Play smarter, not harder with the Alapin Sicilian

Every Sicilian (1.e4 c5) player dreams of playing that 22nd move novelty they prepared. Or at the very least, they hope to enter into a ferocious battle in which the rules of the game are thrown to the wind.

But no one can force you to enter their game.

Placing your pieces on healthy squares, knowing the typical themes of your opening, and playing with energy and purpose in the middlegame is a healthier approach and will net you many wins without unnecessarily complicating things. The Alapin Variation (2.c3) provides you with all of this.