1 e5 13.Be3 Bxe3, which offers Black a promising score.
Similarly strong recommendations for Black can be found in the lines following 6.f4—once popular thanks to John Nunn’s "Beating the Sicilian" and now making a comeback—along with 6.Be3 a6, followed by 7.Le2 b5, 7.a3, 7.Bd3, and, of course, the modern trend 7.Qd2 Nf6 with 8.f4!?. Additionally, 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Be7 remains a key option in the main lines.
Naturally, Ris also looks at the frequently played 7.Qf3!?, which is recommended in several repertoire books for White. In response, the bold move 7... h5!? is suggested for Black.
The current trends, 6.g4 and 6.Be3 a6 7.g4, are covered in the following video clips, along with the ever-relevant and timelessly classic 6.Be2.
The perfect complement to this is Ris' second Fritz trainer, "A Complete Guide for Black Against the Anti-Sicilians." In my opinion, it's the best repertoire training I've seen from ChessBase so far!
In 7 hours of content, IM Ris thoroughly covers every Anti-Sicilian line White might use to avoid the main variations, particularly the Taimanov variation.
Here you'll find lines arising after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4, the delayed Rossolimo with 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5, the line 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bg2/d4, the King's Indian Attack with 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.Nbd2, as well as the intriguing 3.b3!?.
A refreshing change from the usual recommendations against the Alapin Sicilian can be found in the chapter on 2.c3. While most authors, like Sveshnikov, Aagaard, Kotronias, and Rogozenko, view 2... Nf6 as the only equalizing move, IM Ris—following in the footsteps of Adorjan and Palliser—advocates 2... d5!?
Players who follow Ris' recommendations are likely to have the element of surprise on their side! After 2.c3 d5, the main lines that arise seem to offer Black solid play overall: 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6, followed by 6.Na3 a6 7.Nc4 Nbd7, as well as the alternatives on move six with 6.Bd3, 6.Be3, and 6.Be2.
If White plays 2.Nc3 to play the Closed Sicilian, Black can save a lot of opening theory by following the practical Taimanov-style recommendation with 2... e6—yet another reason to appreciate this Fritz trainer! Of course, Ris doesn't overlook providing recommendations against the tricky 3.Ne2!? or the lines with 3.Bc4 or 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 that are surprisingly popular in online-chess.
Among his recommendations against moves like 1.e4 c5 2.f4, the Morra Gambit 2.d4!?, 2.g3, 2.b3, the Wing Gambit 2.b4, the preparatory 2.a3!?, 2.Na3, and 2.c4, I especially want to highlight his original suggestion against 2.Be2!?, frequently used by IM Souleidis and often overlooked by "anti-Sicilian" authors: 2... Nc6, 3.f4 g6, 4.Nf3 d5, 5.d3 Nf6!?, 6.e5 Nh5!?, 7.O-O Bh6!?. This line has been successfully played, among others, by GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen.
All of Ris' recommendations are, of course, thoroughly engine-checked and include a wealth of theoretical novelties that I find truly impressive! Lines that have given me trouble in the past are now ones I actually look forward to encountering, eager to put Ris' theoretical insights into practice!
The flexible Taimanov Sicilian + A Complete Guide for Black against the Anti-Sicilian
Looking for a realistic way to play for a win with Black against 1.e4 without taking unnecessary risks? The Taimanov Sicilian is a reliable system, and hence one of the best options out there!
