Jonathan had not published an annotated game I sent him on the 2.b3 Sicilian.  It was played at the 2nd main open tournament (correspondence)  in the open section, in the 2nd of 3 rounds.

He made an interesting point--in this game White plays an early d4 and makes this an open type of position.  He said he felt like it belonged in the open sicilian section.  Maybe GM Kosten agrees, maybe not.  I don't know.  I played for ...e5 and then ...d5, but there were some problems to solve since it looked like White had a ready made attack against Black's  King.  White made some mistakes by underestimating a central break.  

But during my research and study I began to respect this opening and I do recognize it has some sting, especially if understimated.

[Event "October 2005 Open Main #2 Tournament"]
[Date "2006.01.10"]
[Round "2"]
[White "ulibear"]
[Black "BladezII"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5 2. b3 d6 3. Bb2 Nc6 4. Nf3 e6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4
Nf6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bd3 e5 10. O-O Be7 11. Kh1
O-O 12. c4 Be6 13. Nd2 Nd7 14. b4 Qb6 15. a3 a5 16. f4
axb4 17. f5 Nc5 18. Bc2 Bd7 19. a4 Bf6 20. Rf3 d5

I think after this break, Black starts to claim some serious initiative of his own.

21. cxd5   cxd5

22. Bb3 Nxb3 23. Qxb3 d4 24. Nc4 Qc7 25. Rc1 Bg5
26. Rc2 Bxa4 27. Ne3 Bxb3 28. Rxc7 dxe3 29. Rf1 e2
30. Re1 Rfd8 31. Bxe5 Rd1 32. Bg3 Bd2 33. Rg1 Rxg1+
34. Kxg1 Be3+ 0-1

MarinFan wrote on 06/16/06 at 10:06:33:


It isn't. The reason is of course, that Black will play d7-d5 (evt a6 first). This is already a hard nut to crack, if White has played Nf3 without f4. In that case he may have some hope for and edge, if he manages to play d2-d4 with play against the isolated d-pawn. A pawn on f4 instead of f2 then has wasted a tempo for a weaking of White's position.
1.e4 c5 2.b3 e6 3.Bb2 a6 (why not?) 4.f4 d5 5.e5 with a French type of position.

If this does not convince you, then there is also 1.e4 c5 2.b3 e6 3.Bb2 b6. This lead me to the conclusion, that White's best try is 1.e4 c5 2.b3 e6 3.Nf3 (to answer b6 with 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb7 6.Nb5!?)

MarinFan wrote on 06/15/06 at 15:58:45:


If you think 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 a6 playable for Black, then 1.e4 c5 2.b3 e6 3.Bb2 a6 is the logical choice. 4.Nf3 transposes and 4.f4 d5 nor 4.g3 d5 looks problematic for Black.
I do not understand the remark, that 2.b3 looks more dangerous than 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3. If the latter is innocent, than Black just can play 1.e4 c5 2.b3 e6 evt. followed by d5 too. Here it does not make much sense to me, if White does not play 3.Nf3 or 3.Bb2 followed by 4.Nf3.

Hello,

  Looking at the preview of Jon's updates, the current thinking is 1.e4 c5 2. b3 is
more dangerous than, playing b3 on third move. This is because, the old recipe  of blunting bishop with e5, allows f4 attacks,  and weakens d5 square. Also, something like 1e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 a6 is nothing much for white.
                        This is interesting, because kind of the opposite of what used to think. Will have to try it out, because not too sure what to play against 2.b3 now...

Bye John S

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 b6 Kindermann recommends 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb7 6.Nb5!? with interesting complications.
Another problem then: 1.e4 c5 2.b3 d6 3.Bb2 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nc6 and White has not done well after both 5.f4 g6 and 5.Bb5 g6. I must say, that I have not seriously looked at them yet.

Welcome back, Glenn! It has been a while. 5.Qe2 has the disadvantages, that White cannot decentley transpose to the Open Sicilian anymore and has committed himself to the King's fianchetto.
5.c4 is probably the way to go; Spassky has played this against Wockenfuss in 1980 and 1982.

Are they a book on this line 2.b3 ?

Perhaps, after 1.e4 e6 2.b3 c5 3.Nf3 a6 4.Bb2 Nc6, 5.c4 with the idea of 6.d4.  Of course this should still be playable for Black.