Twenty-five years ago I realized that I was lazy, so instead of memorizing all sorts of main line Sicilians (yes, I actually opened with 1.e4) I began to specialize in 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. In those days, 3.Bb5 was rather rare, and that made this system all the more effective since most players didn't really study proper replies against it.

Now things have changed, though, and 3.Bb5 in reply to 2...Nc6 and 2...d6 has become extremely common thanks to its adoption by Fischer, Kasparov, Timman, Morozevich, Adams, Kramnik, Korchnoi, Smyslov, and dozens of other grandmasters. The other reason for it's abundant use is the fact that it's easy to learn, its plans are clear and to the point, and it has more than a little sting.

The book starts out in a "play it for White" kind of mood: the back blurb talks about Bb5 being a good weapon for White and the introduction offers up a few plans and then tosses some "inspirational games" our way--I guess as a sort of "learn the basic moves and then run with it" kind of cheer. However, the author, IM Pedersen, deviates from a "White to play and win" sort of mentality in the very first chapter by saying (after 2...Nc6 3.Bb5 g6): "3...g6 remains the most popular defense against the Rossolimo, and it is also the defense I am advocating for Black." Thus a certain balance is promised, and this makes the book more valuable since now players studying the line for both White and Black will have something to gain from its purchase.

Each chapter starts out by giving the reader some of the basic ideas (other "Easy Guide" books in this series follow the same format), then the details of the theory are examined. The latest games are studied, the layout is clear and easy to follow, and all the important variations are discussed. In this age of database dumps this isn't hard to achieve, but Pedersen does a solid job of weeding out the extraneous material and assessing all the lines. In fact, when you realize that the last important work on this opening was published way back in 1984 (The Anti-Sicilian: 3.Bb5 by Razuvayev and Matsukevitch. Published by Batsford. Translated by ...dare I say it?...Schiller), this new book is virtually a must buy for anyone who plays 3.Bb5 as White or the Sicilian with 2...d6 or 2...Nc6 as Black.

Before finishing up, I should add a bit of mystery (though in the end it's not a mystery at all, just another nail in my memory's coffin!) to this equation. During a recent visit to Las Vegas, I sat down with my friend John Watson and we went through some of the book's lines to see if anything was missing or incomplete. One variation in particular got our attention: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.c3 0-0 7.h3 e5 8.d4. Now I said, mentally armed with my vintage 1970's-1980's analysis, "This is nothing for White. Black plays 8...exd4 and..." Watson stopped me since this move wasn't mentioned in the book! According to Pedersen, the main line is 8...cxd4 9.cxd4 exd4 10.e5 Nd5 (10...Ne8!?) 11.Bg5 Qc7 and Black eventually manages to equalize.

"Well," said John, "8...cxd4 and 8...exd4 both transpose to the same thing."

Amazed and somewhat confused, I had to disagree. "No, I always thought the main line was 8...exd4 9.cxd4 d5 when 10.e5 Ne4 is fine for Black."

This really wasn't in the book, even though I dimly recalled that Forintos played one side or the other of this game. I had my source clearly in mind: an old book by Gipslis, and I looked through it as soon as I returned home to Los Angeles. Naturally, there was no sign of this game. Then I looked through all my other books--still no sign. Next came a database search for the specific line and also for all Forintos games. Coming up blank again, depression set in.

It was only when I sat down to write this review (two months later!) that my memory suddenly kick-started itself back into semi-awareness: The line I was really remembering occurs after 7...a6 8.Bf1 (8.Bxc6 is better) 8...e5 9.d4 exd4 10.cxd4 d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.dxc5 Be6, =. And the players? Ljubojevic-Janosevic, Vrnjacka Banja 1971 (how I replaced Janosevic with Forintos is beyond me!). Of course, the Pedersen book fails to mention this game, but it's no longer really relevant since Black can do better with 10...cxd4, transposing into a superior version of the modern main line. Good grief--no wonder I no longer play in tournaments!

Suddenly I'm hit by one final thought (the torment never stops!): since 7...e5 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 cxd4 barely equalizes for Black, perhaps my accidental 9...d5 10.e5 Ne4 should be given a serious look (chalk up another TN for JS--senile warrior)! White's best seems to be 11.dxc5 (hoping for 11...Nxc5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Qc2 when 13...Qa5 runs into 14.b4!, 13...Qe7 dies to 14.Bg5, and 13...Qb6 loses prosaically to 14.Be3) and now 11...Qa5 doesn't seem half bad for the second player: 12.Bd3 Nxc5 or 12.Bf1 Be6 are both fine, while 12.Bxc6 (I suppose 12.Qxd5!? Bf5 also needs to be explored) 12...bxc6 13.Be3 (or 13.Qd4 Qxc5 14.Rxe4 Qxc1+ with an interesting position) 13...Nxc5 14.Qc2 Ne4 15.Qxc6 Be6 gives Black real compensation for the sacrificed pawn.

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