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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Getting Started with the Taimanov (Read 10791 times)
Bonsai
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #13 - 02/26/17 at 08:48:00
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I've had a lot of fun with as black in the 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 a6 7. Bg2 Nf6 (7...Bc5 is interesting for blitz - although it is more clear that 8.Nb3 Ba7!? 9.Qg4 g6 10.Qe2 d6 is  advantageous for white) 8. O-O Bc5 9. Nxc6 dxc6 10. Na4 Ba7 11. c4 h5 12. c5 h4 line. It seems a bit over the top by black and one needs to do some repair work on the line in Taimanov Bible (pages 86 and 87).
  
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fjd
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #12 - 02/26/17 at 01:51:06
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@TN - Thank you for the illustrative games and advice.

I have a couple friends of similar playing strength (~2100-2200) who are playing the Taimanov, and they don't seem to be facing the g3 stuff all that frequently, so I don't think I'll let it dissuade me from playing the Taimanov. That said, of the options, there isn't one I'm perfectly satisfied with, so I think (for now anyway), I'll play the ...Nxd4/...Bc5 line if a draw is acceptable (having checked it, I haven't found anything that I'd be terribly uncomfortable defending OTB), and I guess try to confuse the issue with 7...h5 (or perhaps 7...Nf6 8 0-0 h5) if I absolutely need to win (or maybe just go 1...e5!  Tongue)

At some point, I am planning on putting aside some time to try to properly understand Scheveningen structures, but for the time being sticking to a repertoire based on ...Bb4/Bc5 makes sense to me.

  
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kylemeister
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #11 - 02/25/17 at 08:24:53
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That last one caught my attention as looking like an old book line.  E.g. the very first NIC Yearbook (1983/4) had a game in which Black played ...Qc7 instead of ...Rc8, and then after 14. Na4, 14...Rae8 was said to be "! =".
  
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TN
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #10 - 02/25/17 at 07:36:35
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The authors of 'The Taimanov Bible' also cover the 7...Nf6 8.0-0 Bc5 and 8...Nxd4 variations, but they admit the first does not equalise against accurate play, and in the second line, not only is Black essentially playing for a draw, I've analysed the line more deeply and concluded White is better there. Hence my suggestion of looking into the Scheveningen transposition (although admittedly, the authors also prefer White there).

Here are some games to demonstrate the key developments since the book was published:



Black was quite lucky to escape in this game.



7...Nge7 is an interesting way to get a fighting position, but in my view it does not equalise with best play.



Of course, a blitz game is not so theoretically relevant, but it shows how simple White's plan is to execute in the Scheveningen - especially if he knows his 6.Be2 Scheveningen motifs.

Thus, it is curious that 6.g3 is not trendy lately in spite of being a clear route to a small White advantage. I suspect it's one of those cases where strong GMs only play the Taimanov when they know the opponent doesn't have g3 systems in his repertoire. If one is limited to Taimanov play, I would recommend the 5...a6 move order, with the following move order trickery in mind:



Granted, I don't believe Black equalises in the 6.Be3 a6 7.Qf3 variation either, but of course the above issues shouldn't bother amateur players too much. On the positive side, Negi was not able to conclusively prove a White advantage in the most popular (at the sub-GM level) 7.Qd2 line.
  

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fjd
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #9 - 02/24/17 at 16:09:44
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Does "The Taimanov Bible" suggest a second line for Black against 6 g3 - ? I do agree that the above line looks a bit suspect for Black.
  
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bragesjo
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #8 - 02/23/17 at 15:12:02
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The most Flexible sicilians gave this line

1 e4 c5 Sf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 Qc7 6 g3 a6 7 Bg2 h5 8 0-0 h4 9 Re1 hxg3 10 hxg3 d6
11 Nxc6 bxc6 12 e5 d5 13 Na4 Bb7 14 c4 dxc4 15 Nc3 Ne7

14 .. dxc4 was given a ! mark and here flexible only considers 16 Qa4 where black apparently gets about equal play.

Taimanov bible here instead quates the game Adams - Ivanisevic where 16 Ne4! was played instead.
They look at a couple of move and gives 16 .. Nd5 as best move after they reply 17 Bg5 (Qd4 is also analysed as +=) a5 they give
18 Qd4 a ! mark claming +=. Is not the end of the world line but I dont like blacks position at all.
 
