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Another c3 Sicilian pawn sacrifice

If you read opening books there is sometimes a tendency to assume that the reader knows all the tricks and the author has no need to mention them. Indeed, Michael Ridge from Canberra wants to know why nobody accepts a gambit line in the c3 Sicilian.


After 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3 Nf6 4 e5 Nd5 5 d4 cxd4 6 Bc4 Nb6 7 Bb3 and now 7...dxc3










Black takes the pawn and in compensation White has a lead in development. Is it enough? Crut - Fournier looks like White will always be the favourite and a 14 move victory is impressive.

The championship of Finland was the venue for the game Pulkkinen - Innala where White proved that he had compensation for the pawn by exerting lots of pressure on black's defences.

It is possible in some variations to take on c3 a move later and this is what happened in Braga - Spangenberg. Black was a grandmaster but could only last 23 moves after having to endure a strong attack.

In Lane - Pinkus, I get the chance to show how I play the gambit and Black is quickly forced to defend and is obliged to enter a lost ending.

I believe that acceptance of the gambit by Black is a mistake.