CHESS EXPLAINED: TAIMANOV SICILIAN
Author: James Rizzitano
111 pages
$18.95
Gambit (2006)
www.gambitbooks.com

Reviewed by IM John Donaldson
 
The third volume in Gambit's CHESS EXPLAINED series happens to be Boston IM James Rizzitano's third book as well. CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV follows on the heels of Rizzitano's self-improvement book featuring his own games and repertoire guide advocating the Queen's Gambit Accepted as the answer to 1.d4. Once again he has a winner.
 
The Taimanov, introduced by the opening moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 or 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6, is one of the most flexible variations in the Sicilian. Never as popular or heavily analyzed as the Najdorf, Sveshnikov or Dragon variations, the Taimanov is nonetheless considered quite sound and reliable. Until recently the only comprehensive book on it was by FM Graham Burgess, published by Gambit in 2000. This situation changed this year with the publication of THE SAFEST SICILIAN by GM Alexander Delchev and IM Semko Semkov (Chess Stars publishing) and CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN. The Delchev book appeared at the beginning of the year so Rizzitano was able to take a critical look at its evaluations when making his conclusion. I will be comparing the two books throughout this review.
 
The 25 model games chosen by Rizzitano to illustrate the present state of the Taimanov are divided into 6 chapters:
 
Chapter 1: Probing Bishop and Maroczy Bind Variations: 5.Nb5
Chapter 2: Taimanov Introduction 5.Nc3 a6
Chapter 3: White's Sixth-Move Alternatives: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2
Chapter 4: Flexible Variation: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2
Chapter 5: Sharp Variation: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3
Chapter 6: Paulsen Main Line: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2
 
The differences between Rizzitano's book, which is an overview of the entire Taimanov, and Delchev's which advocates a specific repertoire, immediately become apparent in the first chapter. Rizzitano gives four games, two each for 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 and 6.c4. One of the two games against 6.c4 features Kasparov's ...d5 gambit. This isn't examined by Delchev who prefers the main lines where Black heads for a Hedgehog.
 
Chapter two offers as large of a difference as possible. There are two ways to reach the main Taimanov positions: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 and 5.Nc3 a6. The lines often transpose but there can be early differences -- principally the former allows 6.Nb5 and the latter 6.Nxc6. Delchev/Semkov advocate the move order 5...Qc7 exclusively so you will find nothing on the sequence 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 in THE SAFEST SICILIAN. That's not the case with CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN which allocates four of its 25 games (the magic number for the CHESS EXPLAINED series) to dealing with 6.Nxc6 and alternative Taimanov development schemes like ...Nge7. Rizzitano also points out that one of Black's most promising ways of meeting the English Attack -- namely 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 Bb4 8.f3 d5 9.0-0-0 Qa5!, takes advantage of not having developed the Queen early. Clearly there are tradeoffs between 5...Qc7 and 5...a6, and Rizzitano addresses them.
 
Chapter three covers 6.f4 a6 7.Nxc6, 6.g3 and most importantly 6.Ndb5. Delchev advocates a system where delays the development of his King Knight against 6.g3 (6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 d6 8.0-0 Bd7 9.Re1 Be7) which is touched on lightly by Rizzitano who primarily focuses on 7...Nf6 8.0-0 Bc5. One of the most important questions both books must deal with is what to do against Ponomariov's highly forcing line 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Ndb5 Qb8 7.Be3 a6 8.Bb6 axb5 9.Nxb5 Bb4+ 10.c3 Ba5 11.Nc7+ Qxc7 12.Bxc7 Bxc7 13.Qg4. In this critical position in Rizzitano's model game Black plays 13...g6. The alternative 13...Kf8?! is dismissed but a debate begins about the merits of Semko Semkov's suggestion of 13...Be5!? Delchev/Semkov write "This idea of S. Semkov casts a shadow of doubt on the whole White setup." Rizzitano isn't so sure. The line continues 14.f4 Nf6 15.Qf3 Bc7 16.e5 Nd5 17.Bc4 Nce7 18.Bd3!? (D/S give 18.Bb3 0-0 19.0-0 b5 20.Bc2 Bb7 with compensation for the material) 18...0-0 19.0-0 Ng6 20.g3 d6 21.c4 Nde7 22.exd6 Bxd6 23.Be4 with a slight edge for White. Certainly 18.Bd3, preventing ...b5 anchoring the Knight on d5, makes more sense than 18.Bb3. This evaluation is critical for the assessment of this line. Should Black be found wanting here it would be necessary to play 5...a6 or after 5...Qc7 6.Nb5 Qb8 7.Be3 try 7...Nf6 in place of 7...a6. Rizzitano uses game 10 to point out that Black may wish to transpose into a line of the Scheveningen after 8.f4 d6 9.Qf3 Be7 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Nd4 Qc7, albeit with each side having played two extra moves. He considers this variation playable for Black.
 
