A Gambit Classic Reissue:
A new approach to understanding the chess openingsThe c3 Sicilian is one of White's most popular and poisonous ways to avoid the main lines of the Sicilian. With the forcing line 1 e4 c5 2 c3, White denies his opponent the chance to demonstrate his preparation in some chaotic system; instead Black will have to fight carefully for equality in a more rational position of White's choosing. There are plenty of tricks and traps in the c3 Sicilian, and the open piece-play that often results can lead to quick attacks and means that careless play will rarely go unpunished.
Chess Explained is a new series of books about chess openings. They are not theoretical works in the traditional sense, but more a series of lessons from a chess expert with extensive over-the-board experience with an opening. You will gain an understanding of the opening and the middlegames to which it leads, enabling you to find the right moves and plans in your own games. It is as if you were sitting at the board with a chess coach answering your questions about the plans for both sides, the ideas behind particular moves, and what specific knowledge you need to have.
- 25 recent and highly instructive games discussed in detail
- Chapter introductions and conclusions emphasize the key points
- Full indexes of games and variations
- Extensive verbal explanations of plans and manoeuvres
Sam Collins is a young International Master from Ireland who won the Irish Championship in 2002. He competed in several World and European junior championships and has represented Ireland in four Olympiads, winning a gold medal at Bled in 2002. He is also an experienced chess teacher who has lectured at the Berkeley Chess School in California. His previous book for Gambit was the highly successful general opening work
Understanding the Chess Openings.
"the format is well suited to the average club player who wishes to start using this variation." - David Mills,
Time Trouble"With all the different types of positions resulting from this opening, it is not only instructive from White's perspective, but also for anyone playing the black side against this opening and looking for a line to suit their style. Overall a very nice work; I even saw a few new ideas I had not seen before. I must recommend this book to any aspiring student of the c3 Sicilian." - Andy May, nsgchess
"[Collins's] honesty is wonderfully refreshing, because most opening books are written with some bias, and while Collins may favor White's chances slightly more than Black's, he generally 'calls 'em as he sees them'. In addition, I found his game commentary to be very instructive, insightful and even enjoyable. There is a fair share of variations in the annotations to the main games, but there is far more prose, and you can actually read the book without using a chess board and still learn plenty in the process. The games are well-chosen and the text is well-written, so it is rather easy to recommend this book to a wide audience, whether you play the c3-Sicilian or not. Of course, those who play this opening as White or face it as Black should buy this book without hesitation." - Carsten Hansen, ChessCafe
"he is objective in demonstrating many of Black's best resources in little-investigated lines. ... this book is a nice guide for players looking to start learning the c3 Sicilian or for those who want to see which variations are now topical and to develop their repertoires around current theory." - Lou Mercuri,
Chess Horizons
