2. a3!?

Submitted by Howlingbanshee on Tue, 07/24/2007 at 10:56am.

I hate that God awful opening when black decides to play 1. e4 c5.  I just want to quit the game right there.  The Sicilian has given me more grief than I need in my limited chess journey so far.  I thought I would take chessiq's advice and just start grinding out some opening schemes and develop them.  "I need to find some opening that suits my style", so I am going to give this one a shot (chessiq, i'd insert a link to your blog but I don't know how).

I plan to counter the Sicilian with  2. a3!? and see where that leads me.  This opening seems very sharp to me and requires precision play on the part of black and sets white up for 3. b4.

My goal is to play 57 games using this opening to get a good concept and feel for this obscure opening.  20 blitz games and 37 long games.  I will post my progress every once in a while.  I am determined to perfect this opening so that it will confuse and demolish the player on the other side.  I hope to have my final report on this opening in a month.  Stay tuned or shoot me a message if you want to know how my results are coming along.  Or if you want to play me so I can try out this opening on different players, by all means challenge away. 

I realize there is ONE book dedicated to this opening, however I am a college student and therefore I would rather not spend $24 on a book.  Plus, I think one of the best ways to study openings is to play, practice and try new variations to find out what works and what could lead to a potential loss.  I am also studying the king's gambit, but that can be put on hold because the Sicilian is killing me (and i don't feel like playing the main lines of the Sicilian, not my style of play). 

If you have any suggestions, questions, or comments please leave them. 

And I will answer one question right now...

Why are you playing this opening?

: Because I can :

 

Comments:

by Bonzlibir - 2 years ago
Palawan Philippines
Member Since: Jun 2007
Member Points: 198

The Sicilian, although not as fortified as the French is the "Fightingest" Black's reply to White's 1.e4. I'll be glad to konw the results of your experimentation regarding that 2.a3 move.

by Howlingbanshee - 2 years ago
Bedford, TX United States
Member Since: Jun 2007
Member Points: 120

Yes, I think that would help greatly.  Thank you chessiq for the suggestion.

by chessiq - 2 years ago
Malawi
Member Since: Jun 2007
Member Points: 654
Billwall, I hate to ask for the guy.. Can you share with him your games? (Personally, I really like your games and I think he would learn a lot from them... or just enjoy them.)
by billwall - 2 years ago
Palm Bay, FL United States
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 2558
1.e4 c5 2.a3 is OK.  Canadian masters Lawrence Day and Jonathan Berry play it alot.  I have a few wins with it.  You can follow up 2.a3 with 3.b4, r try 3.c3 or 3.d3.  I like the 3.b4 4.Bb2 line myelf.
by TheBishopsWife - 2 years ago
New Boston, New Hampshire United States
Member Since: Jul 2007
Member Points: 12
I enjoy scillian would like a game against you. your plan sounds exciting.
by anaxagoras - 2 years ago
Lafayette, IN United States
Member Since: Jul 2007
Member Points: 286
I like the Bb5 lines as alternatives to 'normal' sicilian lines.  Give them a shot when a3 doesn't work out.Laughing
by chessiq - 2 years ago
Malawi
Member Since: Jun 2007
Member Points: 654

Hey Howlingbanshee, congrats on this exciting journey! I don't see how it cannot be exciting.

May be you can develop your own theory or line of play and post it here. I wonder if you can find a cheaper used book on ebay or amazon.

I suspect that you have searched the opening online and you have found a couple of links. Here is what I found - sorry if you have seen them already:

Hope you find them helpful:

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?eco=B20&node=371816 (Some 63 games in which White used 2.a3 against the Sicilian Defense)

 

http://www.chessville.com/reviews/ChallengingSicilianWith2a3.htm (a review of the book and has some exciting info.

 

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hans101.pdf (you will find some info on page 2 of the pdf file)

 

by erik - 2 years ago
Mountain View, CA United States
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 9965
i love it! do it!
by SonofPearl - 2 years ago
Wales
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 6106

The Sicilian is the most common reply and is strong, but there are lots of possible ways to counter it.  If you want to avoid the main lines with 2.Nf3 you could try the Grand Prix attack with 2.f4 or the famous Morra Gambit 2.d4 exd4 3. c3.

 

by jay - 2 years ago
San Jose, CA United States
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 1289
Good luck!  :)
 

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