

This 60-minute course with International Master Andrew Martin is dedicated to one of the most practical anti-Sicilian weapons around: 2.b3
The appeal is simple. With one quiet move, you take your opponent straight out of mainline Sicilian theory and into a position where you understand the plans and they're left to fend for themselves. It's an ideal addition to any club player's repertoire and sharp enough that even titled players bring it out at the right moment. What makes 2.b3 so attractive is that it's aggressive and positional at the same time. You fianchetto your bishop to b2 and aim it down the long diagonal, then look to open the position with a well-timed f4 and generate attacking chances on the kingside . And it's genuinely easy to understand: there's no maze of forcing lines to memorize, just a clear, repeatable development plan.
Free video sample here
1.e4 c5 are the moves which define the Sicilian Defence. Black fights for the d4-square, but unlike with the double move of the black e-pawn the symmetry is immediately destroyed and Black is indicating that he is not simply aiming to achieve equality. Then things can continue in quite different directions. 2.Nf3 followed by 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 leads to the Open Sicilian. But before that, Black has the option of laying down the direction in which the opening will go, according to whether he plays 2...d6, 2...e6 or 2...Nc6. But nowadays systems in which White does without an early d4 are also very popular.
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