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Anti-Sicilian with 2.Nc3 d6 (Part 1)
Course
40 episodes
(2 hours 35 min)
(2 hours 35 min)
Creators
GM Avetik Grigoryan
Why play the Anti-Sicilian with 2.Nc3?
Imagine preparing the mainline, starting with 3.d4 Open Sicilian. You’d have to prepare against a minimum of 7 lines like the Najdorf, Dragon, Classical, Scheveningen, etc., each with its separate theory.
At the very least, it would take you a few months to prepare and remember those lines! Also, because the theory is sharp, almost anybody with computer skills can cook up a dangerous line with Black and use it against you.
On the other hand, you could save time by preparing sidelines like 2.d4, 2.f4, 2.d3 but forget about fighting for an opening advantage...
See moreThat’s why our GMs have offered the Closed Sicilian with 2.Nc3. It's easier to prepare compared to the mainline and you still have more than great chances to fight for an opening advantage.
Against 2...d6, which is Black's 2nd most popular reply, the Grand Prix Attack offers great attacking chances.
Below, you can see some of the positions from the video course.
Many of our students have had excellent results in this line, often crushing stronger players in the opening itself!
Also, our GMs have tested these lines with engines, and the repertoire will serve you well even against titled players.
Let’s jump in!
Additional Resources: This is the 1st Part of the Anti-Sicilian series, Black’s 2…d6 move. Once you finish it, please watch the 2nd Part, which covers 2.Nc3 Nc6.
What you'll learn
- A step-by-step guide to playing the Grand Prix Attack after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4!, covering the important variations, sidelines and improvements.
- The key ideas behind the Grand Prix Attack setup.
- How Black can get crushed within the first 25 moves if they don’t know the right way to continue.
- Model games to help you understand this line better.
- How to carry out a swift attack, right from building it with maneuvers to finishing off the game with sacrifices!
Course Content
-
40
Episodes -
1
Attachments -
2 hours 35 min
4.9
Students give this course an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Beth Butler
PURVANSH SHAH
k
Massimo Cucca
Very useful course, but i feel like it's too optimistic. Among other issues i think Bg4 is an annoying move against Grand Prix setup and it should be covered more in both Sicilian and Pirc.
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
But its deeply covered, no?
Massimo Cucca
Honestly i was a bit confused and after watching the course again i saw that it's very well covered in the Sicilian course.
In the Pirc it's not covered, in theory it's not a good move, but it's not easy for white to play against it. I wrote about that in the forum.
Ishaan Ballal
Excellent course!! Any model games section for this like white & black mood model games?
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Thanks!
You can check out the RocknRolling section.
Ishaan Ballal
What is RocknRolling section?
Pratham Verma
yey
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Ole, ole!!
Vibhav Bondalapati
Really liked it, works amazing in the games I play online, would love to try it in Uscf tournaments!
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Super!
Fruzsina Szente-Varga
Recently I have decided that I would change my Open Sicilian to this as I was playing the same thing more than 7 years and it was easy to prepare against me. I tried this out both online and offline, and needless to say, I got very playable and comfortable positions with good results :)
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Thanks a lot, dear friend!
I'm very happy!!!
Pi cu
I stopped playing 1.e4 because I just could not get a playable position against sicilian with Bg2 Grand Prix or Morra. While 1.d4 is also really fun and interesting, I wanted to give e4 another try. After watching most of the 5 Anti Sicilians, I am not afraid to face it in games anymore, and me, Mr. endgame, attacks the king now. Thank you for the course!
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Nice!! :)
Ravi Kumar
i deducted 1star because it is a very big course
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Ahaha :) :) :)
Some people reduce because its a small course, and they want 20 hours course, and some people reduce because it is small.
Please, someone, kill me :)
Sahasra Vijay
How do I do puzzles and take the test?
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Here it is.
https://prnt.sc/CWYIVbojUGXo
Should we fire our designer? :)
Priyanshu Patle
good
GM_Avetik Grigoryan
Just good?
Hehe :)
Thanks!
Eprem Ohanyan
!!
Llorenç Boldú Zabih
Very well presented. I am an Open Sicilian player but I decided after watching this, to give the Grand Prix a try. But the Bg2 fianchetto is not my cup of tea so I will go Bc4, although I read recently a survey in Chessbase that says you have to play Bb5+ before retreating to Bc4.
