Table Of Content

Beating the Sicilian 3 John and Joe Gallagher Νυnn Batsford Ltd, London Β. Τ. Pirst published 1995 © John Νυηn and Joe Gallagher 1995 ISBN Ο 7134 7844 6 Βήtίsh Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. Α catalogue record for this book is available from the Βήtίsh Library. ΑlI ήghts reserνed. Νο part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without Ρήοr permission of the publisher. Typeset by John Νυηη and Ρήnted ίη Great Βήtaίn by Redwood Books, Trowbridge, Wilts for the publishers, Β. Τ. Batsford Ltd, 4 Pitzhardinge Street, London WIH ΟΑΗ Α BATSPORD CHESS ΒΟΟΚ Editoriαl Pαnel: Mark DvoretSky, John Νυηη, Ιοη Speelman Generαl Adviser: Raymond Keene ΟΒΕ Mαnαging Editor: Graham Burgess Contents Symbols 4 Introduction 5 1 Ν ajdorf Variation 7 2 Scheveningen Variation 28 3 Classica1 Variation 60 4 Pelikan Variation 95 5 The Dragon 110 6 Kan Variation 123 7 Maroczy Bind 144 8 Taimanov Variation 164 9 Sicilian Four Κnights 180 10 Lδwentha1 and Ka1ashnikov Variations 188 11 Ρίη Variation 196 12 Nimzowitsch Variatίon: 2 ... llJf6 200 13 O'Kelly Variation: 2 ... a6 206 14 Unusua1 Lines 210 Index of Variations 222 Symbols + Check ++ Double check # Checkmate ;t (=i=) Slίght advantage Ιο White (Black) ± (+) Clear advantage Ιο White (Black) +-(-+) Winning advantage Ιο White (Black) = Level position 00 Unclear position ! Goodmove ? Badmove !! Outstanding move ?? Blunder !? Interesting move ?! Dubious move Ch Championship Cht Team championship Team tournament ιι jr Junior Event wom Women's event rpd Rapidplay Wch World Championship Ζ Zonal ΙΖ Interzona1 Ct Candidates OL Olympiad Cοπ Posta1 game (D) Diagram follows Introduction This third edition of Beαting the Si same as ίη BTS2, although all have ciliαn (BTS) does ηοι need a lengthy been thoroughly updated Ιο reflect introduction, since repertoire books both developments ίη the pre-exist are now a familiar concept. Νο one ing theory and new ideas for Black will be surpήsed Ιο learn that the aim which have arisen ίη the interven ()f this book is Ιο provide a complete ing years. Retaining the original repertoire for White against the Si recommendations was ηοΙ done ιο cilian, sufficiently detailed for most minίmίse the authors' efforts, but be players Ιο meet any line of the Si cause most players do ηοΙ have the cilian with confidence. time Ιο change their repertoires com As ίη BTS2, the lines we recom pletely overnight. Even grandmas mend are well-established main ters normally change their openings variations. Τοο many opening books incrementally, because of the con advocate one or another sideline, siderable study required Ιο grasp claiming ίι Ιο be ηο worse than the both the ideas behind openings and usual variations, and offering analy the concrete variations embodying ~is which appearS convincing - υηtίl those ideas. you actually play the line over-the The repertoire against the Dragon hoard. Μαίη lines of the type ana has substantially changed. The main lysed ίη this book cannot be refuted, line of the Yugoslav Attack has be although the whims of fashion may come just Ιοο vast for most players lead Ιο them becoming more or less Ιο study ίη depth, and anyone intend ρορυlαι as the years go by. The lines ing ιο venture ίηΙο such tricky wa we recommend should remain valid ters needs Ιο have an intimate t·or yearS Ιο come (υηιΗ Beαting the knowledge of all the hidden reefs. Siciliαn 41) and readers may be Therefore, we have switched from 9 confident that the effort ρυΙ ίηΙο .ic4 Ιο 9 0-0-0 d5 1Ο 'ii'e 1, a promίs studying them will earn a long-term ing but relatίvely undeveloped line. reward. The Kan and Maroczy Bind chap We would like Ιο use the rest of ters include many new finesses, but this introductίon Ιο descήbe the the broad outline remains little changes ίη the proposed repertoire. changed. The lines given against the Na Against the Taimanov, we have jdorf, Scheveningen, Classical and abandoned BTS2's 5 tίJb5, both be Pelikan variations are broadly the cause recent practical results have 6 Introduction been disappointing for White, and Perhaps the greatest change since because the stodgy positions which BTS2 has been the rise of the Ka result don't fit ίη very well with the lashnikov variation, the οηlΥ really style οί the rest οί the repertoire. new Black system Ιο have been de The cunent recommendation οί 5 veloped ίη the Sicilian for the past 15 lbc3 'fIc7 6 f4 has had a knock-on years. Ιι may be that the popularity effect, ίη that lines also need Ιο be of this line has now passed its peak, provided against 5 ... d6 and 5 ... a6. but ίι is still relatively common and This new material is also covered deserves careful attention. Chapter ίη Chapter 8, and those who have Ι Ο has the details. earlier editions of BTS are recom The remaining chapters consti mended Ιο study this chapter care tute the Odds and Ends οί the Sicil fully, ίη order ηοΙ Ιο be left stranded ian. Maybe they are ηοΙ really so high and dry if Black does ηοΙ play bad, but the tide οί fashion has 5 ... 