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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella (Read 401890 times)
Michael Ayton
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #11 - 06/18/10 at 20:27:38
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Thanks Tony -- I'll look forward to that!

  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #10 - 06/18/10 at 14:30:40
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Michael, 

I will try to check into your lines over the weekend at some point. I need to catch up on a lot of Kalashnikov work I need to do, and in fact, I think have some opinions on some of the points you've already brought up.
  
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Michael Ayton
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #9 - 06/18/10 at 10:13:24
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Thanks for this. Is it free, and does he cover 6 c4 lines?

I keep discovering fascinating new lines! One of them is [b]7 Bd3[/b] Nf6 8 0-0 0-0 9 N1c3 a6 10 Na3 [b]Nd7!?[/b]; now P&A give 11 Nc2 Nc5 12 b4! Nd3 13 Qd3 as good for White, but Kalashnikov expert Grigore recently came out with [b]12 ...Ne6!?[/b]. Also I notice S. Ansell has played [b]11 ...Bg5!?[/b] here.
  
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gewgaw
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #8 - 06/18/10 at 09:36:30
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On playchess.com/fritzserver IM Breder had a lecture about the Kalashnikov, probably next week (Tuesday),too. 

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.06.08"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Gewinnen mit der Kalaschnikow"]
[Black "Variante"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Dennis Breder"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 (4... Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5
{Sveshnikow-Variante} a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3) 5. Nb5 d6 {
Kalaschnikow-Variante} 6. N1c3 a6 (6... Nf6 7. Bg5 {Sveshnikow-Variante}) 7.
Na3 Be6 (7... b5 8. Nd5 Nce7 (8... Nge7) 9. c4 Nxd5 10. exd5 bxc4 11. Nxc4) (
7... Nf6 8. Bg5 {Sveshnikow-Variante}) (7... Be7) 8. Nc4 (8. Nd5 $6 Nf6 $1 (
8... Bxd5 {(ist auch ok)} 9. exd5 (9. Qxd5 Nf6 10. Qd3 d5 11. exd5 Qxd5) 9...
Nce7) 9. Bg5 Bxd5 10. Bxf6 (10. exd5 Qa5+) 10... Qa5+ 11. c3 Be6 12. Bh4 d5 (
12... b5)) (8. Be3 Rb8 (8... Nf6 9. Nc4 b5 10. Nb6 Rb8 11. Nbd5) 9. Nc4 b5) (8.
Bc4 $2 b5 9. Bxe6 (9. Bd5 Rc8) 9... fxe6 10. Ne2 (10. Nab1) 10... d5) 8... Rb8
{Schwarz wartet mit Sf6 und "verhindert" Le3 (dann ist b7-b5 stark).} 9. a4 (9.
Be3 b5) (9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 (10. Qxd5 Nd4 11. Bd3 b5 12. Ne3 Nf6) 10... Nce7)
9... h6 $5 (9... Nf6 10. Bg5) (9... Nb4 $5) 10. Be3 Nf6 11. Bb6 (11. Nb6 Nb4 (
11... Nxe4 {sieht verlockend aus, ist aber extrem riskant.} 12. Nxe4 d5 13. Nc5
Qxb6 (13... d4 14. Nxe6 Qxb6 (14... fxe6 15. Qh5+)) 14. Nxe6 d4 15. Bd2 fxe6
16. Bc4 (16. Bd3)) (11... Nd4 $2 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Qxd4) (11... Ng4 12. Nbd5
Nxe3 13. Nxe3)) 11... Qd7 12. Ne3 Ne7 (12... Be7 13. Ned5 Bd8 14. Nxf6+ (14.
Be3 Bxd5 15. exd5 (15. Nxd5 Nxe4) 15... Ne7 (15... Nb4)) 14... Bxf6 15. Nd5 Bd8
(15... Bxd5 16. Qxd5) 16. Be3 Bg5 $11) (12... Nb4 $6 13. Ncd5 Nbxd5 (13... Bxd5
14. exd5) 14. exd5) 13. Ned5 (13. Ncd5 Nexd5 (13... Nxe4 14. Nc7+ Kd8 15. Nxe6+
) (13... Bxd5 14. exd5 (14. Nxd5 Nexd5 15. exd5 Qf5) 14... Nf5 15. Nxf5 Qxf5)
14. exd5 Bf5 15. Nxf5 Qxf5) 13... Nexd5 (13... Bxd5 14. exd5 (14. Nxd5 Nexd5
15. exd5 Qf5) 14... g6 (14... Rc8 $5)) 14. exd5 Bf5 15. f3 (15. Bd3) 15... h5
16. h4 g6 17. Be3 Bg7 18. Be2 (18. Bd3 O-O) 18... e4 19. Bd4 exf3 20. Bxf3 O-O
21. O-O Rbc8 22. Be2 (22. Qd2 Rc4) 22... Qd8 (22... Qe7) 23. g3 (23. Bd3 Bxd3 (
23... Bd7) 24. Qxd3 Ng4 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Qd4+ Kg8 27. g3 Re8 28. Rae1 Rc7 29.
Rxe8+ Qxe8 30. Qf4 (30. Ne4 Rxc2 31. Nxd6 Qe2) 30... b5 (30... Qe3+ 31. Qxe3
Nxe3 32. Rf2 Re7 (32... Nc4 33. b3 Ne3 34. Ne4) (32... f5 33. Re2 Nc4 34. Re6)
(32... Rc5 33. Ne4)) (30... Qe7 31. Ne4 Rxc2 32. Nxd6 f5) (30... Qe5 $5 31.
Qxe5 dxe5 (31... Nxe5)) 31. axb5 axb5) 23... Re8 (23... Nd7) 24. Bd3 Bxd3 (
24... Bg4 25. Qd2 Nd7 26. Bxg7 Kxg7) 25. Qxd3 Ng4 *

