Sicilian Structures 101 - The Amateur's Mind

In this game analysis we discuss basic strategies both for White and Black in the Sicilian Defence.

[@HarshViewEnt]

Love this style of blunt coaching. I think I'm less likely to forget your tips because of the whiplashy feel to it. Cheers

[@ChessCoachAndras]

That's precisely the idea!

[@cmznuke]

Suddenly my favorite chess channel! Trying to binge on it. Excellent teaching, clear an logical explanations, all backed by so much humour! Paradoxically, my comment doesn't belong here, because who reads it may already be a "believer" of this channel. It should be posted everywhere else and spread the news of its existence. KUDOS!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Glad you found me and also happy that you like the conent!

[@sammydavis5628]

I feel like this would be a little easier to follow if we could see / hear both sides of the conversation. Still fine because you're expressing disbelief very clearly enough for us to understand anyway most of the time.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Thats my planned improvement for the next series

[@jackm4457]

Keep up the great content. Chess on the web is booming right now, most of it due to newbies, but it will soon come to you. Your content is the best for those casual players who want to get serious. After years of lecturing to just a few, you are on the brink of being an "overnight success." lol

[@matthewbell3427]

Love the harsh, blunt feedback. Reminds me of marching and jazz band

[@synesthetically]

"It would be good to have (didn't catch name) here to answer my questions, but he's regretting his life decisions at the moment." hahahaha

[@krummb]

@ChessCoachAndras thanks for the videos! I'm trying to organize the clutter that is my chess thinking and appreciate your to the point style. Donation made to support the channel.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Thanks a lot, appreciate it! Enjoy the channel !

[@onionbaba5769]

Thank you for all your videos sir! I am going to watch all your videos and solely your videos, and update this comment on my improvement. My current rating is 1648. (chat, remind me if I forget)

[@bluefin.64]

Why b3 is correct in response to ...Rc4 is a puzzle. The only thing I can see is it weakens the knight on c3. Stockfish agrees it's best, but doesn't help with understanding.

[@samuelmanni582]

Are you going to create a Black repertoire on Chessable for 1.e4 c5? I would love it!

[@parker_chess]

Plays the open sicilian and proceeds to castle short...i've never understood these people.

[@andrewmayo9400]

there are lots of opens where you do. The kan for example, or the grand prix

[@JanKowalski-je7qf]

@@andrewmayo9400 grand prix is not open sicilian bro, but I agree, sometimes white has to go short and agree on positional game

[@leo-um6yt]

Why do people not understand that you can castle short and still attack on the kingside? Castling short doesn’t “kill your attacking prospects” or “force you to play positionally”

[@wildorca4500]

It's very much in the spirit of the sicilian for white to castle long so I understand the OP comment "always play castle long in the sicilian" lol. In the case of the game, long castles was very much called for. But also true there are lines where white castles short and still attacks on the kingside. Examples: Scheveningen, Classical 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2 a6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. f4 0-0 9. Be3 Qc7 10. g4... Najdorf, Fischer-Sozin Attack 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 Nbd7 8. f4 Nc5 9. Qf3 Be7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Be3 Qc7 12. g4...

[@parker_chess]

@@leo-um6yt You don't castle short against the classical sicilian. You want to use the kingside pawns to swarm the king.

[@argumentative6909]

How does one enter a tournament like this?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

The application form is posted on my twitter

[@tonyaldridge8917]

👍🙏

[@jcwar6753]

FIRST!!!

[@matemilinkovic6352]

are you available for chess lessons?. I am stuck at 1700 - 1900 range and I want to understand chess better and get to 2000 and play in open sections.

[@roberto4898]

Do you sleep?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

eeerm, yea. But how is this a question about this video?

[@roberto4898]

@@ChessCoachAndras because it was published very early lol

[@ChessCoachAndras]

@@roberto4898 I published it 12 Midday....

[@simonhinkel4086]

@@roberto4898 the guy is Australian 😁 in fact i don't sleep, because the notification comes in at 4am and I have to watch instantly 😄

[@roberto4898]

@@simonhinkel4086 aaah ok sorry mister

[@Heroball299]

This is a bit old fashioned. No one really teaches open Sicilian anymore because it's just too time consuming. If you play the London you can realistically work on all aspects of your game, endgames especially. What's the point in getting an opening advantage if you miss the winning tactic or can't convert the ending?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Because people enjoy chess, opposed to playing the same stuff all over again and again... It is like saying what's the point of trying all kinds of different food when eggs on toast has been proven sufficient.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Also when you say "'noone teaches Sicilian anymore" who are you exactly referring to? Coz all coaches I know (and I happen to know a fair few and many of the best) do teach Sicilian.

[@lordofcastamere9376]

What is the fun in chess when you play the same pawn structures every single white game

[@lukastux3024]

This was an entertaining provocation and Andras response didn't disappoint 😅

[@matesomos342]

Just for the record: in the current state of theory, the Rauzer promises white definitely more than the London, because the London is easily equal in many of black's setups, while in the open sicilian black has to be waaay more careful to reach dynamic equality and not get thorn apart.