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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Classical Sicilian: where to begin? (Read 50837 times)
Paddy
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #25 - 04/22/13 at 13:36:14
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Schaakhamster wrote on 04/22/13 at 08:26:31:
LeeRoth wrote on 04/18/13 at 22:35:05:
Paddy wrote on 12/17/12 at 18:27:54:
MilenPetrov wrote on 08/01/11 at 12:16:51:
Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian is also a good starter source as is The Complete Richter-Rauzer (Wells). Seems both books are out of print but may be still there is a chance to buy them.


The book "Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian" by the Finnish GM Jouni Yrjölä was published in 2000 but in my opinion remains very useful, since it provides a black repertoire but with some choice within it, and I rate the quality of the explanations and tips as high. I suggest it provides the best starting point for building a serious Classical Sicilian repertoire; I am not aware of any great revolution in thinking about the Classical since the book's publication, just the inevitable evolution of theory, so this book plus a good database (and home analysis of course) is really all that is needed, as long as you are happy with the repertoire lines suggested.



I also like Yjrola's book, but you need to be careful in his main RR line (7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 h6).  He gives relatively short shrift to White's plan of 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bf4, as it was still somewhat unusual at the time. It has since become White's most dangerous line against 8..h6.


+1 I looked at this line and was unable to find something I felt comfortable with for black


I don't think that the difficulties Black has been experiencing in the 8...h6 line should put anyone off using the "Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian", since two other repertoire options are offered and both given extensive coverage: 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 a6 8 0-0-0 Bd7 9 f4 (9 f3 is also covered of course) and now both 9...b5 (Kozul) and the older but still playable 9...Be7 (Spassky).
  
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Schaakhamster
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #24 - 04/22/13 at 08:26:31
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LeeRoth wrote on 04/18/13 at 22:35:05:
Paddy wrote on 12/17/12 at 18:27:54:
MilenPetrov wrote on 08/01/11 at 12:16:51:
Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian is also a good starter source as is The Complete Richter-Rauzer (Wells). Seems both books are out of print but may be still there is a chance to buy them.


The book "Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian" by the Finnish GM Jouni Yrjölä was published in 2000 but in my opinion remains very useful, since it provides a black repertoire but with some choice within it, and I rate the quality of the explanations and tips as high. I suggest it provides the best starting point for building a serious Classical Sicilian repertoire; I am not aware of any great revolution in thinking about the Classical since the book's publication, just the inevitable evolution of theory, so this book plus a good database (and home analysis of course) is really all that is needed, as long as you are happy with the repertoire lines suggested.



I also like Yjrola's book, but you need to be careful in his main RR line (7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 h6).  He gives relatively short shrift to White's plan of 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bf4, as it was still somewhat unusual at the time. It has since become White's most dangerous line against 8..h6.


+1 I looked at this line and was unable to find something I felt comfortable with for black
  
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LeeRoth
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #23 - 04/18/13 at 22:35:05
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Paddy wrote on 12/17/12 at 18:27:54:
MilenPetrov wrote on 08/01/11 at 12:16:51:
Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian is also a good starter source as is The Complete Richter-Rauzer (Wells). Seems both books are out of print but may be still there is a chance to buy them.


The book "Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian" by the Finnish GM Jouni Yrjölä was published in 2000 but in my opinion remains very useful, since it provides a black repertoire but with some choice within it, and I rate the quality of the explanations and tips as high. I suggest it provides the best starting point for building a serious Classical Sicilian repertoire; I am not aware of any great revolution in thinking about the Classical since the book's publication, just the inevitable evolution of theory, so this book plus a good database (and home analysis of course) is really all that is needed, as long as you are happy with the repertoire lines suggested.



I also like Yjrola's book, but you need to be careful in his main RR line (7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 h6).  He gives relatively short shrift to White's plan of 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bf4, as it was still somewhat unusual at the time. It has since become White's most dangerous line against 8..h6.
  
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #22 - 04/18/13 at 00:24:21
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I vote for  :

"Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian" by the Finnish GM Jouni Yrjölä

The best book today to understand this opening. A lot of explanation and instructional pages. Explaining the ideas in the opening in a very good way.
  

"You must lead your opponent into a deep, dark forest, where 2 + 2 = 5 and
  where the path back out is only broad enough for one of you." (((Mikhail Tal)))
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MilenPetrov
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #21 - 01/07/13 at 21:39:06
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Once again my top-choices are:
1) Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian
2) Sicilian Richter-Razuer - Wells
3) Sicilian Rauzer - Kortchnoi (in Russian)
4) my own original analysis (a couple of lines I already shared with subscribers) done together with my team-mate in ICCF Champions League and a good friend Djordje Petrovic. We already have unique material for more than a single book. You can just check our games from ICCF and former IECG (now LSS) archives and you will get an idea where we are.
  
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Paddy
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #20 - 12/17/12 at 18:27:54
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MilenPetrov wrote on 08/01/11 at 12:16:51:
Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian is also a good starter source as is The Complete Richter-Rauzer (Wells). Seems both books are out of print but may be still there is a chance to buy them.