'fIc7. turned fιrmly against them and new The Sicilian Four Κnights experi ideas are few and far between. Per enced a bit of a revival a few years haps the one exception is the line 1 ago, which resulted ίη some new e4 c5 2 lbf3 g6, covered ίη Chapter developments. Although ίι has now 14, whίch is often used for transposi faded again ίηιο semί-obscurity, tional purposes; although still a littIe readers should be aware that thίs unusual, ίι appears Ιο be increasing chapter has altered subsιantially. ίη popularity. JohnNunn London J oe Gallagher NeuchΔtel 1 ΝajdοrfVaήatίοn Of a11 the lίnes ίη the Sicilίan which replies most commonly encountered Black can adopt, the Najdorfhas de ίη practice. The main division is be veloped the largest body of theory. tween those lines involving an early Whole books have been written οη ... e5 and those ίη which Black delays mere sub-variations of the Najdorf, this move or omits ίι entirely. We for example the Polugaevsky νΜί will postpone consideration of the ation and the infamous Poisoned former lίnes until Games 3 and 4, Pawn. The Najdorf starts with the and concentrate first οη the alterna moves 1 e4 c5 2 ~f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tives ιο ... e5. ~xd4 ~f6 5 ~c3 a6. Black's first aim is to play ... e5 without allowing Game 1 the reply .i.b5+, while the secon J. Polgar - Pliester dary ροίηΙ is Ιο prepare queenside Aruba 1992 expansion by ... b5. Some ofWhite's systems against the Najdorf are spe Ι e4 cS cifica11y aimed at preventing ... e5, 2 ~f3 d6 while others allow Black to play this 3 d4 cxd4 move ίη the hope of exploiting the 4 lDxd4 lί)f6 backward d-pawn later. Devising a 5 lbc3 a6 counter which is viable ίη tourna 6 f4(D) ment play, while at the same time ne cessitating relatively slίght book knowledge, has proved especially hard. These days the five major sys Β tems against the Najdorf, 6 .tg5, 6 .i.e2, 6 .i.c4, 6 .te3 and 6 f4 seem Ιο occur with about equal frequency. As ίη BTS2 we have opted for 6 f4, a system which offers good attacking chances while retaining an element of solίdity. Another advantage of 6 f4 is that as ίι has ηοΙ been popular for as long as some of the other moves 6 f4 is a flexible move; White there is ηοΙ quite as much Ιο learn. gives little away regarding his piece Ιη Games 1 to 4 we investigate the deployment, and waits for Black's 8 NαjdorfVariαtion reply before deciding where Ιο ρυι 1989) 9 ..• e5 10 lbb3 exf4 11 .ixf4 his bishops. lbes 12 ~xe5 dxe5 and now: 6 ..• lbbd7 3al) 13 g5 hxg5 14 hxg5 1:txhl This move is designed Ιο reserve 15 'ifxhl lbg4 16 lbd5 is given as the ορΙίοn of playing ... e5 under unclear by Kasparov. more favourable circumstances if 3a2) 13 .ih3 looks more testing White should develop his pieces Ιο Ιο me. Now 13 ... g5 loses Ιο 14 :η unsuitable squares. 6 ••• 'fIJc7 is cov .ie7 15lbd5 and 13 ... .ie6 14 g5 is ered ίn Game 2, but there are other at least slightly better for White. playable moves: 13 ... h5 should be met by 14 :dl! (14 1) 6 ••• lbc6 7 lbxc6 bxc6 8 e5 g5 .ixh3 15 gxf6 .ig4 16 fxg7 lbd7 (8 ... dxe5 9 'ifxd8+ ΦΧd8 10 .ixg7 17 'ifg3 ο-ο is ΟΚ for Black) fxe5lbd5 11 ~d2 is good for White) followed by g5. This leaves the cήti 9 .ic4!? dxe5 100-0 e6 11 f5.ic5+ cal line as 13 ••• .ib4 14 g5 (D) and 12 ΦhΙ and White has good attack now: ing chances. 2) 6 •.• g6 7 .id3 and after a sub sequent ... 'ifc7 or ... lbbd7 there will probably be a transposition ίηΙο lines considered ίη Game 2. 3) 6 ••• e6 (after this White may transpose ίnΙο various lines of the Scheveningen, but since these lines do ηοΙ form part of the repertoire rec ommended ίη this book, we suggest an independent a1ternative which promises good chances for White) 7 'fIJf3 (White's advantage over similar 3a21) 14• .. .ixc3+ (14 ... JLxh3 is lines is that his bishops are ηοΙ com met by 15 gxf6!) 15 'ifxc3 (15 bxc3 mitted, so he can force through g4- lbg8100ks ΟΚ for Black) 15 ... lbxe4 g5 very quickly) and now: (15 ... hxg5 16:d1 ! is very strong) 3a) 7 .•• lbbd7 8 g4 h6 (8 ... e5 9 16 'ifxe5+ 'ife7 and the big question lbf5!? and now 9 ... exf4?! 10 .ixf4 is whether White can get away with lbe5 11 .ixe5 dxe5 12 g5 lbd7 13 the cheeky 17 'ifxg7. Ι believe he .ic4 gives White a tremendous at can, although strong nerves are re tack, whίlst 9 ... g610 g5 gxf5 11 exf5 quired. Here is a sample variation: leaves Black under heavy pressure) 17 ... lbg3+ (17 ... :f8 18 .ixc8 fa 9 h4 (9 .ie2 1t'b6 10 lbb3 1t'c7 11 vours White after 18 ... :xc8 19 0-0-0 'ifg2 :b8 12 .ie3 b5 13 g5 hxg5 14 or 18 ...l bg3+ 19 Φf2lbe4+ 20 ~f3! fxg5lbh5 15 g6lbe5 was distinctly :Ιχc8 21 :hel) 18 Φd2 'ife2+ 19 unclear ίη Short-Kasparov, Belgrade Φc3! 'ife3+ (19 ... lbe4+ 20 Φd4!)