Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Delayed Wing Gambit / Mengarini Variation!

In today's chess opening video, we cover how to crush the Sicilian Defense with the Mengarini Variation / Delayed Wing Gambit! I am a HUGE fan of this crazy 2. a3!? move from white, and it has got me hundreds of easy wins against high rated players. This is an opening which I hope catches some steam because I believe in it. The Mengarini Variation / Delayed Wing Gambit is good for a number of reasons. Let me list a few of those below.
1. The Mengarini Variation / Delayed Wing Gambit (a3 Sicilian) is SOUND. It is not one of those gambits where we simply hope the opponent falls for our cheap chess opening tricks and chess opening traps. It is good, and GM Simon Williams has played it in some of the most important games of his life while going after the GM title. GM Magnus Carlsen has also played the a3 Sicilian for white!
2. The Mengarini Variation / Delayed Wing Gambit (a3 Sicilian) is DANGEROUS! There are so many chess opening tricks, chess opening traps, and chess opening tricks and traps to win fast. The chess opening theory, chess opening strategy, chess opening principles, chess opening moves, and chess opening ideas are all fascinating, brilliant, and unique.
3. The Mengarini Variation / Delayed Wing Gambit (a3 Sicilian) is RARE, UNDERRATED, AND SLEPT ON! I myself can attest to this, as I was a Sicilian Defense, specifically Sicilian Najdorf, player for many years! I got my inspiration from Garry Kasparov as he is (in my opinion) the greatest Sicilian Defense Najdorf player of all time.Now, I studied so much chess opening theory, chess opening moves, chess opening tricks, chess opening traps, chess opening lines, chess opening moves, chess opening variations, and chess opening strategy surround the Sicilian Defense. I had to study for things like the Main Line, Grand Prix Attack, Alapin Opening/Alapin Variation, Wing Gambit, Canal Attack, English Attack, Sozin Attack, Classical Variation, etc! What I am trying to say is that the Sicilian Defense player has SO MUCH CHESS OPENING THEORY they need to study, and the a3 Sicilian rarely gets attention. I didn't even know it was a thing!
I hope you enjoy this video on how to beat the Sicilian Defense with the Mengarini Variation / Delayed Wing Gambit! Let me know if you want to see more Sicilian Defense videos like this on the KZbin chess channel!
0:00 Introduction
3:21 CRUSHING THE SICILIAN DEFENSE (2. ...Nc6!)
11:31 CRUSHING THE SICILIAN DEFENSE (2. ...e6!)
20:58 CRUSHING THE SICILIAN DEFENSE (2. ...d5!)
23:52 CRUSHING THE SICILIAN DEFENSE (2. ...d6!)
25:16 CRUSHING THE SICILIAN DEFENSE (2. ...g6!)
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[@SkyWise-mb7wk]

Thanks, Solomon! Lots of great ideas. I had seen Perunovic's, (The Butcher),detailed analysis of the Mengarini variation, which was good, but this has some fresh ideas, for a number of blacks responses. I like your slower paced and thoughtful discussion of the middle game possibilities.

[@topnotcher231]

30 mins of watching this video means a lot. More power to your channel. Continue to upload instructive videos like this. God bless you man..

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks for watching brother, I'm glad you enjoyed it. God bless you too!

[@koenhoffer5753]

Thanks for the video. Very useful!!!

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it! And glad you liked it!! This is my favorite way to play against the Sicilian Defense

[@aydinj3894]

Ever since I watched your Ponziani and Hippo videos I geat crazy results up to 1800 and even plus 2000 when not serious. I have used Wing before, hit and miss above 1400, but, the delayed version is crazy intresting! Thank you.

[@TheChessGiant]

Woah! Well first off... CONGRATS! That's amazing progress, and you got it brotha. Glad to help assist! Keep it up!

[@Edouard7800]

following you for a while and i can say you are onenomm of the best chess content creator, you have taught me a lot a good lines that helped so much!! Make chess funnier than ever.

[@TheChessGiant]

Dude thank you man I appreciate the kind words. I'm glad the videos have given you some tools to work with and have helped your game progress. More on the way! Hope your 2024 is off to a good start!

[@hodgeknobbler9848]

Awesome video. Thanks!

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it! And thanks for the kind words!

[@andrewcarter7503]

I read somewhere that the three main games played with chess pieces are "chess", "the Ruy Lopez" and "the Sicilian". 🙂

[@TheChessGiant]

Hahaha this is facts!!

[@WalterReade]

Grand Prix Attack, all day.

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Walter... forgot if we went over the name or not... but apparently the bishop on e2 in the Grand Prix is called the British Grand Prix!

[@WalterReade]

@@TheChessGiant I didn't know that! Thanks!!

[@TheChessGiant]

🙏🏼🤝

[@dmr288]

Great content!

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks! I'm glad you are liking it. Let me know if you have any questions or need some help with how you approach playing against the Sicilian Defense!

[@aivarsklavins4552]

Good stuff.

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks brotha, glad you liked the ideas!

[@hata6290]

Solo is golden chess content thank you

[@TheChessGiant]

Thank you brotha for the kind words, humbled.