The book "Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian" by the Finnish GM Jouni Yrjölä was published in 2000 but in my opinion remains very useful, since it provides a black repertoire but with some choice within it, and I rate the quality of the explanations and tips as high. I suggest it provides the best starting point for building a serious Classical Sicilian repertoire; I am not aware of any great revolution in thinking about the Classical since the book's publication, just the inevitable evolution of theory, so this book plus a good database (and home analysis of course) is really all that is needed, as long as you are happy with the repertoire lines suggested.

Having said that, the other sources mentioned are not without merit, especially the book by Yermolinsky and the Kosten DVD. Of course, it would be prudent to also consult Opening for White According to Anand, volume 12, and do some "home cooking", ready to confront Khalifman's recommendations.
  
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GMTonyKosten
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #19 - 12/09/12 at 13:54:26
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gewgaw wrote on 12/08/12 at 13:35:50:
Did you "write" another DVD about 6.Bg5 exclusively?

No, I did think about including it when I first started to work on the Classical DVD, but the work became so long that I decided to forget about it. There will be no future RR DVD from me, I'm afraid! Sad
  
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gewgaw
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #18 - 12/08/12 at 13:35:50
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GMTonyKosten wrote on 11/29/12 at 22:22:16:
najdorfslayer wrote on 11/29/12 at 20:32:53:
Why has there been so little literature on the Classical Sicilian? 

Does my ChessBase DVD count as 'literature'?


Sad

http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/jwatsonbkrev75.html

(...)
Kosten doesn't deal with the Rauzer at all (which is left for a future CD), but gives extremely detailed attention to the other, equally important, main lines (6 Be3, 6 f4, 6 f3, 6 Be2, and 6 Bc4) and several sidelines. He concentrates upon variations in which Black plays ...e5 and not ...e6, including main lines like 6 Be2 e5, 6 f3 e5, 6 f4 e5 and 6 Be3 e5. The sections on 6 Be2 e5 could fill a small book. Nevertheless, this is a comprehensive treatment of the Classical Sicilian rather than a repertoire, so we also get an extremely detailed section on 6 Be3 Ng4, and he supplements 6 f3 e5 with several annotated games with 6 f3 Nxd4 and 6 f3 Qb6. Here as so often Black's first moves are very flexible; notice that after 6 f3, Black can also opt for the English Attack option 6...e6 or the Dragon 6...g6.

Did you "write" another DVD about 6.Bg5 exclusively?
  

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ErictheRed
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #17 - 12/07/12 at 16:34:19
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Yermolinsky's short book on the Classical Sicilian was pretty good, if depressing; he made it looked like a forced win for White.
  
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GMTonyKosten
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #16 - 12/07/12 at 12:42:05
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najdorfslayer wrote on 12/01/12 at 20:18:47:
I find chess openings DVD's not very practical for my lifestyle.

Grin

Luckily there are two Classical Sicilian PDF files you can download and print on the main site! Wink
  
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najdorfslayer
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #15 - 12/01/12 at 20:18:47
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GMTonyKosten wrote on 11/29/12 at 22:22:16:
najdorfslayer wrote on 11/29/12 at 20:32:53:
Why has there been so little literature on the Classical Sicilian? 

Does my ChessBase DVD count as 'literature'?


Sorry. Truely, no offence intended, but I was talking about a paper book. I find chess openings DVD's not very practical for my lifestyle.

Grin
  
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GMTonyKosten
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #14 - 11/29/12 at 22:22:16
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najdorfslayer wrote on 11/29/12 at 20:32:53:
Why has there been so little literature on the Classical Sicilian? 

Does my ChessBase DVD count as 'literature'?
  
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najdorfslayer
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #13 - 11/29/12 at 20:32:53
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GMTonyKosten wrote on 11/28/12 at 21:13:59:
I've just added a Classical PGN eBook that can be downloaded from the Open Sicilians 'Playable eBooks' page - just click on the 'PGN' link. This is just an experiment, but I'm curious to see what subscribers think of this type of eBook compared to the ChessBase type.


Why has there been so little literature on the Classical Sicilian? Surely it's time for a good book to be written on this.

I am not accepting that Black is struggling in the Rauzer. It hasn't  stopped publishing houses publishing books on stuff like 1...b6 etc!
  
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #12 - 11/29/12 at 10:57:16
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GMTonyKosten wrote on 11/28/12 at 21:13:59:
I've just added a Classical PGN eBook that can be downloaded from the Open Sicilians 'Playable eBooks' page - just click on the 'PGN' link. This is just an experiment, but I'm curious to see what subscribers think of this type of eBook compared to the ChessBase type.

I was one of the supporters of this format in the General Chess thread and the Classical happens to be my main defence against 1.e4. Time to put my money where my mouth is and subscribe, I guess Smiley. But I won't have time to review it for a few days at least.
  
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GMTonyKosten
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Re: Classical Sicilian: where to begin?
Reply #11 - 11/28/12 at 21:13:59
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I've just added a Classical PGN eBook that can be downloaded from the Open Sicilians 'Playable eBooks' page - just click on the 'PGN' link. This is just an experiment, but I'm curious to see what subscribers think of this type of eBook compared to the ChessBase type.
  
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