If you are interested in g3 system, the book "Modernized the open Sicilian" went for g3 vs both Kan and Taimanov.
g3 was also covered in "Taiming the Sicilian" but that book is a bit old.
  
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fjd
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #7 - 02/22/17 at 18:20:07
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@bragesjo Is it possible to give some sort of indication where this improvement is?
One thing I found that looks potentially dangerous is 8 h3 h4 9 g4 Bc5 10 Nb3 Ba7, and now instead of 11 Qe2 Nge7 12 f4 b5 13 Be3 g5!?, 11 f4!?, with the idea 11...Nge7 12 e5!, and after 11...d6 12 Qf3!?, meeting ...b5 with e4-e5, and otherwise just playing Be3, with what looks like a pleaant position for White.

@TN - thanks for the heads-up regarding 6 Qd3, I hadn't seen this move before. Although, Neiksans' play in the game does look rather convincing.
  
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #6 - 02/21/17 at 09:01:07
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The Taimanov bible has a big improvment for white(!) over The most flexible sicilians g3 h5 line.
After the improvment blacks position is simply worse. So I would recommend some other line.
  
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TN
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #5 - 02/21/17 at 03:37:58
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The 7...h5 lines are decent, I believe they are analysed to some depth in 'The Taimanov Bible'. Otherwise there's a Scheveningen transposition with ...d6. Indeed, as you acquire more experience in the opening you will probably find it useful to learn the various Scheveningen transpositions as in certain lines White can set real problems if Black is not willing to play ...d6. Of course, there are other lines, particularly with an early f4, where ...d6 proves too slow.

Admittedly the Taimanov is currently under pressure at the highest level, but I doubt that's a relevant factor against your usual opponents. Also make sure to have something ready against 6.Qd3, such as the following:



  

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fjd
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #4 - 02/18/17 at 23:48:15
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Thanks for the suggestions.

By now I've watched the majority of Van Kampen's videos and quite enjoyed them. In particular, his coverage of the English Attack in the videos + the e-book seemed pretty convincing. 6 Be2 Nf6!? was also a welcome deviation from the standard Bb4 Na4 stuff.

I've also had a look at some of the Emms book. He's a good writer, and I feel like my overall understanding of the Taimanov has improved, even if I'm generally not a huge fan of some of his recommendations.

So in building my repertoire, it currently looks like this:

- English Attack - Modern Main Line with 9...Be7 10 g4 Nxd4
- 6 Be3 a6 7 Qf3 d6!?
- 6 Be2 Nf6
- 6 f4 a6 7 Nxc6 Qxc6

The biggest gap I currently have which I don't know what to play against would be 6 g3. Both Emms and Van Kampen give the line with ...Nxd4 and ...Bc5. Clearly this must be fine from an objective standpoint, but Black has next to no winning chances in the main line. Maybe I should look into one of those ...h5 lines for a more fighting approach?
  
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fling
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #3 - 02/02/17 at 06:46:54
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There is also the Safest Sicilian and the Most Flexible Sicilian, and quite a few books from White's perspective too, like Negi's. But I have also started with the two excellent sources mentioned by the previous posters.

On the other hand, the Taimanov bible has not been very helpful for me, too many variations and little explanation. It might be more helpful once I get to learn the variation better.
  
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #2 - 02/01/17 at 08:19:24
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WSS wrote on 02/01/17 at 00:45:02:
Robin van Kampen has a nice video series on the Taimanov on chess24.com.


Robin's vids and John Emms' book "Move by Move" on the Taimanov are the two basic resources I would reccomend.

Salut,

  
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Re: Getting Started with the Taimanov
Reply #1 - 02/01/17 at 00:45:02
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Robin van Kampen has a nice video series on the Taimanov on chess24.com.
  
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fjd
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Getting Started with the Taimanov
12/30/16 at 03:14:34
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Hi everyone,

For the new year, I'm looking to switch up my main defense against 1 e4 from 1...e5 to the Taimanov Sicilian. I have a little bit of experience in Taimanov positions from both sides, but not a lot. I've done enough research by this point to be more or less aware of both sides' options following 5...Qc7. What would you suggest as a good repertoire for starting out with the Taimanov that makes it relatively easy to expand my arsenal later? I should perhaps say I'm not the biggest fan of Scheveningen structures from the Black side, although I'm definitely not unwilling to play favourable versions of it.

Thanks!  Smiley
  
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