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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella (Read 383584 times)
Markovich
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #41 - 09/26/10 at 00:09:41
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Stigma wrote on 09/22/10 at 17:05:00:
Thanks for the detailed reply Tony. I agree about the counter-weakness on d4 and the usefulness of exchanges when White plays 6.c4 - he may end up with too much space for too few pieces. I was always happy to face 6.c4, since giving my opponent the responsibility and risks of playing with a space advantage is one of mye favorite ploys.

The 6.N1c3 lines ulitmately made me give up the opening; it seemed to me White got both quick development and nice squares to aim for. But I may give it another try when your book comes out. Improvement begins at the edge of my comfort zone, after all!


I expect the book to show that 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 Be7 is fully sufficient for Black, at least based on the current state of play.
  

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Stigma
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #40 - 09/22/10 at 17:05:00
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Thanks for the detailed reply Tony. I agree about the counter-weakness on d4 and the usefulness of exchanges when White plays 6.c4 - he may end up with too much space for too few pieces. I was always happy to face 6.c4, since giving my opponent the responsibility and risks of playing with a space advantage is one of mye favorite ploys.

The 6.N1c3 lines ulitmately made me give up the opening; it seemed to me White got both quick development and nice squares to aim for. But I may give it another try when your book comes out. Improvement begins at the edge of my comfort zone, after all!
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #39 - 09/22/10 at 12:44:43
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Stigma wrote on 09/22/10 at 02:31:16:
At least now it's 7...Be7 and I won't have to weaken my queenside with ...b5 too!  Wink

But seriously, since you still like the opening, is there a cure for people like me who have come to hate the ...e5 Sicilians? A training DVD, a games collection, a series of strategic lessons, a self-help tape?

Or will the solution to all my worries be revealed for the first time in your book?


You'll be saddened to find out that 7...Be7!? 8. Nc4! b5 is the main line. Black probably needs to boot the knight before 9. Be3 happens, such that 10. Nb6 doesn't win the all important defender of the light-squares sitting on c8.

Secondly, I think it just takes some experience, and the right mindset. I have only played Sicilians with very rigid pawn structures - first the Dragon, then the Sveshnikov, and now the Kalashnikov. I dearly love all of them, but my current project is the Kalashnikov.

I think it just takes studying the lines to understand that the hole on d5 is compensated for by other factors, and how to use them. In the Sveshnikov, White gets Black's shattered pawn structure, the whole on d5, and the weak pawn on d6 for the two bishops, an open g-file, an extra f-pawn, and some queenside space. Black normally works up counterplay very quickly, and possibly in all sectors, and White's job is to quickly stamp it out and claim his positional trumps are surpreme.

In the Kalashnikov, play can be slower or even faster, but certain things may help you in understanding how to deal with the d5 hole and a knight sitting there in both ...e5 Sicilians:

Firstly, most people say that at first, when learning an opening, just memorize some ideas and the main lines. Well, in an ...e5 Sicilian, I'm of the opinion that paying attention to the sidelines is equally important. When you're walking through main lines in, let's say, The Easiest Sicilian, the sidelines illustrate (generally) how Black reaches equality, and in most cases it's:

1. Counterplay somewhere, whether it be on the kingside, on the queenside with ...b4, or in the center with exchanges and his extra pawns.

2. Completely neutralizing the d5-weakness, for example playing ...Bg5 and taking the knight on e3, followed by ...Nc6-e7 and ...Bb7, completely overtaking it.

Black can also plug up the weaknesses of d5 and d6 by taking on d5 enough times to put a pawn there. This happens very often in the Kalashnikov main lines, and it's a great way to go as long as (if Black used his light-squared bishop) his kingside remains safe, his other light-squares remain safe (such as c6), and the e4-square is not of serious use to White.

3. Playing ...d5 himself. Of course, this is similar to 2, but if White doesn't leave this square tied down, Black is almost always equal or better after this move. I've seen this so many times in writing my book I'm sick of it.

4. Exchanging enough pieces overall such that Black's d5 weakness isn't a huge deal. This can happen a lot in the Kalashnikov 6. c4 where White has a bit more space everywhere. Exchanging off a lot of pieces eases this, and makes it easy for Black to maneuver around somewhere else.

5. Using the counter-weakness (just made that up) of d4. In the 6. c4 Kalashnikov lines, occasionally Black can stamp a knight that's difficult to remove on d4, counterbalancing White's on d5.

Of course, main lines are main lines because White makes these ideas difficult for Black to achieve, and keeps him busy worrying about it. That's where Black needs to know his stuff, and that's why it's important to know your theory, so that you get the ideas, you understand the positions, and you're ready to pounce on White when he deviates (because you're so knowledgeable) before you.