  

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Michael Ayton
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #7 - 06/17/10 at 22:33:14
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I’m not finding it easy to discover the ways in which mainline Kalashnikov theory in the 6 c4 variation has moved on since Pinski & Aagaard’s 2001 book, and I wonder if anyone can help. Here are the sort of questions I’m interested in:

* In the 7 N1c3 a6 8 Na3 Be6 9 Nc2 Bg5 10 Bd3 line, P&A make [b]10 …h6[/b] (rather than 10 …Bc1) their main line. Is this because the latter is (still?) seen as second-best, perhaps on account of 11 Rc1 Nf6 12 0-0 0-0 [b]13 Nd5[/b], when Black’s best might be 13 …Bd5 14 cd Nb8? – which, however, is held to be OK!?

* Whatever the case here, shouldn’t [b]9 …Nf6!?[/b] be considered the best answer to 9 Nc2 (if it isn't), because whether White chooses 10 Be2 or 10 Bd3, he can’t prevent immediate counterplay by …Rc8 whereupon b3 is met by …b5? (...Nf6 looks perfectly fine on move 8 as well -- as played recently by Radjabov -- though 9 Bd3(!) steers play into the 7 Bd3 Nf6!? line.)

* In the 9 Nd5 Rc8 line, P&A commend 10 Bd3, whereupon 10 …Bg5 11 Nc2 Bc1 12 Rc1 Nf6 13 0-0 0-0 would transpose to 9 Nc2 Bg5 10 Bd3 Bc1 etc. (with 13 …Rc8 rather than 13 …Bd5 as given above). Should Black be concerned about this, and if so -- or even if not -- should he play 12 …Qg5!? here, or meet 9 Nd5 with 9 …Nf6? (These lines can also be reached via 9 Nc2 Rc8!? 10 Nd5, of course.) I also wonder what, if anything, is wrong with 9 Nd5 Rc8 10 Bd3 [b]Nf6!?[/b], which seems only to have been played once.

* What of the seventh-move options? Is 7 Bd3 generally no longer held to be stronger than 7 N1c3 because of 7 …a6 8 N5c3 (presumably!) Bg5, as played by Nataf and Fedorov and recommended by TonyRo above? Is 7 …Nf6 8 0-0 0-0 9 N1c3 a6 10 Na3 Bg4 now considered less reliable? (The recent Kramnik-Radjabov game -- see above -- might suggest otherwise, but that was a rapid game.) 

It’s not easy to get a handle on recent thoughts and developments among strong Kalashnikov practitioners, because in most of these lines the sample is quite small. Can anyone offer any illumination? Maybe Jacob would care to comment?


PS. It'd be nice to have the misspelling in the subject heading corrected ...
  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #6 - 04/27/10 at 13:45:09
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Thanks for the kind words men. You guys just might get your wish sometime.
  
