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Chess Explained: The c3 Sicilian By Sam Collins Sam Collins is a young International Master from Ireland who won the Irish Championship in 2002. He competed in several World and European junior championships and has represented Ireland in four Olympiads, winning a gold medal at Bled in 2002. He is also an experienced chess teacher who has lectured at the Berkeley Chess School in California.
Chess Explained is excellent new series of books about chess openings. They are not theoretical works in the traditional sense, but more a series of lessons from a chess expert with extensive over-the-board experience with an opening. You will gain an understanding of the opening and the middlegames to which it leads, enabling you to find the right moves and plans in your own games. It is as if you were sitting at the board with a chess coach answering your questions about the plans for both sides, the ideas behind particular moves, and what specific knowledge you need to have.
The c3 Sicilian is one of White's most popular and poisonous ways to avoid the main lines of the Sicilian. White denies his opponent the chance to demonstrate his preparation in some chaotic system; instead he will have to fight carefully for equality in a more rational position of White's choosing. There are plenty of tricks and traps in the c3 Sicilian, and the open piece-play that often results can lead to quick attacks and means that careless play will rarely go unpunished.
In the introduction Collins talks about some of the common criticisms about the c3 sicilian, proves it is ok, and also tells what kind of player the c3 sicilian would be good for. After the short introduction we get right into the games. The 25 games are spread out through 7 chapters.
1 2...Nf6: Lines with cxd4
2 2...Nf6: Main Line with 6.Bc4
3 2...Nf6: White Avoids an Early d4
4 2...d5: Black Plays ...Nf6 and ...e6
5 2...d5: with 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 (or 5...Nc6)
6 2...d5: Alternatives to 4...Nf6
7 Second-Move Alternatives for Black
Each chapter starts off with a short intro to the line, telling a little about it and the current status of the line. After that are the top class games in which Collins has selected and richly annotated. At the end of each game Collins puts together the list of conclusions we can draw from that game.
With all the different types of positions resulting from this opening, it is not only instructive for white's perspective, but also for anyone playing the black side against this opening and looking for a line to suit their style.
Overall a very nice work, I even saw a few new ideas I had not seen before. I must recommend this book to any aspiring student of the c3 sicilian.
NSG rating = 9.4 of 10 |
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