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katar chess

An Off the Map Approach to the Sicilian: 2.a4

8/18/2011

3 Comments

 
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.

(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.
3 Comments
LinuxguyonFICS
8/19/2011 09:23:29 am

Well, playing into it with ..d6 isn't going to do much. Black should be fighting for d5, even if that simply means ..e6 and ..d5.

It's an interesting idea and goes to show that the better player should win as White just because, not because of a particular opening necessarily, particularly in open game.

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sarciness
9/18/2011 10:44:08 am

After 1. e4 c5 2.a4?! Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 isn't black just getting a good version of the French?

3...g6 also looks good for equality.

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katar
9/20/2011 02:58:57 am

Yeah, everything is good for equality. White is not aiming for a theoretical advantage but some kind of nonstandard game.

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