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #5 - 04/27/10 at 08:48:55
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Crapov wrote on 04/26/10 at 19:44:48:
TonyRo wrote on 04/19/10 at 19:03:17:

I should write a book!  Grin


I actually think you should do! At least a pamphlet for all of us who want to learn the Kalashnikov but do not know where to start Smiley I always like your contributions and suggestions here on the forum.


I second that! You have delivered some decent material on the Kalashnikov over several threads. I especially like your 7... Be7!? stuff. When I find some time and motivation I might copy and paste the stuff into one file.   
  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #4 - 04/26/10 at 20:38:02
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I don't know if wacky is the right word for us, since we've (at least I have, I speculate that you have) looked at it enough to get it. I would guess that most people would be somewhat uncomfortable playing such a move and believing in it. 

I think the ...f5 plan is very strong against 7. b3, and if I recall it's okay against 7. Be2 as well, although I'm going to recheck all of my older analysis. I very rarely face 6. c4 OTB, so it's harder for me to remember all of it. The one I hesitate fully recommending it to anyone against is 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 f5 9. exf5! Bxf5 10. Bd3! Be6. Probably Black is okay, but it's a bit tougher here. 

I agree that 3...Nd4 just looks a bit odd. I mean, it's unprincipled, and just seems to me to be logically slightly worse that the other independent tries.
  
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #3 - 04/26/10 at 20:22:24
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I don't know that I consider Black's early ...f5 all that wacky in anything that arises after 6.c4, though you know much better than I the costs and benefits, Tony.  Personally I like that f-file, and there is the ...b5 pawn sack to bring about a mobile pawn center.  There are always people who will say, "Three pawn islands, three pawn islands!" but I'm not impressed by that sort of reasoning.  You get three pawn islands in various respectable systems, like the French Tarrasch with 3...Nf6.  Like Tarrasch said, between the opening and the ending, the gods have placed the middle game.

Obviously 3.Nc3 is a problem for pure Kalashnikov players.  If I fit that description I would probably play 3...e5 and tough it out along those lines, which don't seem all that bad for Black.  It's chess, you know?  3...Nd4 doesn't smell right to me, but who am I?
  

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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #2 - 04/26/10 at 19:44:48
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TonyRo wrote on 04/19/10 at 19:03:17:

I should write a book!  Grin


I actually think you should do! At least a pamphlet for all of us who want to learn the Kalashnikov but do not know where to start Smiley I always like your contributions and suggestions here on the forum.
  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #1 - 04/19/10 at 19:03:17
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It's unclear which line is best against the Kalashnikov right now. Most players and repertoire books are playing 6. N1c3 here and meeting 6...a6 7. Na3 b5 8. Nd5 Nce7 with 9.c4! or 8...Nge7 with 9. c4! or 9. Bg5!? h6 10. Bxb5!

It's not clear to me that this is such a big deal, as no one gives 7...Be7!? adequate coverage. Moiseenko and Ikonnikov are both scoring points hand over fist with this move. 

You can also try 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3!, which in my opinion is the best move out of the normal 4 choices of 7. N1c3, 7. Bd3, 7. Be2, and 7. b3. After 7. N1c3, play generally continues 7...a6 8. Na3 and now either 8...Be6 (the normal move), or 8...f5!? (the wacky move). 

7. Bd3 and 7. b3 are fairly toothless. Against the former I like 7...a6 8. Na3 Bg5! and against the latter I think 7...f5! is completely adequate, and substantially more dangerous for White, for instance 8. Ba3 Nf6! and now only 9. N1c3! is sufficient for White, albeit still quite tricky. 

As far as 3. Nc3 goes, it is possible Black has some independent tries, such as 3...e5!? (as you mentioned), 3...d6!? intending 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5!?, with a Kalashnikov-esque position, although it's not clear to me that this is that great, since Black lacks the normal ...Bb4 resource after secondary retreats of the knight, and finally 3...Nd4!?, which to me just looks silly, but might be alright. 

If you want to play this way, however, you may lose some options with your c-pawn against other lines though. Not to mention you'll see the Kalashnikov something like 1 in 30 in Open Sicilian games!

Hope this helps!  Grin

I should write a book!  Grin
  
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The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
04/19/10 at 18:27:27
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I have 2 questions for openings experts:

1) Which line is actually the best line against the Kalashnikov?

2) It can be usefull to bypass the Kalashnikov playing 1. e4 c5  2. Nf3 Nc6  3. Nc3 and accepting to play against 3.., e5?

Thanks
« Last Edit: 08/06/12 at 04:34:13 by TN »  

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