What do you users recommend playing against... 1. e4 c5 2. c3 as black? A common suggested reply I'm seeing is 2...d5 but what is the reasoning behind this move? Just wondering what people recommend to play against this seemingly-solid reply to the Sicilian because as I'm playing the Sicilian I often get this response. Happy Checkmating!
I have never studied the black side of the c3 Sicilian, but from what I know the 2...d5 line is all about quick development and pressure on the d4 pawn. When I used to play the c3 Sicilian, I never usually had trouble against 2...d5, but struggled against 2...Nf6. I always seemed to get myself into positions where black got easy counter play against my over extended pawns. After 1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4, the masters database is already showing a higher win percentage for black.
c3 sicilian is terrible in any shape or form. But here is my opinion on the 3. c3 Sicilian
there is a famous game Svidler played against Kasparov where Kasparov lost as black in a c3 sicilian. And he said if we keep studying c3 sicilians we will never get anywhere or anything done. I dont quote that word for word but it was something like that he said.
Its a serious sideline/surprise try that isnt very good if you can understand :P
White is basically handing easier equality to black instead of making black prove it theoretically.
As for refuting it there is no refutation. Though after 3. Nf6 you will find yourself out of book against many opponents since they often like to play something strange like d3 to defend their pawn that is already defended. Most people spend time studying the lines after they do not "defend" the already defended pawn by playing something like Be2 Nxe4 is impossible due to Qa4+ picking off the knight. But generally what I have noticed is that these people are sub 1850 otb and not very good.
As black I have faced
d3 Qc2 Bd3 Qe2 e5 and Be2 (but Be2 the least for some reason even though it is the mainline).
I just followed the 2. c3 line in the database (the 2. d5 variation) on lichess and the positions black gets in the so called "mainline" dont seem to be my cup of tea. Even though strong players have had both sides of this. Kramnik Kasparov and Topalov to name a couple.
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6
5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2
I also cant say I prefer 2. Nf6 its not really my cup of tea ether. Its sorta like an Alekhine where black got c5 in and white played c3. So I am not terribly fond of this for ether color. This is probably best for black if white plays accurately. Position is about equal where Id still pick black but not really my cup of tea like I said.
If I had this as black I would go for something like this most likely since in the mainline it feels like whites bishop on d3 is a bit misplaced and I already prefer black but only stylistically since the alternatives are not in my favor stylistically. White is still slightly better here but it feels a bit easier to play even though there is no immediate equality. The position remains double edged.
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bd3 g6
5. Nf3 Bg7 6. O-O O-O
there is a famous game Svidler played against Kasparov where Kasparov lost as black in a c3 sicilian. And he said if we keep studying c3 sicilians we will never get anywhere or anything done. I dont quote that word for word but it was something like that he said.
Its a serious sideline/surprise try that isnt very good if you can understand :P
White is basically handing easier equality to black instead of making black prove it theoretically.
As for refuting it there is no refutation. Though after 3. Nf6 you will find yourself out of book against many opponents since they often like to play something strange like d3 to defend their pawn that is already defended. Most people spend time studying the lines after they do not "defend" the already defended pawn by playing something like Be2 Nxe4 is impossible due to Qa4+ picking off the knight. But generally what I have noticed is that these people are sub 1850 otb and not very good.
As black I have faced
d3 Qc2 Bd3 Qe2 e5 and Be2 (but Be2 the least for some reason even though it is the mainline).
I just followed the 2. c3 line in the database (the 2. d5 variation) on lichess and the positions black gets in the so called "mainline" dont seem to be my cup of tea. Even though strong players have had both sides of this. Kramnik Kasparov and Topalov to name a couple.
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6
5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2
I also cant say I prefer 2. Nf6 its not really my cup of tea ether. Its sorta like an Alekhine where black got c5 in and white played c3. So I am not terribly fond of this for ether color. This is probably best for black if white plays accurately. Position is about equal where Id still pick black but not really my cup of tea like I said.
If I had this as black I would go for something like this most likely since in the mainline it feels like whites bishop on d3 is a bit misplaced and I already prefer black but only stylistically since the alternatives are not in my favor stylistically. White is still slightly better here but it feels a bit easier to play even though there is no immediate equality. The position remains double edged.
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bd3 g6
5. Nf3 Bg7 6. O-O O-O
yeah, the c3-sicilian can be pretty annoying. the two "main lines" are 2..d5 and 2..Nf6, i favour Nf6 myself.
what 2..d5 and 2..Nf6 have in common is that both attack the e-pawn in a moment when it can't be smoothly protected, forcing it to move (and thus preventing white from achieving their strategical aim of having a d4+e4 center).
white's pawn on c3 also hinders what would be his most natural responses against these lines (after 2..d5 3 exd5 Qxd5 white cannot play Nc3, and after 2..Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 white would like to play Nc3 as well - see 1 c4 e5 2 Nf3 e4 3 Nd4 where 3..Nc6 is the main move, or also 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 Nc3).
now well, you can play other things like 2..e6 2..g6 2..d6 2..Nc6, but white has at least a small edge if he plays correctly. chessanalyst's line is playable but white is a bit better there, after 7 h3 it's not so easy to break down white's center.
what 2..d5 and 2..Nf6 have in common is that both attack the e-pawn in a moment when it can't be smoothly protected, forcing it to move (and thus preventing white from achieving their strategical aim of having a d4+e4 center).
white's pawn on c3 also hinders what would be his most natural responses against these lines (after 2..d5 3 exd5 Qxd5 white cannot play Nc3, and after 2..Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 white would like to play Nc3 as well - see 1 c4 e5 2 Nf3 e4 3 Nd4 where 3..Nc6 is the main move, or also 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 Nc3).
now well, you can play other things like 2..e6 2..g6 2..d6 2..Nc6, but white has at least a small edge if he plays correctly. chessanalyst's line is playable but white is a bit better there, after 7 h3 it's not so easy to break down white's center.
Here is an example with 2...Nf6.
@chessanalyst "c3 sicilian is terrible in any shape or form" Say that to Evgeni Sveshnikov who became famous for almost exclusively playing it at the elite level (with good results!) xD
White has compensation in terms of better development.
you can play d6, e6, a6, nf6, ne7-ng6. pretty common. i alwats use this setup and get good play.
#8 Then white gets his dream centre with 3 d4.
Personally I think the deferred Alapin as invented by Michael Basman is even stronger for white.
Personally I think the deferred Alapin as invented by Michael Basman is even stronger for white.
you have a Point tpr. i setup a bit differently than from that game, but, still White gets a strong center. its a lot of manouvering and White cant often break through with that setup as black, but still, i try to find something else than d6?! against c3. its like a kind of morra not taken. the same. i guess there are more aggressive lines as black. i havent find them though.
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