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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Is the Classical Sicilian that bad? (Read 66706 times)
FreeRepublic
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #32 - 06/11/17 at 18:18:46
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Here is one interesting way:

6. Bg5! e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O  9. f4 h6 10. Bh4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bd7!? 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. e5 Be7 14. exd6 Bf6

  
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kylemeister
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #31 - 06/11/17 at 17:12:58
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Alex Fishbein -- now there's a Classical Sicilian player from way back ...
  
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jdart
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #30 - 06/11/17 at 16:54:05
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fjd wrote on 06/11/17 at 05:38:51:
What's happening if White inserts 12 Bxf6 Bxf6 before going e5?


That is what the Hiarcs opening book recommends. It looks good for White. One game:

  
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fjd
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #29 - 06/11/17 at 05:38:51
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What's happening if White inserts 12 Bxf6 Bxf6 before going e5?
  
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FreeRepublic
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #28 - 06/11/17 at 03:37:08
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"I might return to the Classical if I could find a line I really trust against the Richter-Rauzer"

I found a fun speed game at the ICC:

[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.06.10"]
[White "SillyWizard"]
[Black "yozhik"]
[Result "*"]
[TimeControl "300+0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 h6 10. Bh4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bd7 12. e5 dxe5 13. fxe5 Nd5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Nxd5 exd5 16. Qxd5 Bg4 17. Re1 Rfd8 18. Qe4 Qg5+ 19. Kb1 Bf5 20. Qf3 Bxc2+ 21. Ka1 Rac8 22. Be2 Bd1 23. a3 Qc1+ 24. Ka2 Rd2 25. Qxb7 Rxb2+ 26. Qxb2  Rc2 *

A line you can trust.  Wink

  

SillyWizard-yozhik.pgn ( 0 KB | 230 Downloads )
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CarriedbyGg
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #27 - 05/22/17 at 08:45:22
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I also had the impression that it is fully playable, although more passive than other tries. The bishop often doesn't need to go to e7, that's why these refinements like the Kozul variation became more popular. Structure-wise, it's of course the same. But you committed your bishop to a passive square already, whereas in other lines it might go to g7 or h6.
On the other hand, lines may be less forcing.
  
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #26 - 05/21/17 at 23:35:17
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Well, I don't know that anyone has ever claimed that that old Spassky main line (as I think of it) isn't playable. 

I'm reminded that Edmar Mednis chose between 9...Be7 and 9...b5 based on the tournament situation and such.
  
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Stigma
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #25 - 05/21/17 at 23:08:35
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I notice GM Roiz just analyzed 8...Bd7 9.f4 Be7 in the Richter-Rauzer on the main site. It looks like he's claiming "...this system still looks playable for the second player".

I'm not subscribed at the moment since I hardly play, but it must be worth checking out for those who are.

Last fall I looked at Negi's chapter on the Richter-Rauzer, and what struck me was just how many different ways Black has to play against it. And White can't just meet them on general principles, he must know concrete ideas against each to have hopes of an advantage. That chapter ironically made me want to try it with Black again.

So it take it that the Classical Sicilian can still be a good practical weapon below GM level, even if it's not the very best Sicilian theoretically.
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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CarriedbyGg
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #24 - 05/21/17 at 18:56:51
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Please try to read Kozul again. The layout makes it unreadable, I admit, but it's packed with nice explanations.
  
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Paddy
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #23 - 05/21/17 at 13:25:30
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CarriedbyGg wrote on 05/20/17 at 13:28:44:
Kozuls book is written by the expert on the line and contains not only numerous novelties and interesting variations, but also a lot of positional advice. However, as stated above, you can only read this book without going crazy if you type it into chessbase.
Second thing is that it requires a certain playing strength (I would assume 1900+)
Third, this only covers the Bg5 Rauzer! For everything else, there are other things:

First, Marins DVD. Cannot comment on that.

Second, Yermolinskys book, which I really like! Definitely worth the money and I think you get it cheap these days. Also covers other interesting lines in the Rauzer.

There is also another DVD by Kosten I think, which is also quite decent.

So, Kozul for the Kozul and Yermo for the rest probably! Wink


Yermo's book is a terrific collection of annotated games and his opinions, as a very strong exponent of the Classical, are astute and still largely relevant.

Raetsky & Chetverik is their usual competent job but this book didn't inspire me.

Wells & Osnos remains a good source for earlier theory.

As I've mentioned before, my own explorations of the Classical began with "The Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian" by the Finnish GM Jouni Yrjölä, which would still be my top recommendation for any 1900+ player keen on taking up this opening. The explanations are very good and there is a nice balance of theory and annotated games. Obviously the detailed theory needs some updating but it's very user-friendly and a great place to start.

Kozul's book was a huge disappointment - I find it very hard to use.

Kosten's Chessbase CD did not cover 6 Bg5 but remains useful for other lines.

Marin's DVD - like Bibs, I was initially rather put off by his annoying speech mannerisms, but the material seems very well considered and I'd say it is well worth persevering!
  
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CarriedbyGg
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #22 - 05/20/17 at 13:28:44
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Kozuls book is written by the expert on the line and contains not only numerous novelties and interesting variations, but also a lot of positional advice. However, as stated above, you can only read this book without going crazy if you type it into chessbase.
Second thing is that it requires a certain playing strength (I would assume 1900+)
Third, this only covers the Bg5 Rauzer! For everything else, there are other things:

First, Marins DVD. Cannot comment on that.

