The Complete c3 Sicilian - Evgeny Sveshnikov

It is not difficult to understand why the Alapin Sicilian is such a popular opening with amateur and professional chess players all over the world. Against Black’s most dangerous reply to 1.e4 it simply offers everything you need if you are looking for a reliable scheme that does not take much time to learn.

It could even be argued that 2.c3 is the most logical response to the Sicilian Defence. White aims at creating a strong pawn centre and obtains an easily manageable middlegame. Meanwhile:

White has to study only a few set-ups, since Black has basically only two good replies - White is very solid
The system can be learned quickly, since the positions are generally less complicated than in many other Sicilian lines
Theory doesn’t develop quickly, so maintaining your knowledge is fairly simple
Black has to take big risks in order to win

The Complete c3 Sicilian brings you the basic ideas, the plans, the tactical tricks and the latest developments from recent grandmaster practice. With hundreds of games, accessibly explained, and many tests, it contains as a special feature a listing of ‘opening catastrophes’ to be avoided or exploited.

Universally recognized as the world’s greatest Alapin expert, Evgeny Sveshnikov has written the most comprehensive guide ever: a well-structured book, indispensable for masters and yet easily accessible for club players.

Evgeny Sveshnikov is an active international player who currently represents Latvia. The Russian Grandmaster is a former trainer of Anatoly Karpov and one of the most respected opening experts in the world.

He has played more than 600 c3 Sicilians with a score of over 70%, including dozens of wins against well-known grandmasters like Mikhail Tal, Sergey Tiviakov and Judit Polgar.