Granprix Attack

Hi, I am a fond player of the Sicilian dragon. Sometimes at tournaments I come across the Grand prix attack. I would like to know how to respond better towards the attack... while maintaining the opening strategies for sicilian modern or accelerated dragon -specifically against granprix attack. thank you

P.S. These games are from rated tournament games I have participated in.

Add me on Skype, I'll show for free (:

First off Nc6 is a more flexible move order, retaining the option of d6-d5. There is nothing wrong with d6 but it is more important to develop and get play started in the center and queenside before he starts his kingside hack attack with f5, Be3, Qe1-h4 etc. Qc7 is not necesarry in most cases unless white is threatening e5. 

It's a tough line to play against but good moves and strong tactics will win the day. 

2...Nc6 also might enter a Dragon via 3. Nf3 g6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Bg7 6 Be3.
If they play 3. f4 you can simply play g6-Bg7 and have a nice bind on d4. 

I have won against a strong players with this opening, even OTB. Meaning 2200+. So you can't refute it. However, 2. f4 is bad for white as black has instantly 2.. d5!

I find the Grandprix an underrated opening. The plans White has are easy and potentially dangerous and Black has to know what s/he's doing. It was one of the reasons I reply with 2...Nc6 to 2 Nc3 instead of 2...d6.

2.. Nc6 I am comfortable against. I believe 2.. e6 is the best defence

So can you guys provide me games or outlines of playing against grandprix? As well as possible outcomes/variations that lead up to a grandprix opening

e5 is a bad move, no need to prevent it

If you're going to play a king-side bishop fiancetto what you should do is station a knight on e7 (playing e6).

Recommended video here from IM Andrew Martin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFuErC9DFSs

 This was an excellent game displaying the pressure that G.A gives on Black.

another game

d6 is bad against the Grand Prix, you won't get your dragon system working against it. Now start finding new lines. But Newengland misunderstood what grand prix is, he showed a line of closed scicillian, not grand prix.

skotheim2,

Grand Prix attack is a closed Sicilian variant which goes 1. e4 c5 2. f4. The rest of the lines is just simply variations. But I do agree d6 is a terrible way to counter the Grand Prix. We could have Tal defense variation of the Grand Prix if for instance d5 is played but what I have shown is a line that could potentially go from the Grand Prix attack.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Defence#Grand_Prix_Attack

"A typical line is 2...Nc6 3.g3 (ECO code B24). Also 2...Nc6 3.f4 is the Closed Sicilian, Grand Prix Attack (part of B23)."

Yes but Grand Prix does not involve anything with g3. Trust me it was my favorite opening before. The standard line is in fact 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 ..? 3. f4

And that's Grand Prix. f4 instantly is bad.

"Grand Prix does not involve anything with g3"

It's better to say "it may or may not involve anything with g3". There's more than one way to skin a cat.

See the first game played in this lecture which is a Grand Prix attack game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjIWDN3QorQ

@ newengland : if white plays g3, it tranposes into closed sicilian, thats not a GP attack...

The only variation where white has to play g3 in GP attack, is 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 where u can't develop your Bf1 on c4 or b5 (on c4, running into b5).

Be2 could be possible, called "the big clamp", with a king of classical dutch reversed, and g3 to tranpose into closed sicilian.

In other variations, white can always develop his f1 bishop on c4 or b5, and then its a GP attack.

I ran through a line in my engine to double-check whether g3 transposes it into a non-GP attack. It does not.

http://www.365chess.com/eco/B21_Sicilian_Grand_Prix_attack

ECO B21 Sicilian Grand Prix attack.

Line I ran through Arena's opening database system:

Alright, a standard move is Qd1-e1-h4 in the Grand Prix. How are you supposed to play that when you have played g3? Grand Prix is a system, not the first 5 opening moves. Case closed.