By appearances, 1...c5 doesn't seem to accomplish nearly as much as White's opener, 1.e4. Black will need to make at least two more pawn moves to release both bishops and three moves to get castled, while the Black king's residence in the center will carry its own risks. Thus White's most ambitious approach is to "gambit" a central pawn for undefined but rather long-term attacking chances, via the mainline with 2.Nf3 and 3.d4. However, the typical streetfight after opposite-sides castling is not to every 1.e4 player's taste.
In addition to contesting d4 immediately with 2.c3, White has a number of "closed" setups that more or less ignore Black's control of d4 for the time being. White can play the Closed Sicilian, Grand Prix, "Big Clamp", 2.Na3!?, or King's Indian systems. One of the more radical options is 2.a4!?!? which must be proof that being White means being able to get away with virtually anything short of losing material. It appears the basic idea of 2.a4 is to meet any a7-a6 with a4-a5 to clamp down on b6, and to meet Nc6 or d6 with Bb5 in order to direct play into Rossolimo channels where the a4-pawn, by defending White's bishop, is not so ridiculous.
FM Stefan Buecker has published an interesting article featuring 2.a4!?!?, and started a messageboard discussion including a commented PGN of the following game. I am sure that after skimming the linked sources, you will "know" more about this quirky opening than any Sicilian player in a 100 mile radius.
In addition to contesting d4 immediately with 2.c3, White has a number of "closed" setups that more or less ignore Black's control of d4 for the time being. White can play the Closed Sicilian, Grand Prix, "Big Clamp", 2.Na3!?, or King's Indian systems. One of the more radical options is 2.a4!?!? which must be proof that being White means being able to get away with virtually anything short of losing material. It appears the basic idea of 2.a4 is to meet any a7-a6 with a4-a5 to clamp down on b6, and to meet Nc6 or d6 with Bb5 in order to direct play into Rossolimo channels where the a4-pawn, by defending White's bishop, is not so ridiculous.
FM Stefan Buecker has published an interesting article featuring 2.a4!?!?, and started a messageboard discussion including a commented PGN of the following game. I am sure that after skimming the linked sources, you will "know" more about this quirky opening than any Sicilian player in a 100 mile radius.
(show chess board)
(hide chess board)For a super-lean repertoire, 2.a4 looks like an interesting option for those who would like to take up 1.e4 in an afternoon or to prepare an anti-Sicilian in a single sitting. I note that FM Buecker has also published on offbeat repertoire lines in the Open Game, French, Caro-Kann, and Pirc/Modern. While on this topic, I should mention that the Kenilworthian also has articles on, e.g., the French "Monte Carlo variation" and the Caro-Kann "Apocalypse Attack", that could serve the same purpose.
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