Learn 3 Main Ways To Improve Your Chess Results Significantly
FREE Masterclass ►
Take Your Chess Skills To The Next Level With High-Quality Courses
Learn here ►
💰💲 Join the RCA Affiliate Program, promote our courses, and get 50% commission –
🔹 Learn more about the Sicilian Alapin –
♛ Find the variations shown in the video in this blog-post –
Are you looking for the best way to counter the Sicilian Defense? Get ready to gain a significant advantage over your opponents and checkmate Black in the Sicilian Defense in just ten moves!
GM Igor Smirnov has employed this strategy for years, even against masters, and it has proven to be highly effective. In this video lesson, he will introduce you to the Alapin Variation and show you how it can give you the upper hand right from the start.
The Sicilian Defense typically starts with 1.e4 c5, and the Alapin Variation begins with 2.c3. This move is straightforward and avoids the complexities of mainline Sicilian theory. Plus, it often catches amateurs off guard.
▬▬▬▬▬▬
► Chapters
00:00 Crush the Sicilian Defense with the Alapin Variation
00:52 Main variation, 2…Nf6
03:09 TRAP: White checkmates in 10 moves
06:31 If Black plays 5…e6 instead of dxe4
07:24 Must-know tactical pattern
08:53 If Black plays 4…e6 instead of d5
10:15 Restrict Black’s development completely
12:27 Quiz: Can you find the best move?
📗 Free chess courses –
#GMSmirnov #SicilianDefense #ChessTraps #OpeningTraps #SicilianDefence #ChessOpenings
FIRST COMMENT
First
I've been waiting for this thank you so much Igor!!! ❤
Could you do a part 2 where black plays d5 or Kf6?
Everyone above 1200 goes for d5 or Nf6
12:40 Nd3+ then Kd1 Nxf4 Black is up a piece
12:45 Queen to B4, check and threatening the bishop perhaps? Haven’t played chess actively in over 8 years so could be completely off the mark here but that feels like the best one.
► Chapters
00:00 Crush the Sicilian Defense with the Alapin Variation
00:52 Main variation, 2…Nf6
03:09 TRAP: White checkmates in 10 moves
06:31 If Black plays 5…e6 instead of dxe4
07:24 Must-know tactical pattern
08:53 If Black plays 4…e6 instead of d5
10:15 Restrict Black's development completely
12:27 Quiz: Can you find the best move?
Qb4+. If white covers with Bd2 then Qxb2 attacking the rook and knight. If covers with Qd2 then Nd3+ forcing the king to move and threatening the bishop. If covers with Nd2/Nc3 then Qxf4.
4:13 If I had a nickel for every trap I know that involves a smothered mate with a pinned e pawn then I would have 3 nickels which is not much but it is weird that it happened thrice.
You explain well 😊 thanks for the good work
I'll play this variation for weeks, like I always did before
I'll play this variation for weeks, like I always did before
I'll play this variation for weeks, like I always did before
I'll play this variation for weeks, like I always did before
9:40: why is that pawn so annoying for black? Cant black just play Nf5… perhaps first play Qa5+ and if white play Bd2, Qe5, if white blocks with queen, black could just exhange queens and the play Nf5. That pawn is gone fall. Perhaps the black d pawn isent great, but its a pawn up for black?!
❤
Also playing he alapin without expecting black to play 2.d5 is a little bit of hope chess no? I play sicilian. I always play d5, perhaps I didnt do that in the start when I didnt know the alapin too well. Players who play alapin against me at the club tend to get in trouble😊. Because I deveate from the main line in a way the better players dont understand to well. At least the white player playing the alapin should expect 2.d5
Hello, I played this veriation…multiple times and sometimes I win o cople of games
Nd3 ++ Kd2/Kd3 Qxe2+ B/Kxe2 Nxf4 — Black wins a Bishop for free
Nice pun at 3:04 lol
11:22 what should one play here as white if black responds with Bg4, counterattacking the queen?
12:48 Nd3+
You've got to play some live games for us. I think we all want to see that
I'm 1700… And people don't fall for this anymore😢😢😢
Thanks a lot for your vedio dear grand master❤❤
You are best teacher of chess🎉🎉🎉
12:47 is the most important part of this video.
Memorizing openings will never get you anywhere. Learn ways of thinking and solid principles.
That and improving your board vision are all that are going to matter.
What about 2….d5 instead of 2…Kc6?
Proud Smirnov nation member here, I used to use this opening but about 6 months ago I switched to Smith Morra Gambit vs Sicilian. I am about 1500-1700 blitz. Thoughts on which is better? Is one better as I move high in rating? Thanks as always.
i think that this variation wont work against someone that knows good theory against the alapin (e4 c5 c3 d5) and black can get a good game instead of doing the akward Nc6 which can make bad variations for white
Old Sicilian, I use the Smirnov Gambit! Modern and French Sicilian, I use the Delayed Alapin! I've just had better games with the delayed Alapin, plus the first few moves can be used for the Modern Defense.
The puzzle: Kd3 check to the king, the queen is pinned cannot grab the knight so king has to move, then you win a bishop. You can trade queens first if you please
Great video and ideas. Slightly different to my usual Alapin opening. Thanks 👍
thanks, nice
black – q to d4. check then take bishop
sorry q to b4
Alapin is a good and solid opening but…don't "destroy" or "crush" the sicilian.
500 Black Knight D3 check/attack the Bishop
Nd3+. Then bye bye bishop on the next move, also white has to move king because of the knight check which takes away his right to castle
This is what i think for the quiz in finding the best move 😅 :
Two options, first one:
1. Bf4 (Move already done in vid) 1. Nd3+
2. Kd1 2.Nxf2+ (Fork)
3.Ke1 (Best option) 3.Nxh1 (Black is up in the game)
Second option:
1.Bf4 1.Qb4+
White blocks with Bishop because if they block with knight with Nd2 queen can take bishop on f4. Also if white blocks with Queen on d2 (Possible queen exchange) black can decline it and go Qe4+ forcing white to block it again with queen because if white moves King away they won't be able to castle. Once Queen blocks check with Qe2, Black can capture Bishop with Qxf4.
So, best option is to block the earlier check with Bishop as not to lose it:
2.Bd2 2.Qxb2
White's rook is trapped and the White's Queen can't take knight (Even though it is pinned to the King) as the Black's Queen is guarding it.
If white plays:
3.Bf4
Black should still take Rook.
3.Qxa1
Then white is behind even if they take knight with Bishop. If they take with Queen black can do queen exchange.
This is my analysis 🙂
Please point out if there are any mistakes or blunders
Awesome video Igor!
Solution to Puzzle:
Bf4 doesn't work because of Nd3+.
The queen cannot take the knight because your queen pins it to the King, so that just wins black a free bishop
Nice video
@GMIgorSmirnov At 7:35 with the Greek Gift you say "the King has to come forward" but what if the King moves to the corner instead of taking the bishop?
Thanks, Igor. I was a used by your 'horsing around with his knight.' How to you respond to the comment that people don't fall for this anymore? Michael
Should be 'amused' not 'used'😊
I'm really frustrated of how to beat alapin from black. I want to crush this and grand prix. I hate them
Pls tell how to crush them hard
Talking 90 miles per hour is a big waste of time
@12:40 … Nd3+
Knight d3
…Nd3+ wins the bishop as the white queen is pinned