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SICILIAN DEFENSE

SICILIAN DEFENSE

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How do feel about the Sicilaian defense. It is the most playable defense against e4. If you cannot play it well, then White can win. If you playing white, and you find someone playing Sicilian, do you feel Balck can beat you.The Sicilian Defense is the most agressive of all the defenses.

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The Sicilian Defence isn't an opening, it's a catagory of openings. You can lump the positional Najdorf together with the tactical Dragon.

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Originally posted by Nietzsche1844
How do feel about the Sicilaian defense. It is the most playable defense against e4. If you cannot play it well, then White can win. If you playing white, and you find someone playing Sicilian, do you feel Balck can beat you.The Sicilian Defense is the most agressive of all the defenses.
I don't know. Against players of my own level, I have an excellent record against the Sicilian (particularly the Dragon). But, then again, that isn't saying much at my level.

On a related note - could someone explain briefly the key ideas behind the Scheveningen?

(I've checked with my opponent from the unrated Game 1501556 that he's okay with me asking this question.)

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Originally posted by XanthosNZ
The Sicilian Defence isn't an opening, it's a catagory of openings. You can lump the positional Najdorf together with the tactical Dragon.
There are plenty of lines in the Najdorf that get quickly tactical and there are lines in the Dragon that are positional. The main idea of the Sicilian is to trade off Black's c-pawn for White's d-pawn thus creating a Black center pawn majority and preparing to counterattack down the open c-file. It is believed by Silician theorists like Kopec that Black has a superior pawn structure with the chance for opening the game with various critical pawn moves like d5 at the right time. Generally White has to strike quickly on the King side to obtain any advantage against the Sicilian and most games become slugfests. The Sicilian is thus more dynamic and gives Black more winning chances than other responses to e4 but at an increased chance of being quickly trounced if you go wrong. It ain't for the squeamish.

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Originally posted by no1marauder
There are plenty of lines in the Najdorf that get quickly tactical and there are lines in the Dragon that are positional. The main idea of the Sicilian is to trade off Black's c-pawn for White's d-pawn thus creating a Black center pawn majority and preparing to counterattack down the open c-file. It is believed by Silician theorists like Kopec that Bla ...[text shortened]... t at an increased chance of being quickly trounced if you go wrong. It ain't for the squeamish.
Kopec is just one author/chessplayer, not even a GM, so far for reference authority. Nevertheless, I agree with the dynamic evaluation (better winning chances at the cost of higher losing chances). All in all, 1. ... e5 (even the Petrov) seems to be getting more popular again among the super GM's.

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I'd argue for the Caro-Kahn against e5, however the ruy defense is not bad as well

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Originally posted by Mephisto2
Kopec is just one author/chessplayer, not even a GM, so far for reference authority. Nevertheless, I agree with the dynamic evaluation (better winning chances at the cost of higher losing chances). All in all, 1. ... e5 (even the Petrov) seems to be getting more popular again among the super GM's.
Yes Kopec is merely an International Master who has been playing at a high level for over 30 years and has written several books on the Sicilian, so he must be utterly worthless as a reference. Please share your far more expert analysis of the Sicilian, Mephisto.

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Originally posted by no1marauder
The main idea of the Sicilian is to trade off Black's c-pawn for White's d-pawn thus creating a Black center pawn majority and preparing to counterattack down the open c-file.
I think this is right if you are talking about the open Sicilian, in the normal open lines white gets the centralised knight and attacking chances in return black gets some long term positional pluses and a chance to practise defending. However white doesn't have to play d4, and can either try to prepare it with 2/3 c3 or just accept that black's prevented d4 and play d3 and the closed Sicilian and try to advance on the kingside.

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Originally posted by Nietzsche1844
How do feel about the Sicilaian defense. It is the most playable defense against e4. If you cannot play it well, then White can win. If you playing white, and you find someone playing Sicilian, do you feel Balck can beat you.The Sicilian Defense is the most agressive of all the defenses.
I always played e5 all my life maybe. Then I started to play Sicilian but I suck at it. If you feel that you are better than your opponent, always play e5. But if you wanna put up a fight Sicilian I think is the best. Very enjoyable, agressive and sound. It is almost like a race. One innocent error can be fatal. Sicilian shows your ambition to win not how good you are at chess. The c5 move is to prevent an early d4 so it is not nearly dominating as e5.

I strongly belive that theoretically *Ruy Lopez Classical Morphy Defense with a6* is the best possible opening ever could be played.

*1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6* (I know you all know this line)

It is just so beautiful, like writing a poem. Those six moves and the relationship between them is amazing. The moves are *extremely* deep and sound. Very positional and also both sides get really efficient development.

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Yeah, that's the one. Hard to say who stands on victory as the position is truly complex.

An opening to be feared. Played by GM:s worldwide but still a double-edged sword, and you better be quite familiar with it, 'lest you be defeated by a more cunning opponent.

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Originally posted by NicotineMan
I always played e5 all my life maybe. Then I started to play Sicilian but I suck at it. If you feel that you are better than your opponent, always play e5. But if you wanna put up a fight Sicilian I think is the best. Very enjoyable, agressive and sound. It is almost like a race. One innocent error can be fatal. Sicilian shows your ambition to win not ho ...[text shortened]... extremely* deep and sound. Very positional and also both sides get really efficient development.
What?

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On a related note - could someone explain briefly the key ideas behind the Scheveningen?

(I've checked with my opponent from the unrated Game 1501556 that he's okay with me asking this question.)[/b]
Ask again when your game is farther along - I'd rather not answer when your game is just getting started 🙂

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I have been playing the Dragon Sicilian for a while now, with great success. My brother has even stopped playing his hitherto favorite openig move (1.e4) because of the horrific defeats he suffered. hee hee. But seriously, I think the Sicilian is a great opening and I am willing to test my draconic powers against anyone. Just challenge me.....

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Originally posted by mufin78man
I have been playing the Dragon Sicilian for a while now, with great success. My brother has even stopped playing his hitherto favorite openig move (1.e4) because of the horrific defeats he suffered. hee hee. But seriously, I think the Sicilian is a great opening and I am willing to test my draconic powers against anyone. Just challenge me.....
Okay. I'll shoot a challenge across.

EDIT: Whoops! You're playing at your non-sub limit of 6 games.

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Sorry. I just deleted one. Challenge me again.