Back when I was in high school (1975) I played 2.c3 versus the Sicilian to sidestep having to learn the Open Variations. It seemed too much work to a Class A player (1900) to have to know what to do against the Najdorf, Dragon, Taimanov, etc. I could never have imagined at the time that the day might arrive where whole books would be written about the Alapin (2.c3) Sicilian. The latest offering on the subject by Gambit Publications shows just how far things have progressed.

PLAY THE 2.c3 SICILIAN (you can also see Silman’s review of this same book HERE) is one-stop shopping for those looking for a line against the Sicilian and a good example of how quickly theory is developing in this variation. Only three years ago Joe Gallagher published a very good book on the same subject (click HERE to see Watson’s review on that book), but things have changed substantially in the 2…d5 lines with …Bg4 and in the 2…Nf6 gambit lines with Na3. Reading Gallagher’s book, one couldn’t help but be struck by the fact that White was struggling in several key lines. That is not the case at present, due in part to the efforts of co-author Rozentalis who is one of the world’s leading practitioners of 2.c3.

Having switched away from 1.e4 many years ago, I was curious to see what Rozentalis and Harley had to offer against some of the systems I have employed against 2.c3. Theory has held that one of the better choices for Black against the Alapin is 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6. The idea behind this flexible system is that systems with an early Na3 are rendered harmless by …Bg4, that 6.Be2 can be met by …cxd4 when the Bishop is not optimally placed in the resulting IQP position and where the sneaky 6.Be3 (intending to induce …cxd4 and then post the White squared Bishop at d3 or c4) can be answered by 6…e5. The authors consider the critical line to be 6.dxc5 Qxd1+ (6…Qxc5 gives White an advantage with natural moves) 7.Kxd1 e5 8.b4 Bf5 9.Be3 (to free c1 for the King) 9…Nd5 10.Kc1 a5 and examine it at length with the conclusion that White is slightly better.

One line that gets short shrift in most 2.c3 books is 2…g6. Gallagheer gives it only half a page, but here it gets six pages with both 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 5.exd5 and 5.e5 both getting proper coverage. The authors acknowledge that this is underrated line and point out that 5.e5 is probably the best try for White but does not lead to positions that are typical of 2.c3. The influence of co-author Harley is felt by pointing out various transpositional options to head into the Smith-Morra Gambit.

While both authors play 2.c3 regularly, this book is objectively written. In the section under 2.c3 e6, they acknowledge (as does head 2.c3 priest Sveshnikov) that White’s best try for an advantage may well be to steer into an Advance French via 3.d4 d5 4.e5. If Black knows how to play this line and is happy with an improved version of the 3…c5 Tarrasch (White has committed to c3 early allowing …Bb6 in many lines), this is Black’s simplest bet to reach a playable middlegame.

If you play 2.c3 versus the Sicilian you must have this book.

YOU CAN FIND THIS BOOK AT