The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Technical questions regarding Openings, Middlegames, Endings etc.
Kevin Thurlow
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:53 am

"I remember many years ago I was in the middle of a pair of competitive correspondence games against a well known player (ex chess editor with a well known publisher), and was very surprised to turn up to a Saturday afternoon county match to see several players discussing one of the games, position set up and everything!"

Not good! If you play CC, you have to play for your own interest and accept that such things might happen. One strong CC player published a book about CC and said that Van Oosterom paid GMs to play his games in the 2003 - 2005 world championship. In a team event, one country named its 8 players, but one guy played all the games and told his "team-mates" what to do!

Neville Twitchell
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Neville Twitchell » Sun Mar 21, 2021 10:18 am

Thanks. Interesting video. At least we now have a name for the defence!

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MJMcCready
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:07 pm

Is it not The Kalashnikov?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:47 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:07 pm
Is it not The Kalashnikov?
That's usually regarded as the sequence 1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5

This is different because 5. Bb5+ can be played and may be best anyway.

Transpositions to other systems with an early .. e5 are possible if White doesn't play this.

Tim Spanton
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Tim Spanton » Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:34 pm

Neville Twitchell wrote:
Sat Mar 20, 2021 3:59 pm
A correspondence game of mine has gone 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5!?

Do people know this defence? What is it called and has it been played? I suppose it must.
There are 978 games in ChessBase's Mega database - White scores 63%

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JustinHorton
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:14 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:53 am
Van Oosterom paid GMs to play his games
Or possibly IMs
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Nick Grey
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Nick Grey » Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:25 pm

any of those in 978 games in ChessBase's Mega database? 4...e5!? seems an error

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Mar 23, 2021 12:02 am

"Or possibly IMs"

Certainly at least one GM.

Tim Spanton
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Tim Spanton » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:09 am

Nick Grey wrote:
Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:25 pm
any of those in 978 games in ChessBase's Mega database? 4...e5!? seems an error
I am not sure what you are asking, but here are some details of the 978 games that reach the position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5:
White's most-popular reply is 5.Nb3 (320 games).
White's most-successful reply percentage-wise is 5.Ne2 (75%, albeit from only 18 games).
One game saw a 1933 play 5.Nc3.
Players who have tried 4...e5 include Ivan Sokolov, Vadim Zyjaginsev and Romain Edouard.
Players who have lost on the white side of the line include Alexander Grischuk.

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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Phil Neatherway » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:32 am

I have a book "Dismantling the Sicilian" by Jesus de la Villa. He gives a game Khairullin - Zviagintsev, Tomsk 2006, won by White and says 5. Bb5 is best.

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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Neville Twitchell » Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:05 pm

Tim Spanton wrote:
Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:09 am
Nick Grey wrote:
Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:25 pm
any of those in 978 games in ChessBase's Mega database? 4...e5!? seems an error
I am not sure what you are asking, but here are some details of the 978 games that reach the position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5:
White's most-popular reply is 5.Nb3 (320 games).
White's most-successful reply percentage-wise is 5.Ne2 (75%, albeit from only 18 games).
One game saw a 1933 play 5.Nc3.
Players who have tried 4...e5 include Ivan Sokolov, Vadim Zyjaginsev and Romain Edouard.
Players who have lost on the white side of the line include Alexander Grischuk.
How many went 5. Bb5+ which is surely the best move since the exchange of light squared bishops favours White here?

Tim Spanton
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Re: The Sicilian Defence with 4...e5!?

Post by Tim Spanton » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:35 pm

Neville Twitchell wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:05 pm
Tim Spanton wrote:
Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:09 am
Nick Grey wrote:
Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:25 pm
any of those in 978 games in ChessBase's Mega database? 4...e5!? seems an error
I am not sure what you are asking, but here are some details of the 978 games that reach the position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5:
White's most-popular reply is 5.Nb3 (320 games).
White's most-successful reply percentage-wise is 5.Ne2 (75%, albeit from only 18 games).
One game saw a 1933 play 5.Nc3.
Players who have tried 4...e5 include Ivan Sokolov, Vadim Zyjaginsev and Romain Edouard.
Players who have lost on the white side of the line include Alexander Grischuk.
How many went 5. Bb5+ which is surely the best move since the exchange of light squared bishops favours White here?
261 games - White scores 66%. falling to 53% after 5...Nd7

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