Descripción

Seizing the Initiative: The 1.e4 Repertoire Volume 1The Sicilian presents a complete 1.e4 repertoire for White built on active, purposeful chess.

The emphasis is on high-reward lines that create pressure, generate attacking chances and force Black onto the defensive, without compromising soundness at a serious level of play.

Combining ambition with sound judgement, GM Gawain Maroroa Jones offers a thorough revamping of his acclaimed Coffeehouse Repertoire.

Seizing the Initiative: The 1.e4 Repertoire

This first volume focuses exclusively on meeting the Sicilian Defence with a cohesive, practically dangerous and theoretically trustworthy set of weapons.

Volumes 2 and 3 will complete the repertoire.

The Sicilian

Seizing the Initiative – The 1.e4 Repertoire consists of three volumes. This one focuses solely on the Sicilian Defence, reached after 1.e4 c5.

We’ll immediately take Black out of their comfort zone by playing 2.¤c3. This move is annoyingly flexible. We don’t yet commit our kingside knight,

so we keep the option open to later transpose back into an Open Sicilian. Therefore Black has to make sure they don’t get move-ordered.

Najdorf aficionados tend to choose 2…d6. We’ll then follow Magnus Carlsen with the unusual 3.d4!?.

Seizing the Initiative: The 1.e4 Repertoire

This has seen a bit of action at the top level, but is still likely to surprise our opponents. 2…¤c6 is Black’s main defence. My primary recommendation is 3.¥b5,

but I also offer a little bonus chapter with 3.¤ge2 at the end. The latter works well if you know your opponent only plays the Najdorf Variation. 2…e6 is Black’s other main try.

We’ll stay flexible with 3.¤f3, continuing to keep our opponent guessing. On every move they have to be ready for an Open Sicilian transposition with d2-d4.

Gawain Maroroa Jones

Depending on Black’s set-up, we’ll either develop our bishop to b5 or fianchetto it on g2. With the latter we may transpose to an Open Sicilian,

but by delaying d2-d4 we cut out Black’s most challenging responses.

Gawain Maroroa Jones is an English grandmaster, three-time British Champion and winner of the 2020 European Blitz Championship.

He has defeated some of the world’s best players using the ideas recommended in this book.

Sample Pages