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Reviewed by S. Evan Kreider, August 2006 Playing the White side of the Sicilian is a tricky business. The Open Sicilian is a must for the professional player, but what about the hobbyist? There’s always the Closed Sicilian or the Grand Prix Attack, but I’ve never been convinced that these lines present Black with any real problems – in fact, I’m pretty sure Black usually breathes a sigh of relief and thinks “Well, I’ve at least equalized!” Indeed, if White is looking to present Black with some real problems while still avoiding mountains of theory, then the Bb5 lines – more specifically, the Rossolimo (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) and the Moscow (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+) – might just be the way to go. Frankly, it’s a little surprising to me that these lines took so long to gain respectability, since the ideas behind 3.Bb5 are perfectly sensible:
Looks pretty similar, eh?! In fact, one might argue that after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3, White’s best try for a central advantage is 3.Bb5, not the open Sicilian (with 3.d4 cxd4, giving Black the central pawn majority). In fact, the only obvious downside to 3.Bb5 is that White can’t use it against any of the 2…e6 Sicilians (Taimanov, Kan, transpositions to the Scheveningen, etc.), so White will have to learn a completely different opening for them. “That all sounds great, Evan,” I hear you saying. “If only there were books I could read on the Bb5 Sicilian!” Somehow I knew you were going to say that! Well, don’t worry. This week I bring you not just one, but two reviews, both on Bb5 Sicilian books.
Part One 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 Bb5+ – the Moscow Variation
Part Two 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 – the Rossolimo Variation
The book contains the obligatory bibliography, preface, and index of complete games. It also contains an instructive (though brief – only 10 pages) introduction in which the author gives us a taste of the opening through a few annotated games, pointing out some of the basic themes and mentioning a few of the notable proponents (for example, Michael Adams) of the variations. The content is typical of Everyman publications, and in a good way. Though not a complete theoretical manual, it does contain a great deal of theory, probably more than the club player will ever need. However the lack of an index of variations hampers its use as a reference manual. The explanations of various moves are fairly sophisticated, though not overly so – probably aimed at the class B to expert player. The following example is typical to the whole work:
This is another good production from Everyman, and worthy of purchase by anyone looking to take up the Bb5 Sicilians in a serious way, as White or Black.
The first section of the book is called “First Moves.” In this section, McDonald lays out the basic lines of the Rossolimo and Moscow variations and Black’s major responses. There is also a very concise discussion of the basic strategic aims of these variations. This section is well organized, and a close reading of this material alone would be enough for the club player to start playing some informal games or blitz. The next section is called “Heroes and Zeros.” The “Heroes” in question are presumably the players most closely associated with the opening. I guess the “Zeros” are simply those players who have lost to the opening in some famous manner, though a single well-known loss in a game that happens to involve a certain opening hardly justifies being labeled as a “Zero,” either with reference to the opening or in general, so I’m not really sure what the point is. In substance, this chapter is simply a small collection of annotated games. The “heroes” include Rossolimo (of course), Bobby Fischer, and Vassily Ivanchuk. The zeros are apparently the players on the losing side of the games presented (including Kasparov in one instance – hardly a “zero” . . . ). McDonald mentions Michael Adams as a hero, but for some reason doesn’t present us with any of his games. Overall, I found this section a bit lacking. I was expecting a more serious discussion of the players in question, why they played these openings, how they came to develop particular lines, and so forth. Instead, all we really have is a few annotated games, which perhaps whet our appetites, but don’t do much else. The next section, “Strategy,” takes up the bulk of the book. McDonald explains each of the major variations in terms of typical pawn structures, plans, and strategies for both sides. He includes variations when necessary, but never overwhelms the reader with them, preferring instead to explain verbally exactly what’s going on behind each of the key moves. The following example is typical (in a good way):
The rest of the book goes by fairly quickly. There’s the “What’s Hot?” section which gives the reader a brief look at the sharpest and most topical theoretical lines, and will probably appeal most to the higher rated players in the audience. “Tricks and Traps” includes not only the usual tactical traps, but also various positional blunders such as over-valuing the bishop pair and grabbing “hot” pawns. Finally, there are a handful of test positions, with solutions that are explained in great detail for maximum instructional value. McDonald has produced a quality work for the Revealed series. The range of material makes it suitable for players as low as class C, all the way up. If you were thinking of taking up the Bb5 Sicilians, I can’t think of a better place to start. Copyright 2006 S. Evan Kreider. Used with permission.
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