Rauzer Sicilian for Black - Revolutionary Approach by GM Boris Avrukh
For three decades, GM Boris Avrukh played the Classical Sicilian with 6...e6, navigating its rich complexities through moves like 6...Qb6 and 6...Bd7. Then something changed. Watching games by Daniil Dubov sparked curiosity, but it was the practical success of American talent Andy Woodward that prompted a complete reassessment. The result is a course built on perhaps the most counterintuitive decision in the Rauzer: meeting 6.Bg5 with 6...g6, accepting the doubled f-pawns after 7.Bxf6 exf6, and proving that what looks structurally compromised is actually dynamically sound.
This isn't theoretical bravado. The 6...g6 approach transforms the Rauzer into a battlefield where Black's piece activity and central control compensate for structural concessions. Avrukh's expertise in positional chess—evident in his acclaimed opening repertoires—now serves to validate what younger players have been proving over the board: that the pawn structure after 7.Bxf6 exf6 is sustainable, and White's technical challenge is genuine.
The Revolutionary Element
What makes this course distinctive is its reconciliation of classical assessment with contemporary practice. The doubled f-pawns, traditionally viewed as a liability, become a source of central influence. The g6-square, weakened in classical evaluations, supports a fianchettoed bishop that controls key diagonals. Avrukh systematically addresses White's entire arsenal after 6.Bg5 g6, from the critical 7.Bxf6 to the tricky 7.Bc4, providing Black with a cohesive system rather than a collection of separate variations.
The course recognizes that 6.Bg5 represents White's most serious challenge in the Classical Sicilian, more demanding than 6.Bc4 or 6.f3. By offering a fresh solution to this main line, Avrukh gives Classical Sicilian players a practical weapon that reduces memorization while increasing understanding of the resulting positions.
Variation Map
The course structure follows White's options after 6.Bg5 g6:
After 6.Bg5 g6:
- Chapter 1: 7.Be2 / 7.Qd2 / 7.Bb5 (7th move deviations)
- Chapter 2: 7.Bc4 (tricky line with future relevance)
After 7.Bxf6 exf6:
- Chapter 3: 8.Qd2 / 8.Be2
- Chapter 4: 8.Bc4
- Chapter 5: 9.Nde2 / 9.Nf3
- Chapter 6: 9.Ba4 (Ntirlis's recommendation from "Reimagining 1.e4")
- Chapter 7: 9.O-O (main line)
- Chapter 8: 9.Bc4
- Chapter 9: 9.Qd2
Course Features
- 9 comprehensive chapters
- 30 test positions
- Memory Booster
- To Go version of every chapter
- Video instruction
Building Your Repertoire
For those familiar with Avrukh's recent work on the Reti Opening for Black - The Bluebaum Setup, this course continues his approach of presenting opening systems that reward understanding over pure memorization, now applied to one of Black's most critical battlegrounds in the Sicilian.
The Classical Sicilian with 6...g6 against the Rauzer isn't just a playable alternative—it's a practical solution that turns theoretical skepticism into over-the-board results. This course provides the roadmap for making that transformation in your own games.