I've been seriously researching the Grand Prix Attack presented in Chess Openings for White, Explained. Based on engine analysis, databases, books and my own (limited) expertise, I have reached several conclusions.
First of all, Black can equalize quickly in the Grand Prix if he plays 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.O-O Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d6 8.d3 a6!. Nf6 is a tempting and logical developing move, but it gives White too much time to execute his plan of attack. Black is left in a challenging position with little effectual counterplay. On the other hand, a6, followed by a timely b5-b4 advance gives Black strong pressure on the queenside, taking some of the heat away from White's assault.
Second of all, theoretical equality is not the same as practical equality. In theory, Black should have an equal game. However, black's position is frequently hanging on by a thread and if the right move is missed, it can vanish before you know it. After all, White's idea is very simple: go for the king! Moreover, White has an easier time finding the best moves because the general plans are almost always applicable. White always wants to play on the kingside unless Black's c pawns are doubled and weak. The side of the board White should play on is always obvious. If White plays on the kingside, the plan of Qe1-h4, f5, Ng5, Ng3 etc. is usually strong. Black on the other hand has to balance both the kingside and the queenside. Focusing on either too much gives White a devastating advantage. For example, if Black creates too much queenside counterplay, he will leave his king weakened and White will jump at this opportunity. If Black focuses too much on defense, he will be damned to passivity and White should once more end up winning. Black can have a very good game, usually better than in the mainline Sicilians, but actually doing that will prove difficult against an expert of the Grand Prix.
Third of all, the Grand Prix is among the lowest scoring responses to the Sicilian. Why? Players of the Grand Prix are usually lower rated and this is reflected in the opening's success. In addition, it is played wrong MANY MANY times. White overextends and Black just hangs on until the attack is over. Then, he wins in the endgame. I've seen this happen in Grand Prix games at every level. On the other hand, the Grand Prix attack as in Chess Openings for White, Explained scores moderately well. In some lines, White scores ~70% (as in the case of 8...a6) but in most, he scores ~50%. Other variations of the Grand Prix attack score significantly less.
According to my analysis, this is the BEST line for black:
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5 Nd4 6. O-O Nxb5 7. Nxb5 d6 8.d3 a6 9. Nc3 b5 10. Qe1 Bb7 11. Bd2 b4 12. Nd1 a5 13. Rb1 Nf6 14. Ne3 O-O 15. f5 Qd716. Qh4
Black to move
Who do you prefer and what do you think about the position? Also, which way do you think the Grand Prix should be started? 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 or 1. e4 c5 2. f4?
Nc3 is played to avoid facing d5. d5 is better for Black according to current theory. However, I disagree with this evaluation. I'm confident that White is better if he plays accurately.
1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5
3.exd5 Nf6 4.Bb5+ Bd7
5.Bxd7+ Qxd7 6.c4 e6
7. Nf3 or Qe2
White is slightly better
With d5 out of the picture, is the immediate f4 better? Here are my thoughts. Objectively, Nc3 is better, but only if White's next move is standard, such as Nf3. If White is to play f4 against the Sicilian in any event, the moves are about equal.
Still, f4 may be a little better. F4 is a mandatory move, and moves that HAVE TO BE PLAYED NO MATTER WHAT should be played first. Flexibility is important. It is not clear if the knight should be moved to c3 or even that its function is needed so early. Since f4 is the most flexible move, I agree that it is a bit better . Anyone care to disagree?
I've experimented with 2. f4 and I have also checked the databases. The f4 lines eventually transpose to the Nc3 lines. (or White is at a disadvantage) Thus, it seems that the only real benefit of playing f4 is that you may face d5 and get a small advantage. On the other hand, this means more theory. It may be more efficient to specialize further and play Nc3. Perhaps even facing e6 with Nf3 and transposing to main lines as soon as you learn them. Thus, for the long term, Nc3 is probably the way to go.
Originally posted by FixarN[Event "March Quads"]
It seems white has a really strong attack.
Why not 1.e4 c5 2.f4
I heard black can play d5 but then white just takes and then plays Nc3 right`?
FixarN
[Site "River City"]
[Date "1998.03.26"]
[Round "3"]
[White "The Prosecutor"]
[Black "Wulebgr"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteElo "1664"]
[BlackElo "1472"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "1998.03.12"]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Nf6 4. c4 e6 5. dxe6 Bxe6 6. Nf3 g6 7. d4 cxd4 8.
Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qxd8+ Rxd8 10. Be2 Bg7 11. Nc3 O-O 12. O-O b6 13. Be3 Ng4 14. Bd2
Nd4 15. Rfe1 Nxf3+ 16. gxf3 Bd4+ 17. Kh1 Ne3 18. Rab1 Nxc4 19. Bxc4 Bxc4 20. b3
Ba6 21. Ne4 Bb7 22. Bb4 Rfe8 23. Rbd1 f5 24. Nd2 1/2-1/2
After this unpleasant experience, and perhaps another like it, The Prosecutor adopted the 2.Nc3 variation. Other local Grand Prix aficionados have followed suit, as Sicilian players all learn to meet 2.f4 with the so-called toilet bowl variation, in which black sacrifices a pawn for active piece play and equality.
