Edgy and Unusual Sicilian

This is an odd Sicilian game with a black kingside pawn storm (of sorts) that I think white could perhaps have won with some more careful play. I ended up winning by using the open lines and diagonals, but it seems as if white could have somehow defended and pressed for the win later. Anyway, it should be interesting to play through:

I would have opted for 0-0-0 a.s.a.p white and tried 13.e4 instead of 0-0. Also 14.fxg5 is playable. Maybe bringing Bg5-->e4 and starting a queenside pawn storm would have served white better than BxNf6.

I'm not sure what you mean by 13. e4, since the pawn is already on e4 and playing it to e5 just loses the queen (13...Bxf3). I'm not sure white needed to castle long, but once black plays g5, white should be moving to counterattack on black's vulnerable queenside as soon as possible.

Yes, if only to understand better so as to play better against it as white. There is a wide variety of Sicilians, each with a particular flavour. If you usually play the French or Caro-Kann, it might come as a bit of a shock, though.

Well, I played the Caro-Kann for a while before I got bored with it. It's not exactly the most exciting of openings. Try one of the Sicilians for a while, just to try them out.

I tend to play the Najdorf, but it is quite famous for the amount of theory involved. However, you can certainly get by with a fairly minimal amount of theory (slightly more than is involved for the Caro).

Or try the Scheveningen, which has something of the solidity of the Caro-Kann, but with the double-edged attacking potential of the Sicilian.

One piece of advice if you go for the Scheveningen, be prepared to face the Keres Attack. The line runs thus:

1. e4 c5

2. Nf3 d6

3. d4 cxd4

4. Nxd4 Nf6

5. Nc3 e6

6. g4!?

This is extremely dangerous for black, but can definitely be handled, and shouldn't put you off the Sicilian in general (there are other systems if you really don't like the look of the Keres attack).

That was interesting. You had more going than your opponent could deal with.

It is interesting, not particularly because I won in the end, but because that kingside pawn attack is pretty rare in the sicilian, and also because I'm pretty sure it could be refuted with more active play from white.

I think Rad1 and not attacking sooner on the queenside was white's mistake in this game. I'd be interested to hear what other people think.

Oh yes, and playing g3, you're right. In fact, that was the worst mistake since without an h or g pawn advance, white's kingside looks surprisingly solid.