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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella (Read 383593 times)
Confused_by_Theory
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #401 - 08/29/15 at 11:18:19
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Hi.

Got the book and found it to be very good.

In one of the Anti Sicilian lines (see mainline of attached PGN) I did not like where black ended up after the book's recommended moves. Basically I'm not sure why black should be OK in that specific line. Any thoughts? Or ideas on alternatives? Some things I included in the PGN to show what I've looked at.



Have a nice day.
  
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JEH
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #400 - 08/28/15 at 11:06:33
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TonyRo wrote on 08/28/15 at 04:21:19:
Hope you enjoy the book, and don't hesitate to message me with questions, criticism, or (preferably) praise!


I've got one serious complaint so far, and that's because I've been spending quite a few months this year developing an 1. ...e5 based repertoire, and now I want to play the Sicilian  Wink. Last time I played it, it was the Dragon of my teens.

From my skim reading so far, what strikes me is that you've poured into this book what me as a keen amateur wants to see, fighting chess, verbal explanations, summaries and a repertoire for the Anti-Sicilians.

I'm expecting these will be >50% of what actually gets played against me going c5. The later is what I've been looking at, especially the Rossolimo, which I've played myself.

It was mentioned on this thread that the King's Indian Attack wasn't mentioned in the book. Not a problem for me, as I play the KIA myself. The biggest problem players have when facing the KIA is which of the many equalising systems to chose against it. I would recommend, especially for d4 players, to take advantage of what playing a Nc6 Sicilian offers you, and play the reversed KID with c5/Nc6/d5/e5/pick your white system. Alternatively, Richard Palliser's suggestion in "Beating Unusual Chess Openings" I think would work nicely.
  

Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #399 - 08/28/15 at 04:21:19
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JEH wrote on 08/27/15 at 13:52:21:
I have been going through this thread, having got the book. Who'd have thought starting from this   Cool

Man, so long ago. One day I'll read through this entire thread again and chuckle. Probably 25% of it is people asking me why I'm taking so long - a totally fair question!

JEH wrote on 08/27/15 at 13:52:21:
Best not to talk about chess with the muggles  Grin

Yeah I can't tell you how many mob jokes I've had to endure, and how much times I've had to explain how you could write 400 pages on a small subset of opening theory, etc. They keep coming, and the answers are never easy!

Hope you enjoy the book, and don't hesitate to message me with questions, criticism, or (preferably) praise!

Wink

  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #398 - 08/27/15 at 13:52:21
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TonyRo wrote on 04/19/10 at 19:03:17:


I have been going through this thread, having got the book. Who'd have thought starting from this   Cool

Seeing my parcel arrive from the Book store at work, one of my colleagues asked to see what I was reading at the moment, so I showed him.

"Is it about the Mafia?" he asked.

Best not to talk about chess with the muggles  Grin


  

Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #397 - 05/18/15 at 18:44:58
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Easy-Peasy draw from Naka.  Grin Will add it to the list of games to look at for the update, however minor.
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #396 - 05/17/15 at 14:51:48
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Today's FIDE Grand Prix featured a game relevant to this repertoire with a deviation around move 15. I figured this might be interesting for some of you. Looks like a comfortable draw for black:

http://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2015-gp-khman/04-Dominguez_Perez_Leinier-Nakamura...

Greetings
David
  
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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #395 - 04/27/15 at 15:01:55
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Harold wrote on 04/26/15 at 00:37:44:
Please hurry with the update!  Wink   

The update will probably be in a few months - I have a few correspondence games that are worth including that I'd like to finish up, and I think that in general, it's a good idea for the book to be out a little long and for a few more reviews/impressions/criticisms to flow in before I decide that mostly everything is out there and that the update will serve it's purpose. I'd wait for the Negi/Shaw books as well, but that could be quite a while. Perhaps there will be a second update after them!

Harold wrote on 04/26/15 at 00:37:44:
...you might want to have a look at the 4 Nf3 Nc6 5 Na3...

I will check it out - somehow I feel like it can't be critical, but if it's new, I'll take a look at it nonetheless.
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #394 - 04/26/15 at 12:34:27
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This line is also covered by Williams in Attacking Chess: The French.
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #393 - 04/26/15 at 02:18:04
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If you are really desperate to have book coverage of the Botvinnik System vs the KIA immediately, you can look at Beating Unusual Chess Openings by Palliser (where it can arise from a 1.Nf3 c5 move order) or Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black by Rogozenko.