Originally posted by exigentskyYep.
1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5
3.exd5 Nf6 4.Bb5+ Bd7
5.Bxd7+ Qxd7 6.c4 e6
7. Nf3 or Qe2
White is slightly better
Anyone care to disagree?
I'd say that black has compensation for the pawn, and has equality. White resources for attack are scarce. How can a screwy pawn structure and no development count as "better"? Indeed, after the common 7.Qe2, white has scored a miserable 46% during during 243 attempts. 7.Nf3, on the other hand, appears in the ChessBase online database in three games, and presents black no problems.
Originally posted by WulebgrIt wasn't d5 that gave black a better position. It was simply misplayed by White. 4. c4 is a horrible move. Bb5 is far better.
[Event "March Quads"]
[Site "River City"]
[Date "1998.03.26"]
[Round "3"]
[White "The Prosecutor"]
[Black "Wulebgr"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteElo "1664"]
[BlackElo "1472"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "1998.03.12"]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Nf6 4. c4 e6 5. dxe6 Bxe6 6. Nf3 g6 7. d4 cxd4 8.
Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qxd8+ Rxd8 10. Be2 Bg7 11. Nc3 O ...[text shortened]... on, in which black sacrifices a pawn for active piece play and equality.
Moreover, the statistics you give are misleading. White hardly ever played the correct line and there aren't many games of high quality. Of course, weaker players will misplay the endgame for White. It is difficult to play it due to the ackward pawn structure, even if White has a small advantage. If you restrict the database to 2450+ players, you will find that White wins over 65% of games after 7.Qe2 Bd6 8.d3.
Finally, Nf3 should not be discounted so quickly. There aren't many games with it and no verdict should be given yet. Despite this, I think the move is very strong.
For example:
7.Nf3 exd5 8.Ne5 Qf5
9.O-O Bd6 10.g4 Qc8
11.Nc3 O-O 12.g5 Bxe5
13.fxe5 Qg4+ 14.Qxg4 Nxg4
15.cxd5 Nxe5 16.b3 Nbd7
17.Ba3
Black to move
In this position, I think White is at least equal.
Originally posted by exigentskyI still wouldn't want to play in that position if I could help it. I mean, maybe equal, but that pawn structure....eek.
It wasn't d5 that gave black a better position. It was simply misplayed by White. 4. c4 is a horrible move. Bb5 is far better.
Moreover, the statistics you give are misleading. White hardly ever played the correct line and there aren't many games of high quality. Of course, weaker players will misplay the endgame for White. It is difficult to play it ...[text shortened]... 3P/R4RK1 b - - 2 17[/fen] Black to move
In this position, I think White is at least equal.
I play the GP with 2.Nc3 and get some very fine games. I'll see if I can find any on RHP.
BTW: I played it OTB recently and faced 2...e6. I'd never seen this before, but it's not especially strong apparently and I got the point. After 2...d6 the option of Bc4 makes the position better for white, and so for black I'd say 2...Nc6 is the best response, and seems to be the only line that black gains equality in (IMO) after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4
Originally posted by cmsMasterYes, cmsMaster, the 7. Nf3 position is difficult to play for Whtie even if the position is equal. The same goes for the 7. Qe2 line, although, the Qe2 line is perhapsa bit better than the Nf3 variation. Many players do not like d5 because it quickly leads to equal endgames and thus there won't be any big attack, as is common in the GPA. I myself have studied it more throughly and even though I think the game is at least equal, it is hard to prove any sort of advantage as White. Moreover, a lot of the complexity is already gone. Nc3 is still my #1 pick.
I still wouldn't want to play in that position if I could help it. I mean, maybe equal, but that pawn structure....eek.
I play the GP with 2.Nc3 and get some very fine games. I'll see if I can find any on RHP.
BTW: I played it OTB recently and faced 2...e6. I'd never seen this before, but it's not especially strong apparently and I got the point. line that black gains equality in (IMO) after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4
I also agree that the Nc6 line with g6 and Nd4 is by far the best for Black. I've run the position through the best engines today and they reach the same conclusion. Black's statistics point in the same direction. Black is equal after playing Nc6...g6...Nd4. But of course, theoretical equality and practical equality are completely different.
Originally posted by exigentskyHmm, Although after Nd4 white still has nice chances after 6.O-O. There's a good reference game I'll look up.
Yes, cmsMaster, the 7. Nf3 position is difficult to play for Whtie even if the position is equal. The same goes for the 7. Qe2 line, although, the Qe2 line is perhapsa bit better than the Nf3 variation. Many players do not like d5 because it quickly leads to equal endgames and thus there won't be any big attack, as is common in the GPA. I myself have stu ...[text shortened]... 6...Nd4. But of course, theoretical equality and practical equality are completely different.
Yes, I know, the game has just started. But after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.O-O Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d6 8.d3 a6 9.Nc3 b5 10. Qe1 Bb7 the game is theoretically equal.
White to move
There is a lot of play left and there are excellent winning chances for both sides. However, according to engines, the game is perfectly equal after 10 moves. I strongly believe that this is the BEST line for Black. Unfortunately, there are very few database games in this position. Thus, my analysis can't be confirmed yet.