The Kan or The Taimanov?

@SF18NNUE-SFNNV12 said ^

What's better to get to the 1500 USCF level?

thats the last thing you should worry about at 1500 USCF

well... not the last ;)

@VivaannCh said ^

"Messi or Ronaldo?" ahh question

Messi is my goat btw :)

@DAWIDTHEPAWN said ^

"Messi or Ronaldo?" ahh question

Messi is my goat btw :)

Then choose the Kan I guess. Personally, I chose accelerated dragon.

@tpr said ^

"Sicilian Four Knights"

• 6 Ndb5 and 6 Nxc6 are both complicated.

Aw, shucks, and there I was thinking the Sicilian guarantees a quiet life.

I think the kan can be played with less knowledge of theory. Do note that u1500 USCF you face mostly anti-sicilians so your choice against the open sicilian doesn't matter so much.

Ask Fischer:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1008424
Ask Kasparov:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067175

I like the Kan because White's knights get stuck in the middle, and I like the Taimanov because after 4...Nc6, White's queen has to babysit the d4 knight.

I play the Kan. I don't know the Taimanov at all.

https://lichess.org/study/r7U2Ske1

I think in the Kan, the suffering from weak dark squares ist more common. But then, in the Taimanov you're less used to it, so the suffering tends to be more extreme if it happens...

Underrated advantage of the Taimanov: You can start it with 2...Nc6 to get used to the Rossos (and other antis with Nc6), so eventually the switch to the Sveshnikov becomes easier. (Which is the best Sicilian anyway...)

Underrated advantage of the Taimanov at the 1500 level: White plays 0-0 & f4 without Be3, black plays Nxd4 Qxd4 Bc5.