MNb wrote on 06/30/11 at 10:08:47:


Agree, at Internet white players therefore often plays 3 Nf3 and here I often plays a6 and after d4 we have an open sicilian. True no Dragon but whites knight is already commited at c3 ruling out any c4 lines that I slightly prefere white in(even thought it is not in my white repertour) and the only reasson why I prefere Dragon instead of Kan system.

In 2005 Richard Palliser published a fairly thorough book on the Closed Sicilian, Starting Out: Closed Sicilian usually at such times there is a wave of Closed Sicilian games adhering to the latest fashion, however, since then we have seen Rossilimos, Grand Prix Attacks, and Moscow variations proliferating. Is there something wrong with the venerable Closed Sicilian? Or, is it simply a matter of following fashion? One would think that if the Closed Sicilian is such a juicy opening and nobody at the top level is playing it, then it might just be time to bring it back.