[@walterbrownstone8017]

I have lots of experience with the Portsmouth so I can tell you right now this looks like a better variation.

[@TheChessGiant]

Very dangerous chess opening option for white!

[@RussSur1]

I love the Mengarini! I just wish beginner players at my level would play Nc6 against it. I eventually abandoned the Delayed Wing Gambit, for now, since I was never getting the fun continuations I hoped for. Maybe after a few hundred more Elo...

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Russ! Ya isn't it strange how some chess openings actually work BETTER AGAINST STRONGER players!?? Who wouldv'e thought. I would guess that around 1400-1600+ range is really when this opening starts to become good. (Funny because we usually think of openings working UNTIL a certain point but with this it seems to be the opposite....)

[@prplt]

this is what Gotham recommends too 😂

[@hata6290]

And WTC 😳

[@TheChessGiant]

Oh shoot!

[@MarkW126]

The problem with the Sicilian is that you never get to play the Sicilian anymore. I tested it out for a while. 7% of my games were open or closed Sicilians, and everything else was a sideline or gimmick.

[@TheJJO]

Those are sidelines and gimmicks for a reason... They give up whites opening advantage and give black equality. It's not a bad trade off

[@TheChessGiant]

WOW. That right there is an astounding stat. So many players simply don't want to touch that Main Line!

[@billi9230]

Bro studied the Najdorf and play the Hippo now Rip

[@TheChessGiant]

WHAT HAVE I BECOME.

[@RangerKs0adandchess]

Oh man, this looks like so much fun, but all the experience I have with the Grand Prix Attack... Dilema.

[@scarletovergods]

I've been playing a3 for quite a while now and if black accepts the gambit I have a very fun game and if black plays d6 or g6 I just go for the grand prix attack

[@TheChessGiant]

Love this approach!

[@TheChessGiant]

You can always merge them? See how it goes? Play a3 and if they don't go for a fun Nc6/e6 line then just go into your Grand Prix? Just an idea. But ya... always tough when you got two chess openings that are fun.

[@scarletovergods]

I've been playing a3 for quite a while and if black plays d6 or g6 I just go for the grand prix attack

[@TheChessGiant]

That's a solid way to play it! Magnus Carlsen played a3 and when he saw a quiet move he played Nc3/Bc4/d3 etc - the Grand Prix works well too!

[@Edouard7800]

i have to say while i was playing this line i've faced a lot of b7 sterile position where i had really no plan trying to surprise my opponent in blitz i was the one to think at move 3, i know we have to keep it simple and dont take but it seems so solid for black how are you playing it !?

[@TheChessGiant]

You mean if black plays g6 and just never takes on b4? You said b7 and I'm confused on what you mean by this... thanks!!

[@Edouard7800]

@@TheChessGiant Mb i mean on B4 they just solidify their structure lead by C5 by playing b6* What's your plan for the next moves in this situation?

[@TheChessGiant]

Ya so in this situation white often captures on c5 and then just develops with both rooks trying to get to that b-file. I still have to study this a bit but you bring up a GREAT question. In all honesty b6 is one of the most annoying moves black can play.

[@tobias4411]

The good news is that 3...b6 is only played 8% of the games. But, I totally agree it's annoying when happens so a good line for this could be the following: 1.e4 c5 2.a3 Nc6 3.b4 b6 4.Nf3 e6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb7 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Nd2 Nf6 (...a5 9.b5 Bb7 10.Bb2 Nf6 11.Bd3 d6 12.0-0) 9.Bd3 Be7 10.Bb2 0-0 11.0-0 d6. We unfortunately have no fireworks or tricky traps here available, but an equal, solid position and just continue to play ordinary chess. This is what I can come up with, studying the database of the most played moves for black combining best moves for white according to engine. Good luck!

[@Edouard7800]

@@tobias4411 Yeah at least knowing the plan leading to a equal position is a victory. Thanks for the line dude, I'm more in 1.e4 c5 2.Cc3 and going grand prix attack now but definitely should try this line more often

[@JamesHouzvicka-ur4tc]

How about 2...g6

[@abdelhamidmeriouma8248]

it's my f1st time i fiend you online

[@TheChessGiant]

Welcome to the channel! ALWAYS feel free to send me any chess related questions you may have or any chess opening content/general chess content you'd want to see covered on the channel!

[@JamesHouzvicka-ur4tc]

2....a5 or 2....d5

[@craigebailey5318]

Black could easily meet a4 with a5

[@craigebailey5318]

I meant a3

[@TheChessGiant]

This is very true BUT the square of b5 is now a terrible weakness for black for the rest of the game. So many Sicilian Defense lines rely on an a6-b5 break and this is simply out the window now...

[@TheChessGiant]

This is very true BUT the square of b5 is now a terrible weakness for black for the rest of the game. So many Sicilian Defense lines rely on an a6-b5 break and this is simply out the window now...

[@JamesHouzvicka-ur4tc]

Do not accept 2...nc6

[@JamesHouzvicka-ur4tc]

Don't accept the gambit!😊

[@JamesHouzvicka-ur4tc]

Do not play into white lines!!!!

[@tematennis]

I thought you would suggest the 🦛

[@TheChessGiant]

😂🙏🏽🦛