The Most Flexible Sicilian

The move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 is designed to keep Black's options open. By delaying the development of the queenside knight, Black avoids being forced into a specific Sicilian structure early — preserving the choice between the Taimanov (eventually ...Nc6) and the Kan (eventually ...a6), depending on how White plays.

This book, a follow-up to the same authors' The Safest Sicilian, develops that flexible approach into a complete repertoire. Delchev and Semkov cover both the Taimanov and the Kan systems, as well as the various ways White can try to take Black out of book early — the English Attack, the Keres Attack, the Bb5+ lines — and how to handle them with the flexible move order intact.

Chess Stars books tend to be theory-heavy and are aimed at serious club players and above who want a deep understanding of the positions, not just a surface repertoire. At 340 pages this is a thorough treatment, though readers who prefer prose explanations over dense variation trees may find the style demanding.