Second, Yermolinskys book, which I really like! Definitely worth the money and I think you get it cheap these days. Also covers other interesting lines in the Rauzer.

There is also another DVD by Kosten I think, which is also quite decent.

So, Kozul for the Kozul and Yermo for the rest probably! Wink
  
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #21 - 05/20/17 at 12:16:15
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I'd like to play the Classical and CarriedbyGg's post has inspired me! So is Kozul's book considered the best or most practical resource to take up the opening?
  
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CarriedbyGg
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #20 - 05/09/17 at 10:22:06
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There may not have been a lot of fuzz here about the classical sicilian, but when reading this thread I get interest in it again. It remains a dangerously double-edged opening that does not get the interest that it deserves. Especially the Kozul variation is strategically so unbalanced it is no wonder that the maestro is able to use the same supersharp variation for 30 years and nobody refuted it yet.
Even if it's += (and I find it hard to attach such a sign to such an unbalanced position) you can easily move order your opponent or play some other idea.

This is probably the biggest advantage of comparing the Najdorf and the kozul variation as you main weapon: the forcing lines are rare. White really needs to be comfortable with the messy "+=" he gets in a typical position and is seldomly able to outprepare Black. That's why I prefer Kozul's treatment in his book versus Marin's in the DVD because he heads down a narrow path to an endgame that is easier to prepare for. And indeed, as we saw in the thread related to the book here, the two treatments could not be more different:

Kozul and Negi meet: Kozul just says "unclear", Negi quotes one game and says it's easier to play with White.

Marin and Negi meet: Negi quotes corr. games and improves on those ideas to outsmart the treatment of Marin.

Who needs to work more on his repertoire after this, someone preparing with Marin or with Kozul?

Then there is the line Li Chao is playing with an early h6 and often an early b4 like Caruana played against Karjakin. I get that on this level it might not be the best weapon to use, but on GM/IM/FM level it is perfect, especially against weaker opponents. Strategically unbalanced, but if you are aware you are probably not getting mated with Black.

These were just my thoughts that I had in the last days (:
  
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #19 - 03/29/16 at 13:57:45
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dfan wrote on 03/29/16 at 12:08:56:
Paddy wrote on 03/29/16 at 11:53:15:
Latest: in the final round of the Candidates it was no great surprise that, against Kariakin, Caruana chose the Sicilian in a game in which he would most likely need to play for a win. What was a slight surprise was his choice not only of the Classical (which he had not played since 2009) but of a slightly strange idea in the Rauser:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 h6!? 10. Bh4 b5 11. Bxf6 gxf6.
Caruana mentioned after the game that he had studied Li Chao's games in preparation. But what is the point of inserting ...h6 on move 9, if you're intending to head for a Kozul set-up? It seems to reduce (no...Bh6) rather than increase Black's options. As far as I can see its only virtue is psychological, hoping to worry White with the possibilities of ...Nxe4 or ...g5 and maybe gain time on the clock.
Explanation. anyone?


van Kampen said in the chess24 broadcast that one point was to remove White's option of playing Qh6 in some lines (after the Bf8 has moved, obviously).


Thanks dfan, that's probably a valid point, but I'm not convinced it's the whole story.

In the evoutionary tree of the Rauser, before the Kozul there was what we might call the Spassky variation, since it was Spassky's choice, both against Fischer in their 1972 match and subsequently. It runs 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3 b5, and now 11.Bxf6 gxf6, reaching the same pawn structure as the Kozul, but with Black's bishop already committed to e7. (Exchanging on f6 has proved more popular with White than the still critical and rather unclear 11.e5 b4 12.exf6 bxc3.)

One of the main reasons why the Kozul overtook the Spassky variation in popularity was the realisation that Black's important unopposed dark-squared bishop is more flexible on f8 and in fact it rarely goes to e7 in the Kozul, with the result that Qh6 is rarely an issue!

Maybe Li Chao found a particular line in the Kozul where he wants or needs to play ...Be7 while preventing Qh6? Or maybe my original suspicion that Caruana's decision to insert ...h6 was largely psychological is correct.

All in all, I'm still rather mystified!
  
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dfan
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Re: Is the Classical Sicilian that bad?
Reply #18 - 03/29/16 at 12:08:56
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Paddy wrote on 03/29/16 at 11:53:15:
Latest: in the final round of the Candidates it was no great surprise that, against Kariakin, Caruana chose the Sicilian in a game in which he would most likely need to play for a win. What was a slight surprise was his choice not only of the Classical (which he had not played since 2009) but of a slightly strange idea in the Rauser:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 h6!? 10. Bh4 b5 11. Bxf6 gxf6.
Caruana mentioned after the game that he had studied Li Chao's games in preparation. But what is the point of inserting ...h6 on move 9, if you're intending to head for a Kozul set-up? It seems to reduce (no...Bh6) rather than increase Black's options. As far as I can see its only virtue is psychological, hoping to worry White with the possibilities of ...Nxe4 or ...g5 and maybe gain time on the clock.
Explanation. anyone?

van Kampen said in the chess24 broadcast that one point was to remove White's option of playing Qh6 in some lines (after the Bf8 has moved, obviously).
  
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