Getting smashed OTB in The English & The Sicilian

plopzilla

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12 Jan '13 12:21

plopzilla
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12 Jan '13 12:21
Why is it that you rarely seem to get smashed in the English even though black can opt for a reversed sicilian grand prix etc to try, yet when i'm playing the sicilain i'm constantly having to put up with strong kingside attacks though probably unsound they are difficult to defend otb.

Is that one extra tempo of being white that important..
greenpawn34
e4
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12 Jan '13 12:45
"Is that one extra tempo of being white that important.."

It all depends which White you are talking about.
If you mean the White side of Sicilian then Yes the tempo is very important.

It's not an accident that White wins the majority of games under 25 moves
in the Sicilian. Black wins the majority of longer games.

If it's White playing 1.c4 and Black replies 1...e5 then unless Black is willing to play
an open Sicilian a move down with Nf6 and d5 the game takes on a closed Sicilian
nature which usually rules out quick hammerings and unsound attacks in the opening.

If Black tries any sharp stuff in 1.c4 e5 then White can play d4 the equivalent
of d5 in the Sicilian. The ROT here is if Black can safely play d5 in the Sicilian then
he is equal and if Black is eqall in the Sicilian then he is winning - Larsen.

(ROT = Rule of Thumb)
plopzilla
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12 Jan '13 13:381 edit
Originally posted by greenpawn34
"Is that one extra tempo of being white that important.."

It all depends which White you are talking about.
If you mean the White side of Sicilian then Yes the tempo is very important.

It's not an accident that White wins the majority of games under 25 moves
in the Sicilian. Black wins the majority of longer games.

If it's White playing 1.c4 ...[text shortened]... and if Black is eqall in the Sicilian then he is winning - Larsen.

(ROT = Rule of Thumb)
Thanks - that makes sense. I play the Hyper Accl. Dragon as black (1..c5, 2..g6) but am sick of the hammerings - its just ironic I pretty much play the same move order as white reversed and am totally happy...

..if one could only find a super solid, non-theorecitcal sicilian where you can avoid the maroczy bind and can't get smashed 😉
ViktorN
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12 Jan '13 13:50
..if one could only find a super solid, non-theorecitcal sicilian where you can avoid the maroczy bind and can't get smashed
Popzilla

If someone found such a opening (the sicilian is an opening where black takes risks to play for a win) every GM would play it, and they would create some opening theory, so they know what to play in move 28 to get a small endgame edge.
The Taimanov is probably the ¨safest¨ sicilian.

~~robbie carrobie~~

Joined: 26 Aug '07
Moves: 38239

12 Jan '13 16:205 edits

Originally posted by plopzilla
Thanks - that makes sense. I play the Hyper Accl. Dragon as black (1..c5, 2..g6) but am sick of the hammerings - its just ironic I pretty much play the same move order as white reversed and am totally happy...

..if one could only find a super solid, non-theorecitcal sicilian where you can avoid the maroczy bind and can't get smashed 😉

.if one could only find a super solid, non-theorecitcal sicilian where you can avoid the maroczy bind and can't get smashed

this was my problem and i have found the solution. I reverse the reversed dragon!
Its so simple, so non theoretical, so sound and so easy to play, its awesome, its
name???? the dragondorf! the hybrid between the dragon and the najdorf, here is a
game I played with it as white, one of the few i have won against proper knob ,
currently at +2 -3 =2

robbiecarrobie v properknob

Invert Board PGN Headers Comments

here is the same set up as black, the idea is, we delay castling and get our
queenside play going as soon as possible,

Bogner v Williams 2005

Invert Board PGN Headers Comments

plopzilla
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12 Jan '13 21:18
Originally posted by robbie carrobie
.if one could only find a super solid, non-theorecitcal sicilian where you can avoid the maroczy bind and can't get smashed

this was my problem and i have found the solution. I reverse the reversed dragon!
Its so simple, so non theoretical, so sound and so easy to play, its awesome, its
name???? the dragondorf! the hybrid between the dragon ...[text shortened]... mes, they are awesome with the dragondorf!} 0-1[/pgn]
thats interesting thanks, but whats the flaw in the dragondorf not to be played at top level, i'm playing against 180/200 ecf players so they should find it..?
~~robbie carrobie~~
Account suspended
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12 Jan '13 22:114 edits
Originally posted by plopzilla
thats interesting thanks, but whats the flaw in the dragondorf not to be played at top level, i'm playing against 180/200 ecf players so they should find it..?
Dragondorf is played at top level, Gawain Jones has played it, Simon Williams has played it, heck even Botvinnik has tried it! Your opponents will go Yugoslav, try to open the h file, they will fail, their attack will be over and you will know more about the position than them. Search the position in any data base, not a few 2500+ rated grandmasters have played it. But you need to know the plans for white and black. If you have not already done so, buy Tony Kostens book on the English, it outlines the plans and simply reverse it when you have the black pieces. I have tried all the things that you have probably also tried, hyper accelerated dragon, accelerated dragon, the najdorf, etc etc , which are fine for grandmasters, but i was also fed up getting my Kingside stormed before my queenside had got going, no more!

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Getting smashed OTB in The English & The Sicilian