Does anyone here play this Anti-Sicilian system? I have searched the forums but found no posts related to the Kopec Sicilian.

I have just started looking at it. 

I like that the system seems solid and often has positions similar to those in the Ruy Lopez or French setups. Which is not automatically better for White but where a Sicilian player will feel less comfortable as Black.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6/d6/e6 3.Bd3 Followed by c3, Bc2, 0-0, d3/d4 and the typical Lopez knight maneouver Nb1-d2-f1-d3/g3.

The French setup can also be reached by a French Defence opening move order:

1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Bd3/c3
   
From what I have read, The Kopec System is quite solid and therefore seems to be a good choice for White. 

Especially given that there will often be similar structures and plans whether your opponents play the Sicilian, French or Ruy Lopez. It sure cuts down a lot of study heading (frequently) into these three major openings with a similar set-up and strategy.

I haven't gotten too deep into my learning of this opening so I was hoping to start a discussion thread for opinions and analyisis. I'm sure there are strong ones around this! 

D. Kopec gave a lecture on ICC on this opening and a transcript is available online: 

http://www.chessclub.com/help/Kopec7.10.97

He also has some information on his own site and it looks like he is (or has) published (or re-published) a lot of material on this system. At least judging from the adverts and products on his site.

I'm sure I read in a column somewhere a well-known GM musing about how solid the system is and wondering why more people do not play it.

Does anyone here have much experience (positive or negative) with this system? 

Mahlon


Some games...

[Event "Quebec inv"]
[Site "Quebec"]
[Date "1984.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kopec, Danny"]
[Black "Sasseville, Jean"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B50"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1984.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "CAN"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1998.11.10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bd3 d6 4. c3 Bg4 5. Bc2 Nf6 6. d3 e6 7. Nbd2 Be7 8. Qe2
O-O 9. h3 Bh5 10. g4 Bg6 11. Nf1 d5 12. Ng3 b5 13. Bg5 b4 14. h4 h6 15. Bxf6
Bxf6 16. e5 Be7 17. g5 hxg5 18. h5 Bh7 19. h6 gxh6 20. Rxh6 Bg6 21. Nh5 Bxh5
22. Rxh5 Kg7 23. Nxg5 Bxg5 24. Qg4 Rh8 25. Rxg5+ Kf8 26. Kd2 bxc3+ 27. bxc3 d4
28. Rg1 dxc3+ 29. Kd1 Qd4 30. Qf3 Rd8 31. Qf6 c4 32. Qxh8+ Ke7 33. Qf6+ Kd7 34.
R1g4 Qd5 35. Rxc4 Kc7 36. Qf4 Qh1+ 37. Ke2 Qa1 38. Qxf7+ Kb8 39. Rxc6 1-0

[Event "Queen City op 13th"]
[Site "Manchester"]
[Date "1989.02.18"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Kopec, Danny"]
[Black "Ivanov, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B50"]
[WhiteElo "2516"]
[BlackElo "2678"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "1989.02.??"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2004.11.15"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bd3 Nc6 4. c3 g6 5. O-O Bg7 6. Bc2 e5 7. d3 Nge7 8. h3 h6
9. Be3 f5 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. Nbd2 b6 12. Nh4 Be6 13. Ba4 Rc8 14. Bb3 d5 15. f4
exf4 16. Bxf4 O-O 17. Qe2 Qd7 18. Rae1 Bf7 19. Nhf3 Rce8 20. Qf2 g5 21. Be5 Bg6
22. Qg3 b5 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. h4 c4 25. hxg5 cxb3 26. gxh6+ Kh7 27. Ng5+ Kh8 28.
Nf7+ Kh7 29. Rf6 Rg8 30. Nf3 Bxf7 31. Rxf7+ Kh8 32. Qf4 Rg6 33. Ne5 Qe6 34.
Nxg6+ Qxg6 35. Rg7 Qh5 36. Qf6 Nf5 37. Rg5+ Kh7 38. Qxf5+ 1-0

[Event "Can. Open, Toronto"]
[Site "Can. Open, Toronto"]
[Date "1976.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Danny Kopec"]
[Black "Spraggett Kevin (CAN)"]
[ECO "B50"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bd3 d6 4.c3 Nf6
5.Bc2 Bg4 6.d3 e6 7.O-O Be7 8.Nbd2 d5
9.Qe2 Qc7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Re1 O-O 12.Nf1 b5
13.g4 Bg6 14.Ng3 b4 15.Bg5 bxc3 16.bxc3 h6
17.Bd2 Nd7 18.h4 Bd6 19.Kg2  0-1