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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella (Read 396353 times)
BobbyDigital80
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #461 - 05/22/23 at 03:00:47
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TonyRo wrote on 05/22/23 at 01:41:10:
My book only mentions 10...h5!? in passing - it was analyzed in depth by Cornette and Libiszewski at the time, and I had less interest in it. The tabiya after 15.O-O Rb8 was hot at the time and was what really drew people to 7...Be7 in the first place. I do cover both 15.a3 and 16.a3, recommending taking in both cases. FWIW unless someone showed me something I haven't seen before (totally possible as it's been a while!) I wouldn't be TOO worried about either of these moves and would still focus most of my attention on the still relatively unexplored 16.c3.


Thanks for the info!
  
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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #460 - 05/22/23 at 01:41:10
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My book only mentions 10...h5!? in passing - it was analyzed in depth by Cornette and Libiszewski at the time, and I had less interest in it. The tabiya after 15.O-O Rb8 was hot at the time and was what really drew people to 7...Be7 in the first place. I do cover both 15.a3 and 16.a3, recommending taking in both cases. FWIW unless someone showed me something I haven't seen before (totally possible as it's been a while!) I wouldn't be TOO worried about either of these moves and would still focus most of my attention on the still relatively unexplored 16.c3.
  
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BobbyDigital80
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #459 - 05/21/23 at 22:58:28
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I was reading FM James Vigus’s review of King’s Kalashnikov Sicilian book and he mentioned two possibilities for White that King doesn’t cover and I was wondering if The Killer Sicilian mentions them.

The first is: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 Be7 8.Nc4 b5 9.Ne3 Nf6 10.g3 h5 (King’s preference over 10…0-0) 11.Bg2 h4 12.0–0 Rb8 13.Ncd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Be6. Here Vigus says that King only covers 15.c3 and that Black needs an improvement over the game Cleto, Fernando de Almeida - Minchev, Valentin Panoiotov, 1-0, 2006, in which White played  15.a4. Here’s a link to that game : https://lichess.org/F9J5jhtO#20

The second possibility occurs after 10…0-0 in the line above (instead of King’s preference of 10…h5) 11.Bg2 b4 12.Ncd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 Bg5 14.Bxg5 Qxg5. Here King only covers 15.0-0 Rb8 and says 16.a3 is good for Black because it opens up the b-file. Vigus mentions a game played by Huschenbeth in which he played 15.a3 and went on to win.

I was just wondering if these lines/moves are covered in The Killer Sicilian. If anyone wants to see Vigus’s review of King’s book, here’s the link: https://lichess.org/@/Minckwitz/blog/review-kings-kalashnikov-sicilian-by-daniel...
  
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Stigma
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #458 - 11/19/21 at 00:12:27
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After 1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 that ...Qa5+ line is indeed awkward for White. Maybe he should delay d2-d4 further with either 4.0-0 or 4.c3 to avoid it.

2...e6 and 2...g6 are both good suggestion. With ...e6, ...a6 and ...b5 Black is basically playing a Kan Sicilian setup, so there's no risk of ending up in a bad Open Sicilian there. I've never heard of a good line against the Kan that involves an early Bc4.

As for the Bowdler Attack being "a pain in the neck", I don't see it. It's usually just a sign that White wants to avoid theory or even doesn't know any theory. I have an excellent score against it (only in blitz and rapid as I never faced it in serious games) without really knowing more than to play ...e6, ...a6 and then prepare ...d5 or ...b5.
« Last Edit: 11/19/21 at 03:49:19 by Stigma »  

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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #457 - 11/18/21 at 20:17:07
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Yes, I agree with what's been said already, though I'd caution that you need to find a reasonable way to play that does not allow a transposition to an open Sicilian that's not yours. One cute idea I've messed around with in the past is 1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 g6, intending to meet 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.d4 with 4...cxd4 5.Nxd4 Qa5+!?, when stuff like 6.Bd2 or 6.Nc3 loses a piece to 6...Qc5. White is forced to go 6.c3, which is at least a little awkward. The approaches with 2...e6 are also good too imo.
  
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MW
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #456 - 11/18/21 at 19:09:35
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The line like so many of those off beat anti Sicilian lines is a pain in the neck...I think it is known as the Bowdler Attack. 

If you use Chessable there is an excellent free course called "Sicilian Defense Sidelines" that covers this and a number of other odd lines that white can throw at you.

But basically as mentioned above black's best plan and the one advocated in the course is the ..e6, ...a6 lines with a queenside advance. White can throw in stuff like a4 to slow you down but as I say it is all covered, well worth a look.
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #455 - 11/18/21 at 18:27:12
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Thanks Roley, I thought the same with the e6 a6 idea. Just wondered if I was missing some transposition or something.
  

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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #454 - 11/18/21 at 16:18:47
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Sandman wrote on 11/18/21 at 15:59:20:
Tony, (or anyone with advice) trying to stay within a Kalashnikov rep how would you respond to 1. e4 c5 2. Bc4? I've either overlooked it or it's not in the Killer Sicilian. 

Thanks


Not sure its worth trying to stay in a set repertoire.

When I've faced it (about 20 years ago so can't remember exact details.) I used to play a set up with e6 and a6 I think then I  pushed my queenside pawns forward to gain space and threaten trapping the bishop on b3. Then develop.

  

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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #453 - 11/18/21 at 15:59:20
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Tony, (or anyone with advice) trying to stay within a Kalashnikov rep how would you respond to 1. e4 c5 2. Bc4? I've either overlooked it or it's not in the Killer Sicilian. 

Thanks
  

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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #452 - 12/04/19 at 14:41:36
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grandpatzer wrote on 12/03/19 at 21:37:58:
Greetings TonyRo, isnt' the original Publisher interested in a second, updated and revised, edition?

They haven't contacted me about it. I'm sure after the 4 year wait for the first one they're not super excited about getting more work out of me. Cheesy
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #451 - 12/03/19 at 21:37:58
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Greetings TonyRo, isnt' the original Publisher interested in a second, updated and revised, edition?
  
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TonyRo
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #450 - 11/26/19 at 13:15:22
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I will take a deeper look at it when I get the chance over the Thanksgiving holiday. Smiley
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #449 - 11/21/19 at 09:58:37
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This is after 6 c4 Be7 I guess? Not really the sort of thing you're going to bust.

One of LC0's two favourite moves there (joint with N1c3). Seems to sit pretty firmly on the fun early f5 ideas in a very simple, logical way - LC0 is distressingly good at doing that sort of thing. 

So you'll have to play slowly instead - white gets a few extra ideas over N1c3 then but black isn't committed to playing a6 which must help slightly. 
(tempo saved, Qside weakness)

Not tragic overall I'd think. I didn't remember 7 N1c3 f5 being quite totally sound either?
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #448 - 11/21/19 at 06:22:51
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@TonyRo...

Any authorial thoughts there good sir re: Shaw's suggestion?
  
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Re: The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella
Reply #447 - 11/17/19 at 20:06:26
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What does everybody think of Shaw's 7.N5c3? I suspected that I would be able to find some hole in his analysis somewhere, but so far it looks somewhat uncomfortable for Black.
  
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