Starting Out c3 Sicilian

STARTING OUT: THE c3 SICILIAN
Author: John Emms
Everyman Chess (2008)
207 pages
$21.95

Reviewed by John Donaldson

STARTING OUT: THE c3 SICILIAN by English GM John Emms is an excellent introduction to one of the most important “anti-Sicilian” variations. All lines are covered with close to 90 percent of the book devoted to Black’s two principle choices – 2…d5 and 2…Nf6. Against the third alternative, 2…e6, Emms focuses exclusively on 1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.exd5 and not 4.e5 transposing into the Advance French.

Thirty-five well-annotated model games anchor this book, which primarily emphasizes broad strokes over the nitty-gritty to explain things, but here and there Emms offers little nuggets for the more advanced reader. One example is after 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 6. Be3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nc6 8.Nc3 Qd6 9.a3 he gives the traditional mainline 9…Be7 preference, but points out that 2.c3 aficionado Sergei Tiviakov has used 9…g6 with success.

Players below 2200 will find STARTING OUT: THE c3 SICILIAN to offer everything they need while more advanced readers will find it be useful orientation.

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