Unusual Sicilian

Has anyone ever seen or played as or against the Sicilian Variation below?

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Qb6

Originally posted by wittywonka
Has anyone ever seen or played as or against the Sicilian Variation below?

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Qb6

[fen]r1b1kbnr/pp1ppppp/1qn5/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R[/fen]

No, but it seems very playable for black.

Originally posted by wittywonka
Has anyone ever seen or played as or against the Sicilian Variation below?

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Qb6

[fen]r1b1kbnr/pp1ppppp/1qn5/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R[/fen]

yes, its called the Grivas variation ( by some )
This Greek GM plays it all the time, with good results.

I prefer 4...Bc5 though, the Basman Sale variation!

edit: 2... e6 and 4. ..Bc5 that is.

I was scrolling through www.wholesalechess.com and came across a book on the opening, apparently called the Sicilian Defense Grivas Variation.

Looked interesting.

http://www.wholesalechess.com/chess/chess_books/Grivas+Sicilian+Complete+Guide

Originally posted by wittywonka
I was scrolling through www.wholesalechess.com and came across a book on the opening, apparently called the Sicilian Defense Grivas Variation.

Looked interesting.

http://www.wholesalechess.com/chess/chess_books/Grivas+Sicilian+Complete+Guide

I had a quick look into it, looks quite good.
Also his surveys in the NIC yearbooks on this variation are a good read.

Originally posted by wittywonka
I was scrolling through www.wholesalechess.com and came across a book on the opening, apparently called the Sicilian Defense Grivas Variation.

Looked interesting.

http://www.wholesalechess.com/chess/chess_books/Grivas+Sicilian+Complete+Guide

It does seem quite playable. Had a couple of games on this site as white against Dave Tebb and didn't get that much from the opening. After 5.Nb3 I think it may often transpose into other variations of the Sicilian if you consider both Qb6 and Nb3 as potentially a loss of a tempo.

Originally posted by wittywonka
Has anyone ever seen or played as or against the Sicilian Variation below?

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Qb6

[fen]r1b1kbnr/pp1ppppp/1qn5/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R[/fen]

I vaguely remember this as a variation Waitzkin played for a while