<The Bulgarian GM Delchev (current Elo 2661) proposes a sound yet aggressive Black Sicilian repertoire, based on the Taimanov system: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7. As Black, it is extremely difficult to get a playable position without accepting extreme risks. This book deals with reliable positional systems which will serve you for many years, without having to update your opening knowledge every two weeks. This setup is especially effective against the dreaded English attack. >

<SI 40.2
The English Attack vs the Taimanov
SI Taimanov Variation 2...e6, 4...Nc6
by Tibor Fogarasi

Yearbook 64 (2002) buy>

If I had this article, I could answer my previous post.

Ulf Andersson
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

Judit Polgar
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

even Karpov played this line back in his youth
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

can anyone recommend any other players that play this line so i can look at their games?

<chlipchlop> one of the main points of ...Qc7 is to stop e5 pushes after white prevents the ...Qa5+ trick. also, ...Nc6 isn't really avoiding ...a6, which is often played anyways. it's more like...a6 is sometimes played with the intention of avoiding ...Nc6, reserving the option of ...d6, ...Nbd7. i think.

<notyetagm - Why is this setup so effective against the English attack?> i think because one of the main ideas of this line is a quick ...d5, with ...Bb4 often thrown in to help control this square, and white playing f3 kind of plays into this.

<Because Black is yet to commit his g8-knight to f6, where it usually becomes the target of the g2-g4-g5 pawn push?> black retains the option of ...Nge7, and can consider the exchaging maneuver ...Nge7, ...Nxd4, ...Ne7c6, recycling the knight with tempo on the white recapturing piece on d4. this takes away the target of the g-pawn push, and exchanging a minor piece or 2 often helps black defend these positions.

<who - But in that variation white gets to set up a Marcozy bind.> black needs to be prepared to play against a maroczy setup, which should be possible if you prepare for it. you often get typical hedgehog structures, so look at those ideas. i think allowing the maroczy with 3...Nc6 is less scary than allowing the keres attack after 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 d6. Note that after 4.Nc3, white has stopped the ...Qa5+ trick, so 5.e5 is a threat, compelling 4...d6. 4...Nc6 allows 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5, which might not be so good for black. there's a game in this line in chernev's 62 most instructive games book, with a nasty dark square bind for white. (good book)

O Bernstein vs Mieses, 1904

this game illustrates some of the dangers that can arise from black's dark squared weaknesses, and should scare you into thinking twice or three times before exchanging your dark squared bishop or allowing white a good moment to play a cramping e5.

black's dark squares need to be taken care of, and exchanging that bishop can backfire, even if you give white doubled isolated c-pawns and win the e4 pawn and play ...d5. be careful. be aware of Ba3 ideas in these lines, which can prevent the option of kingside castling.

To prevent e5 must be the main reason for Qc7, as it sidesteps the variation 5. ... a6 6. NxNc6 bxNc6 7. e5 and 5. ... a6 was not a very useful move.