byJohn Shaw & Jacob AagaardThe Sicilian Defence is the most popular opening at all levels of tournament play from Linares to the local club championship. The Sicilian is played regularly by Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik, Leko, Topalov, and Shirov – a.k.a. the best players in the world. In this book a multinational line-up of leading experts give recommendations against their own pet lines in the Sicilian Defence. This repertoire book recommends the critical main lines and reveals Black’s greatest fears to you. Experts vs. the Sicilian is the no-nonsense opening repertoire for players of all strengths who want to teach the Sicilian players a lesson or two...The Writers of this book are:Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen vs. the Accelerated Dragon.Peter Heine Nielsen is 31 years old and currently Scandinavia’s number one. Peter has won many international tournaments, with the participation of such players as Ivanchuk, Short, Svidler and Beliavsky. He also won a bronze medal at the 1994 Olympiad in Moscow. Peter co-authored the book The Sicilian Accelerated Dragon in 1998 with fellow Dane Carsten Hansen. They are currently contemplating an updated edition. Grandmaster Sune Berg Hansen vs. the Taimanov and the Paulsen.Sune Berg Hansen is 33 years old and one of Denmark’s strongest grandmasters for some years. He has competed in several Olympics and once in the World Championship. He is well known in Denmark for the high quality he puts into his chess annotations and as the daily column writer for the large newspaper Politiken. His article in this book is his first larger contribution to a chess book. His great knowledge of opening theory will become apparent to anyone who reads his contribution to this book.Grandmaster Viktor Gavrikov vs. the Scheveningen. Viktor Gavrikov is 47 years old an famous on the tournament circuit for his large knowledge of opening theory. As a player he has played at the highest level for many years, against all the best players, and won games against players such as Karpov, Beliavsky, van Wely, Lautier, Andersson and Adams. Currently he contributes with theoretical articles to Chessbase Magazine and is working on a book on the middlegame.Viktor has played the Keres Attack with both colours, but does not consider himself a true expert. However his contribution to this book suggests otherwise. Grandmaster Peter Wells vs. the Classical Sicilian.Peter Wells is 39 years old and has for many years been one of the best players in England. During his work with his contribution for this book he found time to take second place at the British Championship. Peter is a true scoop for this book. His reputation as a chess opening writer is unchallenged. With his usual sense of political correctness Kasparov said about Peter’s book on the Semi-Slav, that he could not understand how such a weak player could write such a great book. His recent book on the Trompovsky (Batsford 2003) was called “the finest opening book I’ve ever seen” by IM Jeremy Silman and received universal acclaim as well as a nomination for book of the year at www.chesscafe.com. In 1998 Peter wrote The Complete Richter-Rauzer together with Viacheslav Osnos. He plays the Classical Sicilian often and with good results. Grandmaster Mikhail Golubev vs. the Sicilian Dragon. Mikhail Golubev is a strong 34-year old grandmaster from Ukraine who mainly considers himself a journalist. He is known as a diligent chess writer and the author of some well received opening books. Mikhail contributes often to New In Chess yearbook with theoretical surveys, and mainly on the Sicilian Dragon. In the recent years a great number of books on the Sicilian Dragon was released, but none caught the attention of the editors of this book, as Golubev’s little book, Easy Guide to the Dragon. We are very happy that Mikhail accepted our invitation to contribute to this book. Grandmaster Thomas Luther vs. the Najdorf. 35-year old Thomas Luther from Erfurt in Germany (Where Martin Luther went to university.) is twice German champion and a multiple participant at his country’s Olympic team, including in 2000 when they were close to winning the tournament, but in the end had to settle for silver medals. All though this is Thomas’ first contribution to a chess book, his 20 years of playing 6.Bg5 against the Najdorf at a high level cannot but impress. International Master Alexander Raetsky vs. the Four Knights Sicilian. 42-year old Alexander Raetsky very recently made his first grandmaster norm after 9, 10 and 11 rounds of the Biel Open 2004, but was unfortunately given one and not three norms for the effort. He has for a long time been one of the best players in his home region in Voronezh in Russia, where he the last 5 years has organized one of the largest open tournaments in the world. Alexander is also the author of some chess books, most often with his close friend Maxim Chetverik, as well as a contributor to New In Chess Yearbook. Among these are Meeting 1.e4, which is a repertoire book with the main line being the Four Knights Sicilian, an opening he has played regularly since. International Master Jan Pinski vs. the Kalashnikov. Jan Pinski is a 25-year old journalist, currently working hard on uncovering corruption in his native country of Poland, as well as on his next chess book. Jan has written a number of chess books, the first being The Kalashnikov Sicilian, co-written with Jacob Aagaard.In an e-mail to the editors Jan states “It is incredible that I played this line for so long without being punished!” International Master John Shaw vs. several minor lines. John Shaw is a strong IM with one grandmaster norm from Scotland who has represented his country in many international team tournaments, including Olympiads.He has written two opening books for Everyman Chess and will soon release a book on the 3.Bb5-Sicilian. International Master Jacob Aagaard vs. the Sveshnikov & several minor lines. Jacob Aagaard is 31 years old, born in Denmark, but resident in Glasgow, Scotland. His best results are his two GM-norms, both attained in 2004. Jacob has written many chess books. Especially close to heart is the Excelling at Chess – series of 5 books, from where the first, Excelling at Chess, won book of the year at www.chesscafe.com. Jacob is also the author of Easy Guide to the Sveshnikov (Everyman Chess 2000).