Snyder Variation -> Czerniak Attack #287
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B20 Sicilian Defense: Westerinen Attack 1. e4 c5 2. b3 B20 Sicilian Defense: Westerinen Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation 1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6 _____ There are two issues with the following three lines: B20 Sicilian Defense: Snyder Variation 1. e4 c5 2. b3 B20 Sicilian Defense: Snyder Variation, Queen Fianchetto Variation 1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6 B40 Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Westerinen Attack 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 1. Robert Michael Snyder is a convicted child sexual abuser 2. Westerinen Attack and Snyder Variation refer to the same opening, so this is a naming inconsistency (chess.com has this as well). As a solution, all three variations should be given the same opening name. Some possible options are Westerinen Attack, Cowboy Attack, or Czerniak Attack. Heikki Westerinen was the first Finnish GM who won the Finnish championship four times and played in 13 olympiads. Moshe Czerniak was an IM who was a founding member of the Israeli chess scene. Westerinen Attack and Czerniak attack are both existing alternative names for this line. However, I haven't found a historical source for the Cowboy Attack but it exists as a name on chess.com. I believe Westerinen attack is a better choice for the following reasons: 1. There is more historical precedent for "Westerinin" Attack being used than "Czerniak Attack" 2. Czerniak has already lent his name to lines in the Benoni, Caro-Kahn, and Sicilian Dragon in the database, while Westerinen only has this b3 line. ----------Sourcing: Westerinen's Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heikki_Westerinen Czerniak's Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshe_Czerniak _____ This video by ChessNetwork on the Westerinen Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDkBL77lj6w _____ A video by 'Chess Dropout' on the Westerinen Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVTEszY6hvA _____ Chessable course on the 'Cowboy Attack': https://www.chessable.com/the-cowboy-attack-2-b3-sicilian/course/144342/ _____ A different Chessable course calls it the Westerinen Attack: https://www.chessable.com/ambush-1e4-fighting-the-sicilians/course/57443/ _____
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B20 Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack 1. e4 c5 2. b3
B20 Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation 1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6
Robert Michael Snyder, the namesake of this line, is a convicted child sexual abuser who was once featured on the America's Most Wanted website. Chess.com has already renamed this line the "cowboy attack", I am unsure where they derived that name as I couldn't find any references for it prior to chess.com's usage. I agree that this line should be renamed, but I suggest using "Czerniak Attack" rather than "Cowboy Attack" as there is already some historical precedent for calling it the "Czerniak Attack".
(If you're curious why I removed the mention of "westerninen attack" from this PR, its because I originally thought these two lines were the same, but I now believe the Westerinen Attack is its own independent variation.)
Sourcing:
"Sicilian: The Czerniak Attack" by Arthur Kogan, Secrets of Opening Surprises #9 (2008): p.123-136. Makes an excellent case for calling the opening the "Czerniak Attack" after its most highly regarded early adopter."
https://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/06/bibliography-on-2b3-vs-sicilian-and.html
This chessbase article calls this line the Czerniak Attack:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/review-trent-b3-sicilian
"Although rare (particularly so when the
Sicilian was not as popular as now),
2.b3 has been played for ages. Lionel
Kieseritzky lost twice with it against
Adolf Anderssen in London in 1851.
However, the first strong player to use
it very often was the Polish-born, Israeli
International Master, Moshe Czerniak
(1910-1984). If the line is named for
anyone, it should be for Czerniak (and
certainly not for Robert Snyder, despite
his eponymous 1977 booklet). "
Sabotaging the Sicilian, French & Caro-Kann with 2.b3, p.9
https://www.amazon.com/Sabotaging-Sicilian-French-Caro-Kann-2-b3/dp/1941270832