TN wrote on 11/15/08 at 01:17:07:


It's an interesting and relatively new path in the closed Sicilian. I once played OTB where Black answered 3...a6 (deserves ?! at least). After 4.Bxc6 I won with an attack on the King's side that developed like in the Grand Prix Attack. I actually play it in correspondence games. I think it is to early to give a clear evalution. Best may be 3...Nd4 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nge2 Nf6 6.0-0 a6 7.d3 b5 8.Bb3 Nxb3 (8...Bb7!?) 9.axb3 Bb7 10.f4 - again with an attack similar to the Grand Prix Attack. I checked it a little bit and have the feeling that Black can hold it.

I miss the recent book by Gawain Jones in your remarks, TN. Don't know the exact title of it, but it is Everyman, something like Starting out: The Grand Prix Attack if I get it right. Jones oftenly plays 3.Bb5.

Hello,

What are your opinions on this Anti-Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5)?

I have faced this variation a number of times, and lost horribly in nearly every game. There are a few books which cover this variation, but they seem to be too pessimistic in regards to White's chances. 

For example, ECO B covers the variation 3...Nd4 4.Bc4 g6, and concludes that Black can achieve equality, but only by playing about 9 accurate moves in a row. However, in the position that they give as equal, White's position seems much easier to play. 

"Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black" by Rogozenko covers the 4...e6 variation, usually playing ...Nf6 at some point, but the theory has developed significantly in the last 6 years, leaving Rogozenko's coverage of this variation outdated. Palliser himself even comments in his book "Fighting the Anti-Sicilians" that he feels that White's position in those lines is easier to play. 

Regarding "Fighting the Anti-Sicilians", Palliser does an excellent job of giving Black plenty of options. Even so, I found an improvement in one sideline that provides White a small pull, and in the main lines he gives, White still seems to retain the faintest of edges. The isolated d5-pawn is usually the main reason for this edge. 

So, can Black equalise completely, or does White retain a plus in all variations?