Yesterday we examined the basics of the Taimanov Sicilian and today we are looking at Lifetime Repertoires: Taimanov Sicilian.
This brand new Chessable course, by Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna, is all set to bring the subtleties of the Taimanov Sicilian to a whole new audience.
Early Moves
…this course focuses on the lines after 5 …Qc7.
Naturally, placing the queen on c7 without first of all safeguarding the square with …a6 is going to act as a red rag to a bull when playing aggressive players. Anyone playing this system as Black needs to study such lines very carefully indeed.
Here is a taster of what the course has to offer.
6 Ndb5 Qb8
7 Be3 a6
…a6 appears after all; does White have to retreat?
8 Bb6!
No! Now life gets very interesting.
8 …axb5
9 Nxb5 Bb4+
10 c3 Ba5
11 Nc7+ Qxc7
12 Bxc7 Bxc7
We like to see positions featuring three pieces for the queen. Who would you rather be in this position? Grandmaster Harikrishna will guide you though the good and bad points for both sides.
Sicilian Taimanov: English Attack
If White doesn’t try to exploit the early queen move then there is a good chance that Black will end up facing the popular English Attack. White’s intentions are clearly very aggressive and Black needs to know exactly how to keep out of trouble and also how to generate counter play. This is another very important part of the course.
This impressively deep course also goes the extra mile to present coverage of the Scheveningen System.
Black is advised to avoid White’s plans for domination of the board with the liberating moves 10 …Nxd4! 11 Bxd4 e5!
This course also offers recommendations against White’s various alternatives to the main lines. This is a thorough section and it even includes the eccentric second moves such as 2 Na3 and 2 b4.
Grandmaster Harikrishna spent six months working on this course and his diligence can be turned to the advantage of anyone wanting a solid and reliable way to meet 1 e4.
In the words of the author: ‘I hope my Lifetime Repertoire will bring you many sweet victories, familiarize you with a host of fresh strategical and tactical ideas, and that you simply will enjoy the studying experience.’
Try – and Buy!
Click here for further information on Lifetime Repertoires: Taimanov Sicilian.
Ah yes, and hot off the press – here is the free Short and Sweet version of the course, offering a very generous selection of material from the main one.
