It seems that on the 2500+ level, the Najdorf is the most popular. However, from my games on ICC and a little OTB play, I don't think the same is true for us. In the 1400-2100 range, I recall seeing many more Dragons, Accelerated Dragons, Hyper-Accelerated Dragons, Paulsens and French Sicilians than anything else. I faced almost no Najdorfs, Scheveningens or Classical sicilians. Is this just too low of a sample size? Which Sicilians have you faced the most?
Originally posted by exigentsky It seems that on the 2500+ level, the Najdorf is the most popular. However, from my games on ICC and a little OTB play, I don't think the same is true for us. In the 1400-2100 range, I recall seeing many more Dragons, Accelerated Dragons, Hyper-Accelerated Dragons, Paulsens and French Sicilians than anything else. I faced almost no Najdorfs, Scheveningens ...[text shortened]... ical sicilians. Is this just too low of a sample size? Which Sicilians have you faced the most?
I only play the Grand Prix Attack now (1.e4 c5 2.f4) and normally get 2...Nc6 when 2...d5 is the correct move.
Lately, my opponents have been playing Alapin, 2. c3, and tend to go out of book after 6 or 7 moves. I should add that I'm very new to the sicilian and don't quite understand it yet.
Originally posted by exigentsky It seems that on the 2500+ level, the Najdorf is the most popular. However, from my games on ICC and a little OTB play, I don't think the same is true for us. In the 1400-2100 range, I recall seeing many more Dragons, Accelerated Dragons, Hyper-Accelerated Dragons, Paulsens and French Sicilians than anything else. I faced almost no Najdorfs, Scheveningens ...[text shortened]... ical sicilians. Is this just too low of a sample size? Which Sicilians have you faced the most?
The top 3 I see are the Dragon, Svesh, and Najdorf. It's rare to see a Classical or a Schevinigen these days. The Accelerated Dragon is reasonable popular too.
Originally posted by !~TONY~! The top 3 I see are the Dragon, Svesh, and Najdorf. It's rare to see a Classical or a Schevinigen these days. The Accelerated Dragon is reasonable popular too.
To clarify for everyone, I meant from the White side.
TONY, you mention that it's rare to see the Scheveningen and Classical *these days*. Are you saying that the situation was very different not long ago? From what I know, most Sceveningen players now transpose using the Najdorf move order. But what's happened to the classical?
No they weren't listed in order. I think I probably see the Najdorf, and then the Dragon and then the Svesh. You don't see too many people playing the Schivenigen in the real move order these days simply because noone wants to play against the Keres. And you really don't see the Classical that much because it's not really played by anyone really strong anymore. Kramnik kind of ditched it, and since then it hasn't really found any popularity, maybe it's just overshadowed by the other ones. 😀
Originally posted by !~TONY~! The Accelerated Dragon is reasonable popular too.
Woooot!
Honestly, In games where I've played the open sicilian as white, I usually get the Dragon (though in USCF tournaments, CC and OTB, it's always been the Najdorf.)
Honestly, In games where I've played the open sicilian as white, I usually get the Dragon (though in USCF tournaments, CC and OTB, it's always been the Najdorf.)
The Accelerated Dragon doesn't deserve a w000t. It deserves that sound that you get when deflate a balloon. 😀