ChessMood
That's a "dangerous" read
Llorenç Boldú Zabih
Yes, really he didn't sell me the idea so from when I was a kid, Grand Prix was with Bc4 the same than the Sicilian with 2...e6 was the Paulsen and now they call it Kan or Taimanov. And chesscom, the Rossolimo they call it Canal attack. Well, when I was a kid, all of you, I mean the CM staff, hadn't born still but things have changed a lot on chess, including the name of the things.
Pietro Ballabio
Simply Incredible
ChessMood
Thank you!
Yash Ambica
.
Yash Ambica
Nice!
Doge Jam
Yash Ambica
!!!!! Mind blowing
ChessMood
Which part? :)
Bakhshi Nagdalyan
!!!
ChessMood
!? :)
Alex Sahakyan
Jason chen
Great Course. I have one question in Section1 8....e6 line. After White played Be3. Can Black play d5 instead of b6? We probably end with R vs B+2P or B vs 2P middlegame. How can I judge the position. As opponent will have pair bishop. Thanks for answering in advance
ChessMood
Questions in the forum please :)
Thanks!
siddharth sarma
Aida Alvanjyan
Vishnu Warrier
In the last advanced section video 8...e6 at minute 1:00 in the video where Black has just played 10...dxe5, in the main video course you did cover this move earlier where you recommended 11. Bxc5 by White. However in the advanced video course you give the line 11. fxe5 by White, which is why you recommended the change to 10. Bb5 to avoid this. Is the 11. Bxc5 move instead playable?
ChessMood
Questions in the forum please!
But in 1 word - yeah, Bb5 is better!
Satish Nair
Great course. Have been looking for something like this for ever!!!!
ChessMood
Thanks!
Suren Ghazaryan
Sidharth Sreekumar
Great Course!
ChessMood
Thanks!
Christian Eriksson
WIM_Siranush Ghukasyan
skipper chess
Love it!
ChessMood
Thanks!
Md Bashiq Imrose
Kevin Mac
Avetik is very talented at making complex concepts very understandable.
ChessMood
I feel good! :)
More comments like this, please! :)
Thanks!
Giorgos Kechagias
Ovi - Silver Cloud
Thank you for a terrific course Avetik!
ChessMood
Thanks, Ovi, our friend!
Vahe Suqiasyan
David Hakhinyan
Erik-Hakobyan ErikHakobyan
Avetik Grigoryan
Great!
GM Avetik Grigoryan
After having a successful playing career where he became the Armenian Champion in 2010, GM Avetik Grigoryan found his passion for chess coaching and switched to it full-time.
Since then, he has guided many ambitious players to become Grandmasters and International Masters and has over 10 years of coaching experience.
He believes anyone can improve at chess, with the right mood and proper direction. And with that vision, he founded ChessMood in 2018.
After having a successful playing career where he became the Armenian Champion in 2010, GM Avetik Grigoryan found his passion for chess coaching and switched to it full-time.
Since then, he has guided many ambitious players to become Grandmasters and International Masters and has over 10 years of coaching experience.
He believes anyone can improve at chess, with the right mood and proper direction. And with that vision, he founded ChessMood in 2018.
The Anti-Sicilian with 2.Nc3 is a respectable alternative to the Sicilian Defense. You need to prepare far less here than the mainline while still having excellent chances to fight for an advantage.
In Part 1 of the Anti-Sicilian course, we cover the line that arises after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6. White has many respectable options here with 3.g3, 3.f4, 3.Bb5+.
We recommend playing the Grand Prix Attack with 3.f4! which leads to some aggressive opening positions.
History of the Sicilian Grand Prix Attack
The opening was employed by GM Hebden Hodgson and FM Rumens in the English Grand Prix tournaments with great results. That’s where the name ‘Grand Prix’ comes from.
However, the first game in the opening, with the move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4, was played between Soviet players Vasily Panov - Vitaly Chekhover in Moscow, 1936.
White’s idea in the Sicilian Grand Prix Attack
White wants to complete their kingside development and launch a swift attack on the Black king.
White follows up with Nf3, Bc4(or Bb5), 0-0 and d3. Later, they can launch a kingside attack with Qe1-Qh4 and open up their c1-bishop with f5.
Black can get into a difficult position if they don’t know the theory. Even if Black plays the best moves, the resulting position is full of fight with chances for both sides.
Is the Grand Prix Attack sound?
The GrandPrix Attack is a sound and aggressive opening that has been employed by top players like Vishwanathan Anand, Nigel Short and Gwain Jones. It’s a good alternative to use against the Sicilian Defense.
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Course
40
Episodes
1
Attachments
2 hours 35 min
40
1
2 hours 35 min
Creators
GM Avetik Grigoryan
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