Chapter four deals with lines where White develops with 6.Be2 but does not follow up with Be3. These sharper lines can be found in Chapter five, one of the most important in the book. Systems where White develops with Be3 in conjunction with Bd3 are well-known to be among the sharpest in the Taimanov but more recently two other potentially aggressive setups, 5...a6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f4!? and 7.Be2 Nf6 8.a3!? were given separate chapters in DANGEROUS WEAPONS: THE SICILIAN by GM Jonathan Emms, who plays the Taimanov as Black. Naturally I was curious to see if Rizzitano and Delchev'Semkov, who didn't have access to this book when writing theirs, addressed them, keeping in mind they are rare sidelines up to now.
 
First CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN. I couldn't find the first line in Chapter 2 and game 10 in Chapter 3, which might possibly transpose, doesn't cover Scheveningen lines where White castles long. Delchev/Semkov avoid this move order question with their sequence 5...Qc7 6.Be3 a6 which leads to Emms' second line.
 
The variation 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2 Nf6 8.a3!? doesn't strike fear into Black -- certainly not at first glance. One of the motivations behind the move, to avoid variations with ...Bb4 (8.0-0 Bb4) is readily apparent, but isn't this the sort of slow move that Black loves to see? Emms points out there are some peculiarities. For example 8...b5 is met by 9.Nxc6! dxc6 10.f4 or 8...d6 9.g4! (exclamation marks are Emms). I couldn't find this variation in either Rizzitano's or Delchev's books.
 
The final Chapter, number six, covers the big main lines after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.0-0 Bb4 and 7...b5. Only the former is examined by Delchev/Semkov. They focus exclusively on 9.Na4 Be7, and in great depth. Rizzitano looks at both 9...Bd6, 9...0-0 and lesser moves as well.
 
Which book should a Taimanov player buy? The answer depends to some extent on what you want as both are excellent. The Delchev/Semkov volume will appeal to those who want a set repertoire. They cover White's various tries step by step and throw in lines against third move alternatives to the Open Sicilian (3.c3, 3.c4, 3.d3, 3.b3) as well. Keep in mind in many situations there is no fallback position -- i.e. if Semkov's suggestion of 13...Be5 in the Ponomariov variation falls short you will need to do your own home repair. CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN is not as detailed but offers a broader picture. If you are considering alternative Taimanov development schemes like ...Nge7 or lines with ...b5 in place of ...Bb4 Rizzitano's book is the better choice.
 
THE SAFEST SICILIAN is 214 pages and CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN is 111, but it's also necessary to factor in that the former is 8 1/2 by 6 and the latter 10 by 7. Price wise it is $24 for THE SAFEST SICILIAN and $20 for CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN. Experienced practitioners of the Taimanov will want both books and consider it money well spent.

Click if you want buy (or get more information about) CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN

Click if you want buy (or get more information about) THE SAFEST SICILIAN by Delchev and Semkov, $27.95.

Click if you want buy (or get more information about) TAIMANOV SICILIAN by Burgess, $24.95