The Complete C3 Sicilian [repack] Access

This is the story of how went from a "cowardly" sideline to a devastating weapon in the arsenals of World Champions and club players alike.

The Alapin is more than just an "anti-Sicilian." It is a principled opening that forces Black to play on your terms.

| Variation | Pros for White | Cons for White | |-----------|---------------|----------------| | | Solid, positional, low theory | Less dynamic than Open Sicilian | | Rossolimo (3.Bb5) | Attacks c6 knight, flexible | Black can avoid with ...g6 | | Grand Prix (2.Nc3 3.f4) | Aggressive, kingside attack | Risky if Black defends well | | Closed Sicilian (2.Nc3 3.g3) | Positional, slow buildup | Allows Black ...d5 break | the complete c3 sicilian

But what if you don't want to play into Black’s prepared 25-move computer lines? What if you want to dictate the structure?

Look at the games of Evgeny Sveshnikov , the modern godfather of the Alapin. His games demonstrate how to squeeze Black positionally. Conclusion This is the story of how went from

Be careful with move transpositions. Sometimes 2. Nf3 followed by 3. c3 can lead to the same positions.

Black immediately strikes the center.

This is Black’s most popular response. Since White has occupied the c3 square, the knight cannot go to its natural home to attack a queen on d5. 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4.