Rogozenko covers this setup from both the 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d3 and 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 move orders; in the latter case this ...e5 and ...Nge7 setup is perfectly playable even with a lost tempo, as kylemeister says. The recent The Most Flexible Sicilian by Delchev/Semkov also covers the "lost tempo" move order with 2...e6 3.d3 and a later ...e6-e5.
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #392 - 04/26/15 at 01:09:40
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Black has even been known to adopt the Botvinnik setup against the KIA when it takes his pawn two steps to reach e5 (as in, there are old main book lines like that).
  
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Harold
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #391 - 04/26/15 at 00:37:44
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TonyRo wrote on 02/22/15 at 06:31:01:
I hit some variations on the same structure with the Ng1 on e2, the Nb1 on c3, and with the pawn on f4 in the GPA, 3.Nc3, and 2.Ne2 coverage, but not the true KIA with Nf3 and the delayed development of the queen's knight. With that said, I'll tie up that loose end in an update.


Hi Tony,
Help! I got demolished last week by the KIA!    Cry  Please hurry with the update!  Wink   

TonyRo wrote on 02/22/15 at 06:31:01:
I'll surely suggest a line that I've had success with, and one that is consistent with our approach to a lot of other less testing tries, that being the kingside fianchetto combined with ...e5 and ...Nge7. Black even has the option of playing ...d5 in one go.


However, in my panic OTB, I must confess I didn't remember your recommendation and completly went away from your approach throwing in ..e6 and ..d6 and finally after casteling, ... f5, opening up my position my way too much I think.

On another line, my friend and I were studying your book last night over a couple of quite "sherbies" (Aussie slang for beer), and noted that in your chapter on the Anti-Kalashnikov Alapin (2 c3) line, you might want to have a look at the 4 Nf3 Nc6 5 Na3 ...   line for your next update (?) which is mentioned in the latest Chess Informant 123 "...Kotronias takes a quick look at the rare move 5.Na3.  White intends to challenge the Nd5 by means of the slow manoevre Na3-c4-e3 ... Black's suggested reaction is the prophylactic 5...a6".   Looks interesting.
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #390 - 04/07/15 at 18:35:57
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RoleyPoley wrote on 04/07/15 at 18:02:38:
Thought you would like to know your book has been reviewed on Chess Cafe's Checkpoint column today.

Yes, I signed up for Chess Cafe just to read it - an interesting tactic I must say!  Grin

He was very positive - I was also a fan of these, and posted them on my Facebook account as well:

- "Many chess players will not consider buying a chess book – particularly an opening book – if it is not written by a GM or an IM, but Tony’s book is clearly an exception and I hope he continues his chess writing."

- "When I started reading this book I had never heard of Tony Rotella – apparently his publisher had never heard of him either. Tony’s last name is spelled correctly on the front and back covers of the book, but on the book spine they misspelled it as “Rottella’. The good news is that after reading this book, everyone should know how to spell his name correctly."

- "Tony Rotella has written a well-researched one-volume Black opening repertoire book covering both the Kalashnikov Sicilian and various Anti-Sicilian lines. The Killer Sicilian is packed with many interesting ideas and improvements over existing opening theory."

  Cheesy
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #389 - 04/07/15 at 18:02:38
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Hi Tony,

Thought you would like to know your book has been reviewed on Chess Cafe's Checkpoint column today.

James Rizzatano gave your book 5 stars out of 6.

"Tony has shown that with diligent research, careful use of chess analytical engines, and good old-fashioned work ethic and determination it is possible for an untitled player to write a great chess book."

  

"As Mikhail Tal would say ' Let's have a bit of hooliganism! '"

Victor Bologan.
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #388 - 04/06/15 at 03:40:21
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    Thank you, Tony. And, I love the fact that you are so available for comments and questions concerning your work!!
  

Jon in Keaau, Hawaii
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #387 - 04/06/15 at 02:30:41
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Hi Jon - I hope you like it - shoot me a message if you have any questions. Best of luck with the Kalashnikov!

Grin
  
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