The Sicilian Defense

Sicilian Support Points

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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.

Fischer-Sozin (B87) pt.2

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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!

Classical Variation

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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.