cryptos
♡ 36 ( +1 | -1 ) c3 sicilian - grrr!!!Anybody got any good lines for black against c3 for white in the sicilian? I keep playing people who stop me playing the najdorf by going 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3. I've got a book with the line 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5!? but obviously this doesn't work if white plays the knight to f3 first. I get the feeling white is aiming for a transposition into a line of the Lopez that is bad for black. Any help please???
philaretus
♡ 36 ( +1 | -1 ) There are.........numerous playable continuations for Black (as you can see for yourself if you browse the Gameknot database). The most effective is probably the obvious 3...Nf6, taking care to avoid the trap 4...Nxe4??? after 4.Be2.
You can't expect always to be allowed to play the Najdorf --- you have to be able to play whatever is thrown at you. In this case, you have little to worry about, as 3.c3 is a weak move.
basti1981
♡ 38 ( +1 | -1 ) c3 tricky, but not necessarily weakhum, somehow my post did not appear, but ok I'll try it again
c3 is rather seldom continuation but it's playable, I would also suggest to continue with Nf6
after 1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Bd3 is also a playable continuation, I think it was Bent Larsen who described that move as tricky. The pillage of white's light squared Bishop f1-d3-c2 might look weird, but to find a defutation while playing is a different story.
bonsai
♡ 11 ( +1 | -1 ) In this specfic position (i.e. after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3) maybe one could play 3...Bg4. The way I see it that has to be fairly annoying for white.
jeffreydot
♡ 18 ( +1 | -1 ) As black......a good response to 2)Nf3 would be....2)..., e6 3)d4, cxd4 4)Nxd4, a6. This is the sicilian kan variation. I would suggest looking it up on the internet or in a book, because there are a few of variations to this play.
bonsai
♡ 16 ( +1 | -1 ) jeffreydot: Well, but I guess he does prefer his Najdorf. Also 3.c3 is also feasible against 2...e6. Another thought I've had: Is the wing gambit 3.b4 better after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 or 2...d6?
blindio
♡ 35 ( +1 | -1 ) 3. c33. c3 has been used quite often by at least 2 world champions (Smyslov and Spassky) so it can't be all that bad. I think the main point is to avoid the vast block of theoretical knowledge that the top players need to be able to effectively counter the more usual Sicilian lines (including the Najdorf). I use it myself as I am not confident in the more regular systems.
lordoftherings
♡ 6 ( +1 | -1 ) 3.c3 ...not a bad move at all...:) but i like to play against it with black :)
cryptos
♡ 57 ( +1 | -1 ) lines gentleman please.It's all very nice saying how much you like to play certain lines, but I was hoping for a more definite continuation than Nf6. Obviously the difference between this line and the open sicilian lines is that white has a much more powerful centre. Is there any way to hit back at that centre effectively (eg Bg4, e5)? GM Bent Larsen once said that he thought 3.d4 was a positional blunder because it gave up one of the centre pawns. Maybe he's right and 3.c3 is a better line. Anybody got a decent plan which doesn't transpose into a Lopez line?
philaretus
♡ 7 ( +1 | -1 ) Without e5 by Black, the game could have no resemblance to a Ruy Lopez.
basti1981
♡ 281 ( +1 | -1 ) you want some lines?here you have some games, with 3. c3