Sicilian Defence, Katalymov Variation GM Christian Bauer, with which he managed to draw a game in 2005 against currently top-ranked GM Magnus Carlsen. It has also been used by top players such as Gata Kamsky and Soviet GM Lev Psakhis. The opening is named after Soviet IM Boris Katalymov (1932–2013). Bibliography Sicilian Defence, Katalymov Variation In chess, the Katalymov Variation (also spelled Katalimov) is a less popular line of the Sicilian Defence that begins with the moves: The Katalymov is considered inferior since it commits Black to a plan with ...b6 rather than more aggressive Sicilian defences incorporating b7–b5. Black must protect the b5-square,
Sicilian Defence Closed Sicilian is 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 (diagram), when White's main options are 6.Be3 followed by Qd2 and possibly 0-0-0, and 6.f4 followed by Nf3 and 0-0. Other moves besides 2.Nf3 and 2.Nc3 are popular. 2.c3 is the Alapin Variation or c3 Sicilian. Originally championed by Semyon Alapin at the end of the 19th century, it was revived in the late 1960s by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Evgeny Vasiukov. Nowadays its strongest practitioners include grandmasters Sergei Tiviakov and Eduardas Rozentalis. White aims to set up a classical pawn centre with 3.d4, so Black should counter immediately in