Brain Training for the Sicilian Defense?
I found this new service today and it got me wondering if some of these alternative “brain” games could improve the brain for chess. Sometimes in my study of the Sicilian Defense i have often wondered how much I can possibly improve. I seem to have plateaued and just don’t have unlimited time to break through to the next level.
Perhaps if I could somehow train my mind to think further ahead, focus better, or I might be able to see my rating improve more rapidly. Luminosity definitely has my interest peaked with this free trial as they are claiming users have reported:
- Clearer and quicker thinking
- Improved memory
- Increased alterness
- Better memory
Have any of you tried this or a similar service? I am curious to hear how what other methods you all have tried to improve your chess besides traditional study, a.k.a reading thesiciliandefense.com
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Sicilian Support Points
Recently, I played a few practice games with a friend of mine who is a strong Master. One of these games highlights important considerations Black must make when advancing his center pawns in the Sicilian Defense. The game began with 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5?! This was a very interesting move this early in the game that has some big ramifications for both player’s plans. The beginning player might be tempted to respond to this threat on his knight by playing 5. NxN ? However, this would be a huge mistake. Black could simply retake with …b7xN and white would be down a tempo. Instead white should see the excellent new support point that has become available on d5. Note how that if white can post a minor piece on d5, black has no pawn moves that can force the white piece to a less threatening square. Recognizing this I immediately began my plan and played 5. Nb3. Black responded with the natural developing move 5…Nf6. And with the response 6. Bg5 my plan begins to take shape. I want to trade my dark squared bishop for my opponent’s knight so that I will have three possible minor pieces that I can use to try and control the d5 square compared with his two. The game continued, 6…Be7 7. BxN BxB 8. Nc3.
Let’s pause and look here at some considerations for both sides. Black has the bishop pair, but it is unclear how he will be able to activate his dark squared bishop, which is now blocked in by his pawn on e5. White’s pressure on the d5 file is also preventing Black from breaking open the center with the d5 pawn push. White will want to continue developing such that he can post a knight on the strong d5 square. If white can secure a knight in the center on the fifth rank in this position, it will be a stronger advantage than Black’s bishop pair. The key take away from this game is that when playing open Sicilian Defense positions always be mindful of the space left behind. If you want to make pawn advances, first consider what room you leave behind for your opponent to penetrate your camp.
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Fischer-Sozin (B87) pt.2
This next game is another look at the Fischer-Sozin variation with …a6 and …b5 of the Sicilian Defense played by Bruci Lopez at the USAT Playoffs. This time his opponent, FM Robby Adamson puts up a stronger showing, but still comes up short. Lopez plays virtually the same first sixteen moves for white and again demonstrates how white can build up and develop an attack against this Sicilian setup. In this game note how Black stays very cramped up and is never really able to utilize the space gained on the queenside. In both games one can see how black can never utilize the imbalances in the position for his benefit. The half open c-file is a moot point, and the space gained on the queenside did not disrupt white’s plans at all.
I think Chess Life is correct in that these games rightfully may draw some renewed interest in the Bc4 responses by white to the Najdorf Sicilian Defense. I plan on exploring some alternative ways for Black to play this position and would love to get any comment or feedback you have on this opening. Enjoy!
Filed Under Fischer, Najdorf, Sicilian Defense Basics, Uncategorized | 6 Comments
Fischer-Sozin with …a6 and …b5 (B87)
The July edition of Chess Life has some great coverage of the USAT Playoffs this month. A few games in particular struck my eye as excellent illustrations of how to the play the Fischer-Sozin (B87) variation of the Sicilian Defense. The games I want to analyze are by FM Bruci Lopez (2455), the strongest player in the playoffs. Lopez plays this opening twice with White and both times provides a textbook illustration of how White should use the initiative to build up an attack. Chess Life comments on Lopez’s success, “This game might attract new adherents to the Bc4 systems.”
This statement proves very interesting and has prompted my interest in this opening. According to Chessgames.com this version of the Sicilian Defense has waned in popularity since the 70’s. Lopez’s results are fairly impressive given the overall record for this opening:
White wins 34.2%
Black wins 36.0%
Draws 29.8%
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Classical Variation
The Sicilian Defense variations can be classified as being either open or closed systems. The open lines occur after the moves 2. Nf3 and 3. d4 by white. These three moves result in the c – file opening for black and the d – file for white after the ensuing pawn exchange. These open positions are often rather unbalanced and therefore result in extremely complex middlegames.
The Classical variation of the open Sicilian Defense is recognized by the move 5…Nc6 after the set-up: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 (which can be reached with multiple move orders). With this move Black delays any decision on the development of his dark bishop and brings his knight out to its most natural square.
In this position white has a number of ideas available. The common continuation is the Richter-Rauzer Attack where white plays 6. Bg5. This aggressive move prevents Black from the playing for the Dragon set-up with g7 by forcing Black to respond to the potential capture BxN. Black can respond with the simple 6…e6 which strengthens his center, prevents the immediate doubling of pawns, and makes the e7 square available for his dark bishop. White can continue with Qd2 and then 0-0-0. This plan, introduced by Vsevolod Rauzer, exerts tremendous pressure by White on the half open D-file. This pressure usually forces Black to double pawns on the f-file after BxN because of White’s pressure on the backward d-pawn. The resultant position after this exchange would still be fairly even with each side having different advantages. Black has retained both bishops but will need to figure out how to get them both in the action. White on the other hand has forced Black to double pawns and will often play f4 in an attempt to figure out a way to further weaken Black’s pawn structure.
