Opening Analysis - Sicilian wing gambit

Here I give some analysis for the Sicilian wing gambit. 1.e4 c5 2.b4 Mostly this is just the combination of some of my games (played at PlayChess) which will grow with time.

Several chess players have told me they've abandoned playing 1.e4 as white, and have resorted to playing 1.d4 or 1.Nf3. The reason for this, they say, is nine times out of ten they end up struggling in some pet line of the opponents Sicilian.

To me this is an unacceptable statement to make. The number of variations obtainable on the chess board are astronomical, and for black to render white trembling as soon as move one is ridiculous. It is my belief that we have, so far, only discovered about half the playable opening variations, and if that is true there must be a myriad of variations for white to choose against the Sicilian.

One variation which I think is too readily ignored or overlooked is the Sicilian wing gambit for white (1.e4 c5 2.b4). I consider this opening to be much better than its reputation suggests. I believe it to be better than the Latvian gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5) and just as good (if not better) as the King's gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4), and if you are familiar with it you will obviously have an instant advantage as it is more than likely your opponent has not met it very often and will be in unfamiliar territory. So on these pages I am going to advocate adopting the Sicilian wing gambit as a powerful weapon for white.