Paperback, 284 pages
This book covers the Rauzer variation of the Sicilian. From the preface:
You are holding in your hands book 12 of the series “Opening for
White According to Anand – 1.e4”. It is devoted to one of the main lines
of the Sicilian Defence, beginning with the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4
cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6. Strangely enough, this system has not
acquired yet a universally acknowledged name. It is worth mentioning
that the scheme, which we recommend against the majority of the
other Sicilian variations in our books, the set-up Be3-f3-Qd2 would
not work against this system, because of quite concrete reasons. After
6.Be3 Ng4, as well as in case of 6.f3 e5, Black solves his opening problems
rather easily.
Meanwhile, after the move we recommend – 6.Bg5, quite irrevocably
accepted by contemporary theory as the most dangerous for Black,
there would be no more terminological ambiguities – the Rauzer Attack
is on the board. This famous theoretician laid down the foundations of
the contemporary treatment of this opening system back in the 30ies of
the past century. We must also mention here Alexander Alekhine who
played this system numerous times with White, although not against
the best players at the time. Many opening variations, which are analyzed
in this book, were tested at the highest level, up to the matches
for the World Championship, already around the year 1950. The nameless
opening system with 2...d6 and 5...Nc6 was considered quite deservedly
to be the basic in the Sicilian defence and only later, around
the change of the millennium, stepped aside as the most popular in
favour of other more fashionable lines.
