Of course 2...a6 avoids some lines (just as 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 a6 avoids the Ruy Lopez), but you give White a pleasant choice: (a) to play 3.a4, and then in 99% of the cases follow his usual Anti-Sicilian scheme, or (b) accept the invitation to 2...a6 & b5, which isn't too bad either. Closed Sicilian Players know their set-ups, und including a6/a4 is rarely a big issue. 

Stefan Buecker wrote on 02/18/10 at 13:27:10:


One of the attractions of 2. ... a6 is that you keep the option of your regular sicilian open, I'll admit that. But I think that black can profit from a4 by choosing a set-up where a4 doesn't matter and a6 does;

Compare 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. f4  Nc6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb5 (most played in my database) with 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. a4  e6 4. f4  Nc6 5. Nf3 d5 .

In the closed sicilian I do not see anything wrong with 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. a4  e6 4. g3  d5 ( One could argue that 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3  e6 4. Bg2 is worse for black as het can't push d5 through). Perhaps 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3  b5 is stronger for black. 

For the rest:  1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. a4  e6 4. g3  d5 isn't that difficult to play.   

The only benefit of 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. a4 is to make it harder for black to keep open the option of reaching his favorite open sicilian. White could play something like 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. a4  e6 4. Nf3 but I hardly call that frightening

I have the same opinion, after a6 a4! and White continue his usual formation.

In a Chesscafe article, I wrote on 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.a4. Palliser's discussion of the last move isn't very convincing. I fail to see how moving both a-pawns improves Black's chances in a Closed Sicilian.

Pallisers 2..a6!? is very interesting. The closed sicilian must be taken seriously. Look what happened to Shirov recently who lost against the closed sicilian against a 12(!!) year old indian boy after 16 (!!) moves!!

Sharma,Pranav - Shirov,Alexei [B26]
Ottawa Simul, 02.2010
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Be3 Rb8 7.f4 b5 8.Qc1 b4 9.Nce2 e5 10.Nf3 Nge7 11.f5 gxf5 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 fxe4 14.Ng5 exd3 15.Qg7







15...Rg8?? After 15...Kd7 Black is clearly better. 16.Bxc6+ and since White is thratening mate on f7: 1-0.

The downside to 2.Nc3 Nc6 is that White players are best prepared for and often hoping for this. Imho this fact makes it less of a winning try in OTB Chess.

I'm very happy I found 2...a6 and I think it's an excellent winning try, because it give White nonstandard problems to solve whether he's a Closed or GPA player. 2...a6 also connects with the Najdorf or the Kan, arguably Black's two best winning tries in the Open Sicilian anyway, if White goes for a transposition with 3.Nf3 or 3.Nge2.

2...a6 can even be tried by those who don't have the Najdorf or the Kan in their repertoire. Meet 3.Nf3 with either: 

- Kurajica's 3..b5 4.d4 e6!? as covered in the O'Kelly chapter of Dangerous Weapons: The Sicilian, or 

- 3...b5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 e6 6.Bd3 Bb7!? and 7...Nc6, a newly popluar line that is covered very well on ChessPublishing. (Yes, this is a line of the Kan, but Black has avoided the two other critical main lines 5.Bd3 and 5.c4).

As so often with such questions, one might wonder what your playing level is, what relevant stuff you have looked at in books, etc.  I can say that I tend to think of ...e5 (à la Botvinnik) as a somewhat easier approach than ...e6, and still quite respected.  The Closed Sicilian/English chapter of Andrew Soltis's "Pawn Structure Chess," as well as a reference like ECO, should be helpful.  One form of it was just addressed in David Vigorito's Anti-Sicilian update.

kylemeister wrote on 12/19/09 at 18:25:37:


Thanks for your post!
But 2. ...e6 is no option for me, because I play the Najdorf Sicilian (I forgot to say that in my first post, sorry)