Choose Your Sicilian-Bashing Weapon

We present two different ways to play the Alapin Sicilian, aka the c3 Sicilian.

Jevgeni_Svesjnikov_1981
Evgeny Sveshnikov

The Simple Opening System is an adequate non-theoretical system, for those who want to avoid "book." It is very good for beginners and intermediate level chess players, since it requires only basic chess knowledge rather than tons of grandmaster analysis. We avoid the main lines by employing two forcing continuations, the Harrel Variation and the Ferengi Variation.

The High-Powered System has complex and theoretical lines featuring isolated queen pawn games when black plays 2 ... d5, and space-based attacking play after 2 ... Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 d4 cxd4 5 cxd4. Play like Evgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov!

The high-powered system has several sections:

1 e4 c5 2 c3
2 … d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 cxd4 Early IQP Variations Theory Table
4 … Nf6/Nc6 5 Nf3 Delayed IQP Variations Game Replay Theory Table
or  5 dc5 Ferengi Variation Game Replay  
2 ... Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 Pseudo-Alekhine Var
4 d4 Classic Sveshnikov Var Game Replay Theory Table
or  4 Nf3 Viper Variation (Delayed d4) Game Replay Theory Table
2 … g6 with … d5 COFBE Variation Game Replay