Latest Updates:
Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape? (Read 13800 times)
brabo
God Member
*****
Offline


Welcome chessfriend

Posts: 1068
Joined: 02/02/07
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #10 - 03/07/16 at 09:25:43
Post Tools
I notice recently a number of players using this setup as a surprise-weapon. One of my opponents got a comfortable position in the opening with it.
http://chess-brabo.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-sicilian-kupreichik.html
  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Stigma
God Member
*****
Offline


There is a crack in everything.

Posts: 3265
Joined: 11/07/06
Gender: Male
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #9 - 02/15/12 at 18:35:35
Post Tools
I always think of the Accelerated Dragon as the ideal first Sicilian for youngsters and/or beginners, mainly because Whites playing without concrete knowledge (as is normal on that level) won't have any chance of advantage, and may even get into trouble quickly. Typical is don't understanding the difference from a regular Dragon and allowing a strong d7-d5 in one move, the "Weekend variation" allowing a strong ...Qb6, forgetting to play Bb3 and allowing the fork-trick in the centre, or not stopping ...Ng4 with f3 or h3 at the right moment. Or an unmotivated exchange on c6 strengthening Black's central control, or playing the Maroczy but exchanging all the wrong pieces... etc.

Plus black doesn't have any easily exploitable weaknesses (the d5 square and the e7 pawn require some sophistication to play against).

In contrast, the 4 knights can go wrong for Black very quickly since he takes on a pawn structure with gaping holes on the dark squares.
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
ErictheRed
God Member
*****
Offline


USCF National Master

Posts: 2533
Location: USA
Joined: 10/02/05
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #8 - 02/15/12 at 17:01:06
Post Tools
Maybe the Sicilian Four Knights if you're looking for a less theory-laden system to recommend to lower rated players?  I think 6.Ndb5 Bb4 must be better for White, though.  And there's a dangerous gambit that starts with 6.Be2...still, it's all pretty straightforward development and piece play, unlike some other Sicilians where you break various "rules" (get behind in development or accept structural weaknesses).  Might be a good introductory system.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Chessexplained
Junior Member
**
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 93
Location: Duisburg, Germany
Joined: 02/03/12
Gender: Male
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #7 - 02/15/12 at 13:15:19
Post Tools
MartinC wrote on 02/14/12 at 17:59:58:
I'm not at all sure if its really sensible for lower strength players - being honest black is purposefully adopting a slightly odd development scheme purely to avoid deep, concrete theory. Maybe has to be able to play a bunch of structures too.

Fine for strong folk wishing to avoid potentially deep prep, but if learning surely best to learn those structures with something a bit more principled.


I think you have a point here. To play this line some experience in various structures certainly helps a great deal. It's maybe not so great for somewhat weaker players.
  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
MNb
God Member
*****
Offline


Rudolf Spielmann forever

Posts: 10756
Location: Moengo
Joined: 01/05/04
Gender: Male
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #6 - 02/14/12 at 22:47:51
Post Tools
Chessexplained wrote on 02/14/12 at 16:49:15:
(well, you can construct that order via the Najdorf...).

That's why I used the plural transpositions.

Chessexplained wrote on 02/14/12 at 16:49:15:
Or 7.Bb3 Na6

This one is known from the Scheveningen. If Black continues with ...Nc5 and ...a6 it looks like a Najdorf again (Nb8-d7-c5 again).

Chessexplained wrote on 02/14/12 at 16:49:15:
Both lines look playable at a quick glance and have been played by GMs.

Of course; that was not my point. It was this: if White intends to play Bc4, Be3 and Bb3 vs. 5...Nc6; 5...e6; and 5...a6; he/she perfectly can play it against 5...Bd7 too. That's not the case (alas) with the Kan/Paulsen/Taimanov.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
MartinC
God Member
*****
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 2073
Joined: 07/24/06
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #5 - 02/14/12 at 17:59:58
Post Tools
White players maybe not real concrete preparation, but these are also quite familiar types of positions for an open Sicillian player so not so tough really.

I'm not at all sure if its really sensible for lower strength players - being honest black is purposefully adopting a slightly odd development scheme purely to avoid deep, concrete theory. Maybe has to be able to play a bunch of structures too.

Fine for strong folk wishing to avoid potentially deep prep, but if learning surely best to learn those structures with something a bit more principled.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Chessexplained
Junior Member
**
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 93
Location: Duisburg, Germany
Joined: 02/03/12
Gender: Male
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #4 - 02/14/12 at 16:49:15
Post Tools
MNb wrote on 02/14/12 at 16:33:11:
It seems to me that 5...Bd7 6.Bc4 just leads to transpositions as well.


Let's say 6...e6.
On 7.Be3 a6 8.Bb3 b5 - no transposition (well, you can construct that order via the Najdorf...).
Or 7.Bb3 Na6

Both lines look playable at a quick glance and have been played by GMs.
  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
MNb
God Member
*****
Offline


Rudolf Spielmann forever

Posts: 10756
Location: Moengo
Joined: 01/05/04
Gender: Male
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #3 - 02/14/12 at 16:33:11
Post Tools
It seems to me that 5...Bd7 6.Bc4 just leads to transpositions as well.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Chessexplained
Junior Member
**
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 93
Location: Duisburg, Germany
Joined: 02/03/12
Gender: Male
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #2 - 02/14/12 at 15:41:25
Post Tools
Thanks for pointing out the De la Villa suggestion. That indeed seems to transpose to the Rauzer, white is commited to f3 though. Maybe he wants to play this anyway, sure, but it reduces what Black needs to know. On 6.f3 I was thinking about the e5/Bc6 approach, also Be7,0-0 and a quick ...a5 seems interesting.
In general I am pretty sure that this line will be theoretically worse than the Najdorf for instance, but it seems like a tricky alternative that white players most certainly will have no clue about.
  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
MartinC
God Member
*****
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 2073
Joined: 07/24/06
Re: Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
Reply #1 - 02/14/12 at 15:22:14
Post Tools
Its the normal name Smiley

Serious? Probably not.

What there might be is a minor worry about whether its all that interestingly independent. Also the minor worries about a bishop on d7 in English attacks that can afflict the classical.

De la Villa seems to think that 6 Bg5 ( 6.. e6 7 f3 ^ Qd2 etc) more or less forces a transposition to the Rauser. You can see his point as delaying Nc6 does seem rather artificial.

Experts vs has 6 f3 which is very logical too, as black does need to make that independent thing with e5/Bc6 work. But maybe thats OK?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Chessexplained
Junior Member
**
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 93
Location: Duisburg, Germany
Joined: 02/03/12
Gender: Male
Is the Kupreichik Variation in good shape?
02/14/12 at 14:41:57
Post Tools
I am not sure if the name in the title really is correct, but I guess he was the main player to venture 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bd7!?.

This line came to my attention when I was looking for a lesser-known Sicilian line to present in video format. Black has a more than decent score and the move order issues seem very tricky for white. Is there some serious problem with the line? I hope there don't exist some other posts on this... at least I didn't find any.
  
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Bookmarks: del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Google+ Linked in reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Yahoo