For me, I started excelling here and getting great results when I worked my way through The Easiest Sicilian for the first time. I still consider the Sveshnikov one of the easiest sicilians to pick up, and I still think this is one of my favorite books. Taking on the Kalashnikov after that was a natural progression, and it was very easy for me after looking through the games of the experts and checking out the theory. If you wanted to pick up the Kalashnikov, my book will be good, but so would Trajko and Nedev's to understand really what's going on!

I do hope that my book will help players out here!  Grin
  
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MartinC
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #38 - 09/22/10 at 08:33:22
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You just need to hypnotise yourself into believing that the d5 square doesn't exist Smiley
  
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Stigma
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #37 - 09/22/10 at 02:31:16
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I was hooked on first the Svesh and then the Kalash years ago, until I realized I hated playing with a big hole in my pawn structure! My results with both (and also with the Boleslavsky which I tried a bit later) were bad too. I moved on to Sicilians with d6 and e6 (plus the occasional Accelerated Dragon) and their flexibility was a revelation; White must be careful since either d6-d5 or e6-e5 could become strong at any time, or Black may just be fine with his small pawn centre where it is.

At least now it's 7...Be7 and I won't have to weaken my queenside with ...b5 too!  Wink

But seriously, since you still like the opening, is there a cure for people like me who have come to hate the ...e5 Sicilians? A training DVD, a games collection, a series of strategic lessons, a self-help tape?

Or will the solution to all my worries be revealed for the first time in your book?
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #36 - 09/22/10 at 01:23:03
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There will be two chapters on 7...Be7!?. I don't particularly trust the other moves.
  
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #35 - 09/22/10 at 01:22:12
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What do you propose against 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 (Be7 ???)
7..b5 8.Nd5   a) 8..Nce7
                  b) 8...Nge7
                  c) 8...Rb8
  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #34 - 09/21/10 at 23:09:16
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Thanks!
  
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #33 - 09/21/10 at 22:15:06
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Congrats Tony, great news! Looking forward to having a copy in my hands.
  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #32 - 09/21/10 at 13:14:52
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Thanks! I'm hoping it will be a masterpiece, but only time will tell.

I contacted Everyman with the idea, wrote them a sample, and that at least opened the door.
  
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #31 - 09/21/10 at 12:37:38
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TonyRo wrote on 09/10/10 at 16:09:42:
najdorfslayer wrote on 09/10/10 at 16:03:14:
From our correspondance games Tony I thought you were more fond of the Dragon!  Roll Eyes



It took me quite a few years before I burned myself out on the Dragon, although I still like to play it from time to time. I needed to move on to something else to learn something about chess without a bishop on g7, so I took up the ...e5 Sicilians and fell in love with the Kalashnikov! What can I say, I have an addictive personality!

I've always been obsessive about chess books and opening theory, so writing is a dream come true. I hope it comes through in the book, and that it's a great book for years to come.


Congratulations on finding a publisher for your project! I´ll definitely buy it, because your contributions in this forum are well known, so I expect nothing else than a masterpiece.  Wink

How did you get this chance?

  

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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #30 - 09/10/10 at 16:13:29
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Well Good Luck, I am sure it will be great!
  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #29 - 09/10/10 at 16:09:42
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najdorfslayer wrote on 09/10/10 at 16:03:14:
From our correspondance games Tony I thought you were more fond of the Dragon!  Roll Eyes



It took me quite a few years before I burned myself out on the Dragon, although I still like to play it from time to time. I needed to move on to something else to learn something about chess without a bishop on g7, so I took up the ...e5 Sicilians and fell in love with the Kalashnikov! What can I say, I have an addictive personality!

I've always been obsessive about chess books and opening theory, so writing is a dream come true. I hope it comes through in the book, and that it's a great book for years to come.
  
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #28 - 09/10/10 at 16:03:14
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From our correspondance games Tony I thought you were more fond of the Dragon!  Roll Eyes

  
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TonyRo
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Re: Again on the Kalshnikov
Reply #27 - 09/10/10 at 11:12:29
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Bibs wrote on 09/10/10 at 04:21:02:
Aha. I had you as an opening enthusiast rather than expert though.
If you need help, give me a shout. Busy, but can try.I made it into Neil Mcdonald's Kalashnikov book, many moons ago! Best of luck. Why not collaborate with Neil btw?


I just might. I didn't really even think of a collaborative effort before I was off and running writing, although it's not a bad idea. I don't know how much he's kept up with the opening. It's certainly changed a lot since his book. Even Aagaard and Pinski's book is pretty outdated.

If the book is as good as I think it is (and John Emms isn't being kind when I send him sample chapters!), it should be the best book on the Kalashnikov by far, even though the coverage won't be encyclopedic.
  
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