The Anti-Sicilian systems include: positionally motivated lines such as the 2 c3 Sicilian and the 3 Bb5 systems; slow but tricky attacking lines including the Closed Sicilian and the King's Indian Attack; aggressive but loosening ideas like the Grand Prix Attack and a variety of gambits. The Alapin looks to take all of that initiative and put white back in the drivers seat. SI 46-47 Sicilian: 2.c3?! Nxd4 Nf6 5. 2. Named after Semyon Alapin, the opening didn’t become popular until the latter 20th century. The Sicilian defense gives black a lot of initiative, which is why it is seen at all level of chess. Sicilian, Alapin (1 e4 c5 2 c3) : chess opening performance statistics, strategy and tactics, famous games, PGN download, discussion forum, and more. Deep Blue played the Alapin Variation against Kasparov in their 1996 match in order to avoid a main line Sicilian that would walk into Kasparov's lifetime of experience with the opening. Either way, break the center. The reason is that sharp and complicated positions arise, which offer black excellent dynamic counter play. I take control of the centre. Squeezing the Sicilian: Alapin Variationby Alexander Khalifman & Sergei Soloviov In the Alapin System White's strategic idea is extremely simple. This is not the alxpin for the Alapin, as it probably is the most respected anti Sicilian system and it offers white a solid position but with enough chances to play aggressive and create difficult problems for black to solve. Like you have mentioned, at this point in time turning off the opening book in chess engines would be a disadvantage, so I have learned a lot of rare variations in an attempt to get it out of the opening book. By advancing the c-pawn at the first move, Black creates an asymmetry in the pawn structure. The text move, and Nf6 are the only ways Black can … 1.e4 e5 2.Ne2. The first article features Alapin Variation of Sicilian Defense. The Classical Sicilian (reached from many move orders, such as 1. e4 c5 2. 1-44 of 44 survey(s) found. 1. e4 c5 2. c3. – such as the Closed Sicilian, the Morra Gambit, the Alapin Variation, the Grand-Prix Attack, the continuation 3.Bb5+ etc. This results in a fianchetto of the kingside bishop. Having said that I have my doubts that Chess-Stars will be able to convince me that The Alapin poses any theoretical problems anywhere for black in the Sicilian, but as a practical weapon it definitely has its pluses. ... White tries to occupy the centre with a second pawn, and Black must know his stuff very well in order to be able to equalize. I'm no Alapin expert, but it makes sense for Black to keep as many good setups as possible on the table for as long as he can, to keep White guessing. The Alapin Variation or c3 Sicilian is used by players who want to avoid the Sicilian main lines. The Alapin has gained its own place in the theory of chess openings. For many years it was not held in high regard, since 2...d5 was thought to allow Black easy equality. Although a vast amount amount of variations unfold in front of me, when my opponents play 2.Nf3, I feel very confident with this opening, since I am an aggresive player and like complex positions. Starting position of the Najdorf. Although this opening is rarely used, Ljubojević (as Black) played against it at Groningen in 1970. "The Alapin (Sicilian with 2.c3) is a very safe way for White to play for a win", says someone who knows what he is talking about: Grandmaster Rogozenko has for almost ten years been commenting the most important games in the Alapin for ChessBase Magazine. You will find a good mix of important forced lines and typical ideas, plans and motifs. The Sicilian Dragon is a variation of the Sicilian Opening for black. Even in positions where you try to defend, you need to look for active defense. It comes up often in my games and is kind of annoying. The topic of this article will be centered around the Sicilian Dragon, which consists of black playing g6 at some point followed by Bg7. This is Sicilian! This leads to an imbalanced position that gives Black higher chances to win. A lot of times Black is not prepared for it and this gives White a psychological advantage at move 2. ALAPIN VARIATION OF THE SICILIAN. [citation needed] The Alapin is also seen in deferred form, particularly when Black … The good news is Black can also do something about it and the reduced number of choices helps. 1. e4 c5 2. c3. However, here White will find the inclusion of 3.g3 to be more useful. It leads to exciting positions, never makes you bored and its combative nature attracts millions of chess fans of any level. He will have to pay for this … The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. Besides this, the move 1… c5 controls the important d4-square. This makes it all the more important for Black to be well prepared for this somewhat different form of the Sicilian. Alapin Sicilian e6 vs d6 (Read 2271 times) IsaVulpes. The Sicilian Najdorf Variation is one of the most ambitious and positionally motivated lines of the Sicilian and, along with the Dragon, also one of the most popular. Posted by 3 years ago. 2001.12.25): Bad Game - Not correctable, needs to be removed: Duplicate Game, needs to be removed - Enter game id of correct version: Result Wrong - Correct Result: When top-level grandmasters need to win with Black pieces, they use the Sicilian in most of the cases. 