personally I think 4.d4 is a mistake - not objectively, but psychologically: White plays 3.Bb5+ to avoid the main line open sicilians and it seems a bit daft to give Black an open sicilian after all a move later

and there are plenty of other interesting ideas, e.g. 4.0-0, intending 5.Re1 (and c3, d4), or if 4...a6 (Suba) 5.Bd3 with a sort of Kopec system (planning c3, Bc2, d4 again). White has wasted a tempo Bb5-d3, but the black knight at d7 is on the wrong square.

I've also scored very heavily with 4.a4!?, with the little idea of answering ...a6 with the mini-bind a4-a5 (after doing something about the bishop of course)

Black has equality, but does s/he know what to do with it? Generally I find Black would much rather follow 20 moves of theory into their pet line against the most testing grandmaster moves from White, than be given theoretical equality at move 3 and have to think for themselves.

MNb wrote on 02/21/06 at 02:11:48:


The only time i played OTB the line with 7..g6  i was faced with 8.Bg5 Bg7 9.Nd5 when i played 9..Nf6!? 10.Nxf6 exf6 followed by an eventuall ...f5 with the two bishops.I wanted to play original chess  because my opponent knew  a lot of theory, so i came up with this idea and i won pretty easily at the end.

What about 5..a6 6.Bxd7 Nxd7 followed by 7..e6 or even 7..g6 ?

MNB,

I am afraid things have changed since then.  Allow me to explain--it's all in the move order,

6...       g6!?

White is advised to use his already superior development with

7.Bg5 ! (GM Glek)  Bg7
8.0-0     0-0
9.e5 !   here is the correct time

This seems to be promising White better chances.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. O-O cxd4
6. Qxd4 e5 7. Qd3 h6 8. c4 Be7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Bxd7 Bxd7 
11. Rd1 (Rublevsky) a6 12. a4 Qc7 13. a5 Rfc8 14. b3  (with idea of Ba3 now or later)

White seems to keep a nice edge in this poisition.  All of white's pieces will be placed well and it is not easy to see where Black and how black will be able to break free of the bind.