fdunne wrote on 12/27/19 at 20:21:39:

I don't really know, it's the ...a5 lines I've been trying to learn.

I guess the big question with ...Be6 and ...Qa5 is about the standard endgame/queenless middlegame line where White is usually thought to be playing for two results - whether Black is actually holding there in the end. And if he is, whether White has other promising tries to fall back on.

Edit: Checking recent sources against the Be6/Qa5 Gurgenidze, Shaw gives an interesting delayed Be2 move order against it: 7.f3 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 Bg7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Qd2 Be6 11.Rc1 Qa5 12.Bd3, when the maneouvre Ne2-d4 will often be strong. Georgiev/Semkov is a bit disorganized and mention lots of lines, but they seem to like White's setup with Bg5 and Qe3 or Qd2, where tactical ideas with e4-e5 and f4-f5 are always in the air. They also opine that Black can equalize in the queenless main line, which on the other hand is Neiksans' recommendation for White.

I bought the 1st edition of Panjwani's book originally, and haven't upgraded to the 2nd yet.

My concern is theory seems to have moved on in the Maroczy Bind, even since the 2nd edition. In the traditional main line there's not only the fashionable 10.h3 that's already mentioned here, but also John Shaw's move order with an early f2-f3 hoping to castle queenside. And in the 7...Ng4 line there are new attempts to provide answers for White in theoretical works by Shaw, Georgiev/Semkov and Neiksans. So even there the Panjwani 2nd edition may already be outdated.

I'm looking mainly at the Gurgenidze lines as replies to the Maroczy Bind, maybe with some tricky early ...Qb6 or ...Qa5+ lines as backups / surprise weapons.

Probably if I do get the 2nd edition anyway, it will be mainly for the 5.Nc3 lines, and especially Panjwani's so-called "My System" (the Acc-Dragon-Taimanov hybrid). Any hints about how much new material there is on that (and other 5.Nc3 lines) between the 1st and 2nd editions?

I can't say I have the Accelerated in my repertoire, but have looked at it from time to time because I used to answer 1.c4 with ...c5. My main setup used to be the Wedberg/Botvinnik system, which involves ...g6. But a tricky White-player can go for Nf3 and an early d4 and e4, thereby transposing to the Maroczy setups of the Accelerated dragon and that has forced me to look at the lines. My Sicilian repertoire is mainly focused on Kan and Taimanov, although I have been meaning to get started with the Najdorf. But the Accelerated is not any intention, and the discussed line with h3 does nothing to change that...

Yes, I've seen some of those games. The Gurgenidze seems solid, but perhaps not generating too many winning chances for Black. I guess that is a reason for why I haven't considered the Accelerated as my main Sicilian.

Let's see what Bragesjo gets out of playing ...Ng4 in corr

I don't know if it closes the line, but it does look rather depressing for Black. I can't any good alternatives for Black either after 12. Qc2. The idea of playing h3 to secure Bg4 is an extremely nice concept. It also seems like Thybo liked it as he first lost as Black and after that has reach the position after 12. Qc2 a5 twice.

Perhaps Black can hold after 13. Rad1 a4, as in e.g. Dragnev-Piorun, 2018? Black will have an ugly pawn structure, but maybe there is enough dynamic counterplay against e4 anyway? It looks like White is better, but it seems like Black can hold.

Otherwise, I guess Black should choose the Gurgenidze instead, or is it also "busted" in the same way? Or the system with 7...Ng4 as discussed earlier in this thread?

Yes, I agree, it would be very good to have Chris Ward comment on this.

PatzerNoster wrote on 12/27/19 at 10:13:43:


Not that I can see, unless I overlooked something. Btw, I can't find it commented on here in the games at Chesspublishing either.

I should say I haven't really followed the development in the Accelerated, but I just checked the statistics in this line after. 10...Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Qc2 a5 and I found 27 games where White have been rated 2500 or higher. 21 wins and 6 draws is pretty remarkable!

EDIT: However, I found that the line is Bonus game 3 in The Sicilian Accelerated Dragon: 20th Anniversary Edition. But there is not much analysis (or advice for Black), though.

PatzerNoster wrote on 12/26/19 at 20:34:07:


Well besides the theory there is an additional with new games. That's what it looks. Even more games besides the mentioned by me.

PatzerNoster wrote on 12/25/19 at 13:10:26:


Raja has improved on his 7...Ng4 (in the Maroczy) even with new games from himself a draw against Pichot in Montevideo 2018. Also a draw between Andersen and Demuth, Berlin 2018.
Bruzon Batista - Edouard, Saint Louis 2018 shows 7...Ng4 as well.
On the 5.Nc3 line the game Wei Yi - Shankland, Liaocheng 2018 shows his own way of dealing with that system.
The game Zherebukh-Edouard, Saint Louis 2018 shows the Maroczy classical with 9..Bd7 10.Nb3  and talks about a self-improvement of Raja (In regards to his previous book) that was missed by Edouard.

Well I can say that it shows a lot of new material and different new ideas and improvements. Whether you want to spend or not is a decision you must make. But to me it looks like an updated work with new games.

@XChess1971: it sounds like you have both the first and the second edition?
Can you elaborate on the differences?
I bought the first edition and about a year later the second one came out, and I remain to be convinced to spend the same amount of money for more or less the same book...