The sacrifice line 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bf6 gf6 10.Nd5 Bg7(alt:f5) 11.c3 f5 (alt:Bg5) 12.Bd3 Be6 13.Nb5 ab 14 Bb5 Bd7 has practically disappeared from tournaments, as it is said to lead to an almost unescapable draw with best play. Since Black can hardly avoid it (apart from playing the Kalashnikov) and White can decide to enter it at the last moment, this could be one more way to draw in the Svieshnikov. I saw in Newinchess that a recent book by Pavlovic's has a chapter on the b5 sacrifice in the Sviechnikov, does he revive this idea ? if not, this would be one more "publish the book now the idea has vanished" like so many in past years.   

BobbyDigital80 wrote on 09/12/10 at 05:43:49:


Perhaps, but this line isn't really drawish, it just leads to an equal position.

16.Bc2 is considered by some as a drawing line, but instead of 16...f4, Black can play for a win with 16...Bh6!?.

Gambiteer wrote on 08/26/10 at 04:02:36:


Possibly because they play better chess when playing the Sveshnikov?

There are drawish lines in almost every opening, but if you understand your openings well, you'll outplay lower rated players in these 'drawish' variations and hold somewhat higher players to draws in the same variations.

Well 9.Bf6 gf 10.Nd5 f5 11. Lb5!? is another drawing line, but a very complicated one....

I read somewhere (dont remember exactly) that the 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bf6 Bf6 11 c3 line for white was called playing with a safty net and always a draw in the bag while having winning prospects. But such statements are common among most openings.

Zatara wrote on 06/16/10 at 04:16:35:

Not "draw" or "force a draw".

In Jesus de la Villa's book Dismatling the Sicilian he writes "Perhaps its only drawback, from a practical point of view, is that a white player with some theoretical knowledge has SEVERAL (my caps) options to play for a draw."  (Pg 82)  My question is it this true?  What are the drawish lines?   
Thanks,
Zatara