4/16/2025 – The Classical Sicilian remains one of the most resilient and strategically rich responses to 1.e4. In this new ChessBase course, Grandmaster S.P. Sethuraman offers an in-depth guide to this time-tested defence, covering key lines such as 6.Bg5, 6.f3 and 6.Bc4. Designed for ambitious club players and competitive improvers alike, the course balances theoretical depth with practical insight, featuring model games, tactical drills and move-order nuances. With over five hours of video content, it’s a comprehensive repertoire for Black.
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In this course, you will learn the foundations and key ideas of the Vienna Game and discover a variety of systems that make you extremely difficult to prepare for.
€39.90
Principled, timeless
The Classical Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6) has stood the test of time as one of the most principled and fighting defences against 1.e4.
The course is designed to provide a deep yet practical repertoire for Black, balancing solid foundations with aggressive counterplay. The Classical Sicilian has stood the test of time as one of the most principled and fighting defences against 1.e4. With its rich history spanning world championship matches and modern elite tournaments, this opening remains a favourite among players who seek a dynamic, counterattacking approach without venturing into extreme theoretical battles like the Najdorf or Sveshnikov.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: 6.h3
With its rich history spanning world championship matches and modern elite tournaments, this opening remains a favourite among players who seek a dynamic, counterattacking approach without venturing into extreme theoretical battles like the Najdorf or Sveshnikov.
In this comprehensive ChessBase course, GM Sethuraman guides you through the essential concepts, strategic motifs, and cutting-edge theory of the Classical Sicilian, covering all key setups and move orders. The course is designed to provide a deep yet practical repertoire for Black, balancing solid foundations with aggressive counterplay.
What you will learn:
Understanding the Classical Structure
Mainline Coverage (6.Bg5, 6.f3, 6 Bc4 and more)
Sharp Tactics & Strategic Play
Move-Order Tricks & Transpositions
Model Games & Exercise Drills
Whether you're an ambitious club player or a seasoned competitor, this repertoire will help you seize the initiative and dictate the game against 1.e4!
Video running time: 5 hours 27 min. (English)
You can save all the games and variations from the video clips in your ChessBase database!
Grandmaster S.P. Sethuraman is a former World Under-16 Champion and Asian Chess Champion. A key player in India's Olympiad success, he is known for his deep opening preparation and strategic mastery. With years of elite-level experience, he is a true expert in modern opening play. His insights help players navigate the complexities of the opening with confidence.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
App for Windows: Windows-PC, Windows 10 or 11 and Internet
App for Mac: Mac OS X and internet
ChessBase books: Computer (iPad, Tablet, PC etc.), current browser, internet
ChessBase video stream: Computer (iPad, Tablet, PC etc.), current browser, internet
Available as a download or as a booklet with an imprinted activation key:
The course is designed to provide a deep yet practical repertoire for Black, balancing solid foundations with aggressive counterplay. The Classical Sicilian has stood the test of time as one of the most principled and fighting defences against 1.e4. With its rich history spanning world championship matches and modern elite tournaments, this opening remains a favourite among players who seek a dynamic, counterattacking approach without venturing into extreme theoretical battles like the Najdorf or Sveshnikov.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: 6.h3
From the 2026 Candidates Tournament, featuring a video review by Dorian Rogozenco, to Jan Werle’s opening video on the French Tarrasch Defence, and Oliver Reeh’s tactical column ‘Top Grandmasters at Work’. Analyses by Giri, So, Wei Yi and many others.
You will learn how Black's dynamic piece activity and structural counterplay more than compensate for White's extra tempo in the colour-reversed setups.
In this course, you’ll learn how to take the initiative against the London and prevent White from comfortably playing their usual system by playing 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 Nh5.
London System Powerbase 2026 is a database and contains in all 11 285 games from Mega 2026 and the Correspondence Database 2026, of which 282 are annotated.
The London System Powerbook 2026 is based on more than 410 000 games or game fragments from different opening moves and ECO codes; what they all have in common is that White plays d4 and Bf4 but does not play c4.
In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
Opening videos: Open Spanish (Sipke Ernst) and Classical Sicilian (Nico Zwirs). Endgame Special by Igor Stohl: ‘Short or long side’ – where should the defending king be placed in rook endgames? ‘Lucky bag’ with 35 master analyses.
€14.90
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