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Najdorf variation
The Najdorf variation of the Sicilian Defense is one of the most popular versions of the Sicilian Defense. This line was named after the Polish-Argentinian GM Miguel Najdorf, but owes its popularity to the late great Bobby Fischer. Both Fischer and Kasparov have played and created many Najdorf lines. One of the most popular being the Poisoned Pawn variation which Fischer utilized with great success.
The defining move in the Najdorf is 5. … a6 which comes after: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
This move has multiple purposes. First it prevents white from beginning the Keres Attack with g4. It also denies white’s bishop access to the b5 square. Had white been allowed Bb5, then he would probably end up being able to trade of this bishop for a knight or black’s light squared bishop. This situation would slightly favor white as he could then play to block in Black’s dark bishop and place a knight on d5.
After the move 5. … a6 there are a number of possible continuations. Most of these involve the following ideas for black: An early b5 advance, Bb7, Nd7 (sometimes followed by Nb6), Qc7 or Qb6 (as in the Poisoned Pawn variation), e6 or e5, Be7. Black often tries to utilize the central thrust d5 as well, breaking up white’s center.
An excellent example of this particular line of the Sicilian Defense is the infamous Fischer vs. Tal, at the 1959 Candidates Tournament which can be found here
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Keres Attack (B81)
The Keres Attack (B81) is considered the most dangerous attack available
to white when Black plays for the Scheveningen pawn structure in the
Sicilian Defense. This variation for white is named after GM Paul Keres
who championed the move 6.g4 after reaching the set-up: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6
The attacking move 6. g4 is made possible by the fact that Black has cut
off his white bishop from the g4 square when he made the advance e6.
White’s intention with this move is to make the push g5 and force
Black’s knight to retreat. Black is able to adequately defend his
position with the pawn move 6. … h6. While, this is a defensible
position for black some may try to avoid the g4 thrust by waiting on e6
and playing 5. … a6. This is a natural move in the Sicilian Defense as
it begins the queenside pawn storm as well as taking away b5 as an
outpost for white knights.
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Dragon Pawn Structure
One of the sharpest set-ups for Black when playing the Sicilian Defense is the Dragon pawn structure. After Black trades off his c-pawn this structure is achieved by the pawn moves d6 and g6. In the diagram of this set-up you will notice the dragon shape that the pawns make with the d and g pawns being the legs and the h pawn the head.
Some of the main ideas involved in Dragon variations of the Sicilian Defense include:
Black is able to fianchetto his dark bishop on the long a1-h8 diagonal. This dragon bishop is a great attacking piece and often creates fits for white. Black’s pawn structure is very solid and difficult for white to break down. Black will try to storm the queenside via the c-file with his rooks and by rolling his a and b pawns down the board. Sometimes Black tries to post a knight on c4 where it can exert pressure on the b2 pawn.
The illustrative game, Rauzer – Botvinnik is a quite famous example of this Sicilian Defense structure.
Filed Under Dragon, Sicilian Defense Basics | 1 Comment
Scheveningen Structure
This compact way of playing the Sicilian Defense is characterized by a superior, tight, flexible pawn structure for Black with pawns on d6 and e6. This defensive formation allows Black to develop nicely and prepare to fight on the queenside by pushing his a and b pawns. The diagram to the left illustrates the Scheveningen pawn structure and helps simplify some of the ideas involved in this type of system. Black has the half-open c-file to work down while maintaining a solid space advantage in the center.
In this system it will be difficult for white to improve his pawn structure without leaving holes in his defense. For example, white’s lone e pawn can become and object of attack and bolstering its defense by f3 leaves the White king exposed.
Another major consideration in this Sicilian Defense structure is when to push the Black’s d or e pawn. Black needs to be very careful should he need to play e5 as the d5 square then becomes a potentially lethal outpost for a white knight. From the diagram you can see that after e5, a white knight on d5 cannot be forced out by a pawn. This would also leave Black’s d pawn backward and vulnerable to attack.
In this following video I play through and provide my commentary on a great example of how to play this particular version of the Sicilian Defense by the great Kasparov.
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General Recurring Ideas
There are a number of recurring motifs that get repeated in some of the most popular lines of the Sicilian Defense. These basic ideas give a broad strokes picture of some typical plans for both Black and White in the Sicilian landscape.
In the Sicilian Defense we often see Black trade his c pawn for White’s d pawn after the d4 push by White. This trade thereby opens up the c-file for Black’s future attacking plans and also gives him a strong central pawn majority which he can use to control the center and take away key support points from enemy knights.
From a space standpoint, White tends to control more space on the kingside and develops his pieces there for an attack on the enemy king. Meanwhile, Black fights for spatial control on the queenside and often advances his pawns there to take away key white support points, control space, and create weaknesses in White’s queenside pawn majority.
Black frequently makes more pawn moves in the opening. White can exploit this through a lead in development giving good attacking chances on the kingside if black is not careful.
Black typically is able to play down the half open c-file and will often play to double rooks on this file. If white castles queenside, it can sometimes even be advantageous to sacrifice a rook for knight on c3 creating holes around White’s king and a weakness in his pawn structure.
This Sicilian Defense diagram taken after 14 moves from Svidler, Peter (2713) – Kasparov, Gary (2812) illustrates some of these ideas. In this position we see white pushing for an attack on the kingside and Black controlling a lot space on the queenside. Black is also setting up to exploit the c file in his queenside plan.
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