0-0 a4! ALAPIN VARIATION OF THE SICILIAN. In chess, the Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation is a response to the Sicilian Defence characterised by the moves:. against e5 black should play some Nf5 (either via e7 or h6) Nc6 and Qb6, attacking d4 or prepare f6. The title of the book is supposed to be Squeezing the Sicilian and the backbone of the Repertoire is given as the Alapin according to the sample pages. Senior Member Offline No. , white can win the a-pawn but only at the expense of losing their e-pawn! "Indeed, most statistical surveys suggest that 1.d4 is the most successful first move for White, … This thread is archived. against ed, black aims for Nf6 to recapture with the knight, where whites toughest try is to flick Bb5 in, so that after Bd7 and Bc4, the Q doesn't attack d4. But if black wants to stay in original, Accelerated-Dragon style territory, black can delay this move even longer and play 8…a5 Black may succeed in being able to play …a4 by tactical means. Deep Alapin Variation 2...e6 Blue played the Alapin Variation against Kasparov in their 1996 match, to avoid a main line Sicilian that would walk into Kasparov’s lifetime of experience with the opening. For this opening system he has now completed a CD-ROM that no friend of the Sicilian should miss. One of Black’s main answers 2…d5 is analyzed in-depth with a plenty of fresh examples from grandmaster's practice. This one is a keeper. Sicilian Defense is definitely one of the most aggressive openings for Black. I am launching a new rubric for the 1.e4 fans – full repertoire for White pieces. Not often with Black pieces, you can get such an aggressive position right? He prepares to advance with d2-d4, to build a solid pawn centre and then dictate the play. Black Player - Correct Name: Event - Correct Event: Site - Correct Site: Round - Correct Round: Date - Correct Date (e.g. It is named after the Russian master Semyon Alapin (1856-1923). The Alapin Variation, I plan to take control of the centre with d4. For example, after 9. This is not supposed to happen when playing the Alapin. That could happen if Black chooses to play 2… d5, the one move considered to bring equality in Sicilian if Black manages to play it. The Sicilian Defense is the most popular and fun opening in chess. 63% Upvoted. The most popular choices for Black's 2nd move are Nf6 and d5. Opening book: If you're like me, the Alapin variation of the Sicilian (1. e4 c5 2. c3) is a real pain because Black's positions tends to be more stodgy than dynamic share. The Sicilian Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves: 1. e4 c5. It is named after the Russo-Lithuanian player and openings analyst Semyon Alapin (1856–1923). Black sacrificed an exchange to get a strong attack in the queenside. It is safe to expect a more normal game, one involving the Isolated Queen Pawn (IQP) for White (the d4-pawn) and possibly later on the pawn phalanx c3-d4. I play the Accelerated Dragon, which is kind of an universal response to 1.e4, and has the advantages of always being able to keep the positions into familiar territory for you: similar pawn structure, best squares for the pieces and many ideas are recurrent in different variations.. Against the Alapin (2.c3) Sicilian I suggest:[fen ""] 1.e4 c5 2.c3 (2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 4.cxd4 d5!) Close. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. My line goes 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bg2. Archived. Black plays in the spirit of the Alapin Variation, where 2.c3 or 3.c3 is met by Nf6. Alternatively, White can transpose to a sort of Tarrasch French with 3. Less popular, but equally playable are Nc6, d6, e6, and Qc7. This book equips Black to fight against all these lines. Sicilian Defence SI Alapin Variation 2.c3. 1. e4 c5. The mainline of the Sicilian Najdorf begins: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6. Alapin's Opening is an unusual chess opening that starts with the moves: . It’s Aggressive. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. The Alapin is known as the ‘anti-Sicilian’ as it primarily stems Black’s initiative, and helps White gain control of the d4 square. I started playing the line 1.e4 c5 2.c3 in the Sicilian Defense as White in 1988. 2. In my experience as a Sicilian player, one must have a variation ready to face the Alapin. save hide report. Posts: 331 Joined: 12/09/07. The Sicilian Defense is the most common response to 1. e4. Nc3 Nc6) is one of the soundest lines of the Sicilian for Black, if not always the most enterprising. What do you play against the Alapin Sicilian as black? The sicilian defence is my main choice against 1.e4 when playing black. 5 comments. When you play against a chess player who most likely knows the Sicilian Defense very well and has a lot of theoretical knowledge about this opening, you could switch to the Alapin variation to escape his well prepared opening lines. White’s second move, c3, prepares the way for white to counter the d4 square that black … In the first part, the author treats all possible deviations before reaching the basic position with 1.e5 c5 2.Pf3 d6 3.d4 etc. What do you play against the Alapin Sicilian as black? Alapin Variation Since the ... With 2.c3 White can impose on the play a direction which will not be to the liking of every Sicilian fan who has the black pieces. In this video series Pert gives a strong and practical Black repertoire against the Anti-Sicilians such as the Bb5 Sicilian, the Grand Prix Attack, the Alapin and many more, from my years of experience playing the Sicilian… To take all of that initiative and put White back in the.... 2Nd move are Nf6 and d5 Ljubojević ( as Black ) played against it at Groningen in.. The spirit of the Sicilian is used by players who want to avoid Sicilian! Main lines forced lines and typical ideas, plans and motifs but only at the expense losing! 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