The f4 Sicilian

• White's strategy is simple: advance the e- and f-pawns to gain space and use them later as a battering ram.
• Although such a plan may sound primitive it can be highly effective.
• Davies makes a cogent argument for White playing 2.Nc3 rather than the immediate 2.f4
• White's system can have devastating consequences against anything but the most accurate play by Black.
• For players wishing to use the f4 Sicilian as White, and for those who must meet it as Black.

The f4 Sicilian is a perennial favorite with club players. It was popularized by Bent Larsen in the 1960s and then later on by British GMs such as Mark Hebden, James Plaskett and William Watson. White's strategy is simple, as demonstrated on this chess opening software DVD: advance the e- and f-pawns to gain space on the Kingside, using them later as a battering ram. Behind this advancing pawn wall Whitte's pieces are ready to spring into the attack. Although such a plan may sound primitive it can be highly effective. Indeed, the Israeli GM Emil Sutovsky has used it to wreak havoc against some of the World's top players.

On this chess opening software DVD, Grandmaster Davies makes a cogent argument for White playing 2.Nc3 rather than the immediate 2.f4 because of the gambit line with 2...d5! 3.exd5 Nf6. He goes on to show that this "delayed" approach is not only a playable for White but can have devastating consequences against anything but the most accurate play by Black. Accordingly, this chess opening software DVD is designed by Davies both for players wishing to use the f4 Sicilian as White, and for those who must meet it as Black.

 A special warning is offered to Najdorf players, because 2.Nc3 d6 makes the move 3.f4 very dangerous. Nigel Davies has been an International Grandmaster since 1993 and is a former British Open Quickplay and Under 21 Champion. He has had considerable experience in teaching club level players.

Chess opening software DVD running time: 4 hours.

System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP/Vista/Windows7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard