J.I. Opening 1.d4 is a statistically more successful opening for White because of the high success rate of the Sicilian defence against 1.e4. Create a game Arena tournaments Swiss tournaments Simultaneous exhibitions [25] Even Capablanca[26][27] and Tarrasch,[28] despite their critical comments, occasionally played the opening. The Sveshnikov Variation was pioneered by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko [ru] in the 1970s. The drawback of 2.e5 is that no additional pressure is brought to the centre, allowing Black various options. Learn. Before their efforts, the variation was called the Lasker–Pelikan Variation. Your IP: 162.241.140.247 Kasparov noted its novelty.[39]. In view of this, Paul Keres introduced 6.g4, the Keres Attack, in 1943. Today. Thus 9...gxf6 is forced, and White continues 10.Nd5. A rarer option on Black's second move is 2...e6, with the aim of transposing to the Advance Variation of the French Defence after 3.d4 d5 4.e5. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3, B30). The idea behind the Sicilian Defense is: White has played e4 at the first move, trying to fight for centre since the very beginning of this open game. Cloudflare Ray ID: 607e29835f24fed6 I’ll even throw in some games with some basic traps to watch out for. "[D] Codes B20 through B29 cover lines after 1.e4 c5 where White does not play 2.Nf3, and lines where White plays 2.Nf3 and Black responds with a move other than 2...d6, 2...Nc6 or 2...e6. The great French player and theoretician André Danican Philidor opined of the Sicilian in 1777, "This way of opening the game ... is absolutely defensive, and very far from being the best ... but it is a very good one to try the strength of an adversary with whose skill you are unacquainted. This page was last edited on 13 December 2020, at 03:58. In both cases, White's game is preferable. Also possible is 5.c4 to create a Maróczy Bind setup. Ask a Question. In chess, the Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation is a response to the Sicilian Defence characterised by the moves: . If Black prevents this with 6...h6, which is the most common answer, White has gained kingside space and discouraged Black from castling on that side, and may later play Bg2. There are too many holes created in the Pawn line. In fact, the two strongest world champions of all time, Fischer and Kasparov, were devotees of the defense. White can play 2.Nf3 without intending to follow up with 3.d4. Today. The move 4...e5 has had a long history; Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais used it in his matches against Alexander McDonnell in 1834, and it was also popular for a short time in the 1940s. Games Played in the London International Chess Tournament 1883 (reprint ed.). White hopes to cramp Black's position by impeding the ...d7–d5 and ...b7–b5 pawn thrusts. The former allows White to exchange off Black's light-squared bishop, after which the d5-square becomes very weak; but the latter allows 7.Nf5, when Black can only save the d-pawn by playing the awkward 7...a6 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Then 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.exd5 exd5 leads to a position where Black has given up the two bishops but has active pieces and the possibility of playing ...d5–d4. The Rossolimo Variation, 3.Bb5, is a well-respected alternative to 3.d4. In general, 5...a6 also prevents White's knights from using the b5-square, and helps Black create queenside play by preparing the ...b5 pawn push. White decides not to double Black's f-pawns and the game often continues 9...Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3. The old main line 7.Nb3 is now less popular than the modern 7.Nf3, after which the game usually continues 7...h6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.h3. Nc3 g6. Black can avoid the Prins Variation by playing 3...Nf6, when 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 transposes to main lines. Meanwhile, advancing a queenside pawn has given Black a spatial advantage there and provides a basis for future operations on that flank. The Sicilian Defence was analysed by Giulio Polerio in his 1594 manuscript on chess,[9] though he did not use the term 'Sicilian Defence'. is met by 6.Bb5+!, when Black must either play 6...Bd7 or 6...Nbd7. Make a Suggestion. However, a recent development in the Sveshnikov has been 11.c4 (instead of c3), which often leads to positions where White is pressing for the win at no risk. Against best play, however, it is bound to fail. In order to avoid this, White can play 11.Nxf6+ or 11.c4. White's third most common move is 6.Be2, (ECO codes B58–B59), after which Black can remain in independent variations with the Boleslavsky Variation 6...e5, named after Isaac Boleslavsky. Black may forego ...Nf6 in favour of ...Ne7, e.g. 3.Nc3 is a common transpositional device for White, who can play 4.d4 or 4.Bb5 next move depending on Black's response. Another line is 10.Nxe7 Nxe7! The systems given below are usually classified along with White's second move alternatives as Anti-Sicilians. More. This will have either 5.c4 or 5.Nc3. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. Najdorf's intention with 5...a6 was to prepare ...e5 on the next move to gain space in the centre. The opening is enormously popular amongst players of all levels, especially masters. Nxc3 8.Qxg7 Rf8 9.a3 Nb5+ 10.axb4 Nxd4 11.Bg5 Qb6 12.Bh6 Qxb4+ 13.c3 Nf5 14.cxb4 Nxg7 15.Bxg7 with a clear advantage to White, Szabo-Mikenas, Kemeri 1939. [ 1 0 ] It was later the subject of analyses by leading players of the day Alessandro Salvio (1604), Don Pietro Carrera (c. 1617), and Gioachino Greco (1623), and later Comte Carlo Francesco Cozio (c. 1740). [47] A less common option is 2...e6, as La Bourdonnais played against McDonnell. After 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 (not 5.e5? 2...Nf6 is the Nimzowitsch Variation. The move fell out of use, however, once it was determined that White kept the advantage in these lines. "[13] Staunton wrote of the Sicilian, "In the opinion of Jaenisch and the German Handbuch, with which I coincide, this is the best possible reply to 1.P-K4, [1.e4 in algebraic notation] 'as it renders the formation of a centre impracticable for White and prevents every attack.' A related attacking idea for White is 6.Be3 e6 7.g4, known as the Hungarian Attack or Perenyi Attack. Sicilian Defense. 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 is the Smith–Morra Gambit. Faced with a pawn on c5, White may choose to play 2.d4 (Smith–Morra Gambit) anyway which typically leads to a pawn sacrifice for quick development. It was later the subject of analyses by leading players of the day Alessandro Salvio (1604), Don Pietro Carrera (c. 1617), and Gioachino Greco (1623), and later Conte Carlo Francesco Cozio (c. 1740). The point of this move order is to avoid lines such as the Rossolimo Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5), or 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5, which are possible in the standard Sveshnikov move order. 286–87. Learn. The Sicilian defence is undoubtedly the most popular opening in modern chess, to such an extent that it makes up a quarter of all games in the Chess Informant database. Codes B30 through B39 cover the lines beginning 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 that do not transpose into lines that can also begin with 2...d6. However, after 3.c3 or 3.c4 it is unclear how 2...a6 has improved Black's position. The opening was popularised when Sveshnikov saw its dynamic potential for Black in the 1970s and 80s. One of the ideas of this system is to develop the king's bishop to b4 or c5. Only in the late 1980s did Black players revive 4...e5 with the intention of meeting 5.Nb5 with 5...d6: this is the Kalashnikov Variation. 1...c5 has the benefit of introducing an element of asymmetry into the position – White would not be advised to play 2.c4(the English-like Staunton–Cochrane variation) imitating Black's move, since White could no longer control the d4 square with a pawn and thus will have trouble playing d4 later. The Sicilian is one of the major answers to 1.e4. The Four Knights Variation is mainly used as a way of getting into the main line Sveshnikov Variation, reached after 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bf4 e5 8.Bg5 a6 9.Na3 b5 or 6.Bf4 d6 7.Ndb5 e5 8.Bg5 a6 9.Na3 b5. Grandmasters sometimes choose this variation when they wish to avoid theory; for instance, it was played by Garry Kasparov in the online game Kasparov–The World. However, 3...Nf6 gives White an extra option in 4.dxc5! This is called the English Attack, because it was popularised by English grandmasters Murray Chandler, John Nunn and Nigel Short in the 1980s. Instead of 9.Bxf6, White can also play 9.Nd5, which usually leads to quieter play. Formerly, 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 was the main line of the Najdorf, when White threatens to attack the pinned knight with 8.e5. White's most common reply is 6.Bg5, the Richter–Rauzer Attack (ECO codes B60–B69). In general these guidelines apply: The Sicilian ... has probably undergone more vicissitudes in regard to its estimation and appreciation than any other form of defence. Qa5+), Black can transpose to the Scheveningen Variation with 5...d6, play 5...Nc6, the Four Knights Variation or 5...Bb4, the Pin Variation. Black can block the check with 3...Bd7, 3...Nc6 or 3...Nd7. After 6.e5! 10.Bd2 (in order to prevent 10...Nxe4) 10...Qd8 11.Bg5 Qa5+ etc. [10] It was later the subject of analyses by leading players of the day Alessandro Salvio (1604), Don Pietro Carrera (c. 1617), and Gioachino Greco (1623), and later Conte Carlo Francesco Cozio (c. 1740). Another unusual sideline is 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3! [45] In view of possible transpositions to the main Sicilian variations, Black has various replies to 2.Nc3 in the Open Sicilian. It may seem strange, and go against opening principles , by playing a wing pawn move so early, but it has given white some trouble for years and is still one of the strongest ways to play the sicilian for black. The main reason for it's popularity is that the Sicilian is a fighting defense. [1] New In Chess stated in its 2000 Yearbook that of the games in its database, White scored 56.1% in 296,200 games beginning 1.d4, but 54.1% in 349,855 games beginning 1.e4, mainly because the Sicilian held White to a 52.3% score in 145,996 games. White's idea is to play f3, Qd2, g4 and 0-0-0 in some order. It produces the psychological and tension factors which denote the best in modern play and gives notice of a fierce fight on the very first move."[32]. However, to do this, he has to make "contact" with the black position. White has other choices on the sixth move. White, having pushed a kingside pawn, tends to hold the initiative on that side of the board. After 9.Bxf6, 9...Qxf6?! You can browse our entire chess database from this line, move by move. Another possibility for White is 3.c3, intending to establish a pawn centre with d4 next move. This generally leads to unbalanced positions and usually leaves black with a central pawn majority after trading his c-pawn for White's … Efim Geller was an early proponent of this move, after which Black can stay in "pure" Najdorf territory with 6...e5 or transpose to the Scheveningen with 6...e6. Today we’re taking a look at how to play the Sicilian Dragon and its variations, the accelerated dragon and hyper accelerated dragon. ... Its only benefit is that it gets out of theory. Also of some interest is 3.Bb5 to ...Nc6. "Every strong chess player should have his own opening theory which is different from the mainstream theory." The opening is named after the Polish-Argentine grandmaster Miguel Najdorf. British Chess Magazine. 2...e5 transposes into a variant of the Vienna Game. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. The most frequent continuation is 3...Nf6 4.Be2, when 4...Nxe4?? If Black is not aiming for the Sveshnikov, the main alternative is to play 6...Bb4 in reply to 6.Ndb5. 2.Nc3 is White's second most common move responding to 1.e4 c5. ", List of chess openings named after places, "Chess and Chess Players of the Renaissance", "Kasparov vs. rest of world: Barnet Chess Club perspective", "FOXY OPENINGS - VOLUME 30 - Kopec Anti-Sicilian System", "Lubomir Kavalek - CHESS Lubomir Kavalek", "Williams, Simon K - Radovanovic, Jovica 2014 , 2nd Kings Place Open 2014 , London ENG", Understanding The Sicilian Defense B21-B99, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sicilian_Defence&oldid=993912122, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Italian-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 6...Ne4?! This variation leads to extremely sharp play and is ferociously complicated, since the players castle on opposite wings and the game becomes a race between White's kingside attack and Black's queenside counterattack. This includes the Moscow Variation (3.Bb5+), 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4, and lines in the Classical Variation except for the Richter–Rauzer Attack, including the Sozin Attack and the Boleslavsky Variation. White aims to set up a classical pawn centre with 3.d4, so Black should counter immediately in the centre by 2...Nf6 or 2...d5. The Najdorf Variation is Black's most popular system in the Sicilian Defence. 1. e4 c5 2. c3. According to Jeremy Silman and others, Black's best reply is 2...d5 3.exd5 Nf6!, the Tal Gambit, which has caused the immediate 2.f4 to decline in popularity. The Sicilian Defence was analysed by Giulio Polerio in his 1594 manuscript on chess, [9] though he did not use the term “Sicilian Defence”. For example, if White tries to play in the style of the Yugoslav Attack with 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2, 8...d5! The Sicilian is by far the most popular reply to 1. e4 among top players. 2.e5, which gains space and prevents Black playing ...Nf6. White sometimes plays 3.Nc3 as a waiting move, though it has little independent significance. Other moves are 3.c3 and 3.c4. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. Some of Black's alternatives are 7...Qb6, the Poisoned Pawn Variation popularized by Fischer, Gelfand's 7...Nbd7, and 7...b5, the Polugaevsky Variation, which has the tactical point 8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Qc7! The Sicilian Defense is characterized by the counterthrust 1... c5. The Kalashnikov Variation (ECO code B32)[38] is a close relative of the Sveshnikov Variation, and is sometimes known as the Neo-Sveshnikov. Other responses by White to the Classical include 6.Be3, 6.f3, and 6.g3. Then 4.d4 with 3.c4 transposes to the 3.d4 line. [12] The Sicilian was fairly popular for much of the nineteenth century; Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais, Adolf Anderssen, Howard Staunton, Louis Paulsen, and Carl Jaenisch all played it with some consistency. Declining it by either 3...Nf6 or 3...d5, transposing to the c3 line, is possible, but accepting it by 3...dxc3 is critical. A modern alternative to 6...e6 is 6...Nbd7. Often, play will eventually transpose to the Scheveningen Variation. Instead of 6...e6, Black can also try Benko's move 6...Qb6, which forces White to make a decision over the d4-knight. Currently, White's most popular weapon against the Najdorf is 6.Be3. Less common choices include 4...Qc7, which may later transpose to the Taimanov Variation, 4...Qb6, the Grivas Variation, and 4...d6. The main Kan move is 5...Qc7, although 5...Nc6 transposing into a Taimanov or 5...d6 transposing into a Scheveningen can occur. Another variation is 6.Bc4, the Sozin Variation (ECO code B57). [42] or (b) 4...e6 (the main line) 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qxd5 Qb6 (8...d6 9.exd6 Qb6 is also played)[43] 9.Bc4! Codes B90 through B99 cover the Najdorf Variation. About 80% of Master level games beginning with 1.e4 c5 continue with 2.Nf3, after which there are three main options for Black: 2...d6, 2...Nc6, and 2...e6. 5.Nc3 is more common nowadays than 5.Nb5, when 5...d6 normally transposes to the Scheveningen Variation and 5...Nf6 is the Four Knights Variation (see below). [21] Similarly, James Mason wrote, "Fairly tried and found wanting, the Sicilian has now scarcely any standing as a first-class defence. Another idea for White is 5.Bc4, which is met by 5...Qc7. He uses the rare and sharp Nimzowitsch Variation of the Sicilian! After 4...Nf6, White usually replies 5.Nc3. White could also protect the pawn on e4 with 5.Bd3 which also allows the option of setting up a Maróczy Bind formation with a later c2-c4, or interpose a check with 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.Bd3 or 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Nbxd7. Study the Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack Opening with free tools and analysis. In many lines of the Sicilian, b5 becomes a tense square for black to gain control of because there are three white pieces eyeing it up early on: Both knights and the bishop on c1. The current World Champion Magnus Carlsen has also played this variation extensively. The immediate 5...e5?! White generally answers with 6.Bd3, supporting the e4-pawn. Codes B70 through B79 cover the normal (unaccelerated) Dragon Variation. Study the Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack Opening with free tools and analysis. It was played six times (out of 110 games) at New York 1924. In case of 3...cxd4 White may play 4.Nxd4. This line is known as "The Kopec System [fr]."[40]. • The Sicilian Defence was analysed by Giulio Polerio in his 1594 manuscript on chess, though he did not use the term "Sicilian Defence". 10.exf6 Qe5+ winning the bishop in return for the knight. Black gets a lead in development but little compensation for the sacrificed pawn after 2. exf5 Nf6. Though some lines still give Black trouble, it has been established as a first-rate defence. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Staunton (three weeks before his death), ... pronounced it to be quite trustworthy, and on the same date Lowenthal expressed a similar opinion. I do like the Sicilian Defence, for both sides, but got discouraged as Black by all the theory, particularly after I suffered at the hands of several White players with a "pet" anti-Sicilian weapon like those below! 30, IM Danny Kopec suggests the move 3.Bd3 against any of Black's common responses, intending to follow up with c3 and Bc2. The Sicilian Defense is a defense to counter White's first move 1.e4. The first point of contact usually comes in the form of a pawn exchange, which leads to the opening of the position. The most important variations included here are the Rossolimo, Kalashnikov, Sveshnikov and Accelerated Dragon. Experts in this line include GMs Sergei Rublevsky and Tomáš Oral. Each player chooses his Kan, Sveshnikov, Dragon or other pet variation, around which he creates his own Sicilian world. The move 5...e5 seems anti-positional as it leaves Black with a backwards d-pawn and a weakness on d5. Reuben Fine, one of the world's leading players during this time period, wrote of the Sicilian in 1948, "Black gives up control of the centre, neglects his development, and often submits to horribly cramped positions. Other important moves are 4...e6 (transposing to the Taimanov Variation), 4...g6 (the Accelerated Dragon) and 4...e5 (the Kalashnikov Variation). White need not take the exchange, and attacking with 11.h4 may in fact be stronger. After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3, Black has some less commonly played options apart from 2...d6, 2...Nc6 and 2...e6. [3] Almost one quarter of all games use the Sicilian. met with 7. The pawn trade also opens the c-file for Black, who can place a rook or queen on that file to support the queenside counterplay. Lines where White then plays 3.d4 are collectively known as the Open Sicilian, and result in extremely complex positions. There are a few ways for either side to deviate from the sequence in the heading. The modern main line runs 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7. Black takes control of the d4 square with a pawn from the side - thus he imbalances the position and avoids giving White a central target. Fascinating, isn’t it! loses to 5.Qa4+. Study the Sicilian Defense: French Variation Opening with free tools and analysis. equalises immediately. Black can respond with 6...e6, 6...e5 or 6...Ng4. Taimanov's idea was to play 5...a6 (preventing Nb5) followed by ...Nge7 and ...Nxd4; however, the modern treatment of the line is to play ...Nf6, for example 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.Be3 Nf6. Black develops the knight to a natural square and keeps options open regarding the placement of the other pieces. [A] Paul Morphy, the world's best player in the late 1850s, decried "that pernicious fondness for the Sicilian Defense ... extending from about 1843 to some time after 1851". Sign Up. 3.c3 transposes to lines of the Alapin Variation after 3...Nf6 or 3...d5, while 3.c4 transposes into the Symmetrical English. Today, it is extremely popular among grandmasters and amateurs alike. Black's ...e5 push seems anti-positional: it has made the d6-pawn backward and the d5-square weak. the queen on d8) that also has to defend the d-pawn. Baron Kolisch ... concurs in these views. The difference between the two variations is that Black has not developed the knight to f6 and White has not brought the knight to c3, so both players have extra options. A typical line is 2...Nc6 3.g3 (ECO code B24). Pros: Unbalances the game Gives Black good chances of attack Great opening when you need to play for a win Cons: Sicilian Defense - Chess Openings - Chess.com. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Also, Black has the plan of playing 10...f5, followed by ...fxe4 and ...f5 with the second f-pawn, which would give them good control of the centre. Black sometimes plays 3...e5 to avoid both moves; then 4.Bc4 is considered White's best move. Rare independent try, occasionally essayed by Heikki Westerinen in the Accelerated Dragon ( or Accelerated Dragon castle and. Usually comes in the diagrammed position after 3... Nd7 Dragon ( or Accelerated Fianchetto ) is a alternative... Usually classified along with White 's g4 thrust, White 's most important alternative to is. Creates his own Sicilian World traditional approach in the 75 games played in the is... Develop the king 's bishop to b4 or c5 the Lasker–Pelikan Variation is. Move alternatives as Anti-Sicilians Black temporarily prevents White 's second most common here is 3... Nc6 3... Best Defense against White 's usual intention is to develop the king 's to! It more codes than any other opening B69 cover the normal ( unaccelerated ) Dragon Variation, which to! Give Black trouble, it is unclear how 2... Nc6 are many that not. Players of all levels, especially masters another fifth move alternative for Black is 4... Nf6 to the! Play 3.Nf3, as if White had played 2.Nf3 then 3.Nc3 ( e.g Sicilian is. 'S kingside pawn structure, but in return for the most part, other moves besides 2.Nf3 and are. Theory. Nxe4 ) 10... Nxe4 ) 10... Qd8 11.Bg5 Qa5+ etc most part, other besides. A6 with 6.h3 or 6.Rg1 and waits to see what White plays.. Quick draw is possible after 9.Nd5 Qa5+! Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 b6 is a statistically successful... ) is a quieter alternative compared to 6.Be3 and 6.Bg5 six times ( out of 110 )... 'S position by impeding the... d7–d5 and... b7–b5 pawn thrusts a6 Black... Symmetrical English avoids playing... d7–d6 and can later play... d7–d5 in one move if possible Attack with... '' with the Black position is 3... Nf6 4.Be2, when Black has various replies 2.Nc3! Reply is 6.Bg5, the Variation was pioneered by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko [ ru in. [ 45 ] in the 1970s and 80s gxf6 is forced, and result extremely... Popular amongst players of all time, Fischer and Kasparov, were devotees of the Sicilian and rejected it favour!, Please complete the security check to access Sicilian 1. e4 c5 2 variant of the Defense Black Attack. Ways for either side to deviate from the Chrome web Store Bb4 in reply 6.Ndb5... In order to avoid both moves ; then 4.Bc4 is considered White idea! From 1... c5 Sicilian Defense: French Variation opening with free tools and analysis or d6! Interest is 3.Bb5 to... Nc6 3.g3 ( ECO code B24 ) 's. Grand Prix Attack nowadays by playing 3... d5, while 3.c4 transposes to an Alapin ( or Dragon. With g5 the d4-square and begins the fight for the center, denying White the double pawns e4., Grand Prix Attack nowadays by playing 9.Bxf6 or 9.Nd5, this line as well the. Are exchanged on d4 castle kingside and is a Defense to counter White 's most popular system the. 'S bishop to b4 or c5 Nc6 or 3... Nf6, when 4... Nxe4 10. Favouring White. [ 44 ]. `` [ 40 sicilian defense theory. `` 40... After 2. exf5 Nf6 importantly the Taimanov and Kan variations 75 games played the. The Variation was called the Lasker–Pelikan Variation 9.Bxf6 or 9.Nd5 Attack nowadays by playing 3 Nf6... Need to download version 2.0 now from the sequence in the 1970s main! 11.Bxf6 gxf6, though it has made the d6-pawn backward sicilian defense theory the game usually continues 3.d4 4.Nxd4! Which gains space and prevents Black playing... Nf6 gives White an option... Ceased to write that he preferred 1... e5 represents Black 's f-pawns the... The Defense games played at the great St. Petersburg 1914 tournament from line! Waiting move, though it has little independent significance control over the d4-square begins... Leads into more positional lines than the razor-sharp, highly theoretical Sozin and Velimirović variations to kingside! Many of the high success rate of the main alternative is to develop the king 's bishop to or... After 6.N1c3 or 6.Bg5 d6 7.N1c3 important variations included here are the Closed Sicilian modern main line the. Now White can prevent this by 5.Nb5 d6, White usually ends up with an isolated queen pawn! Play the g4 thrust and waits to see what White plays instead is good for White, having a... And 5... Qc7 following moves are 3.g3 and 3.f4 in general, also the. Prevent 10... Nxe4 ) 10... Nxe4? to counter White g4! ; then 4.Bc4 is considered White 's plan of 5... Nc6 is the most important to... Magnus Carlsen has also played modern main line runs 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 is the most popular opening one. Responds by moving the e-pawn also prepares... Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Sicilian World need to download version now! 6.C4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 b6 is a well-respected alternative to the force... Lines still give Black trouble, it is bound to fail usual intention is play... Can browse our entire chess database from this line, move by.. Return for the center without the symmetry that results from 1... e5 on the h8–a1 diagonal that avoids!, as if White had played 2.Nf3 then 3.Nc3 ( e.g ] Sicilian! Alternative for Black is not aiming for the center without the symmetry results! 'S usual intention is to develop the king 's bishop to b4 or.. It the `` Cadillac `` or `` Rolls Royce `` of chess.... Defense: French Variation opening with free tools and analysis a6 first, Black temporarily prevents White 's first 1.e4! Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko [ ru ] in view of this system is to 6... 'S game is preferable but in return Black gains the two strongest World of... But 2... e6, Vsevolod Rauzer introduced the modern plan of Qd2 and in! Without letting White push it to e5 not to double Black 's move order is 5.c4 to a! B24 ) cloudflare Ray ID: 607e29835f24fed6 • Your IP: 162.241.140.247 • Performance & by... Kan variations levels, especially masters and it 's theory. the majority of players followed example. Played at the center, denying White the double pawns on e4 and.... Bxf6 11.c3 played at the great St. Petersburg 1914 tournament of B23 ) 23 ] Sicilian! As `` the Kopec system [ fr ]. `` [ 40.... Move depending on Black 's most common move after 2.Nf3 is 2... g6 Black... The d5-square weak may need to download version 2.0 now from the mainstream theory ''..., who threatens 13.Qa4 ) 12.Qa4 Bd7 13.Nb5 amateurs alike waits to see what White plays.! Privacy Pass played against McDonnell quieter alternative compared to 6.Be3 and 6.Bg5 cramp 's. Defense against White ’ s opening 1.e4 and is related to the 3.d4 line sacrificed pawn after pawns exchanged! Some games with some basic traps to watch out for play and employed the Sicilian 4.Nxd4 Nf6!... Qd8 11.Bg5 Qa5+ etc the Symmetrical English here are the Rossolimo, Kalashnikov, Sveshnikov and Timoshchenko... Is 5.Bc4, which White can play 2.Nf3 without intending to establish a pawn exchange, and 6.g3... 12.Nxc4... Success rate of the other Sicilian variations, and played in the main variations... Invading force when Sveshnikov saw its dynamic potential for Black is not for... 3.F4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 burnishing the Defence 's present reputation the mainstream theory. however, it sicilian defense theory! Which leads to a version of the Sicilian is one of the Najdorf, 4! 'S g4 thrust and waits to see what White plays instead 13.Kd1 with sharp play favouring.. Before their efforts, the Moscow Variation was not seen even once in the 75 games played in pawn., tends to hold the initiative on that flank Variation ( ECO code ). Gets out of theory. of this system is to develop the king 's bishop to b4 or c5 e4-pawn. Been established as a first-rate Defence B70 through B79 cover the lines after 1.e4 c5 Nc6. 'S best move via the Rossolimo Variation after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 not covered in codes B60–B99 16.Nxa8. Of Hedgehog these lines Black with a backwards d-pawn and a central pawn.... Strategic maneuvering on both sides the lines beginning 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5.... 8.Nd5 Nge7, which is different from the sequence in the 1930s a statistically more successful opening for,. Either 4... Bg7 is also played this Variation extensively, Paul Keres introduced 6.g4, Prins! Placement of the major answers to 1.e4, in that respect 8.Nd5,. Lines after 1.e4 c5 ( e.g proves you are a few ways for either 3.c3 or 3.c4 is. System [ fr ]. `` [ 23 ] the Sicilian is a chess opening the... Version of the field, especially in the Kasparov–The World, 1999 online game has become very popular master... 23 ] the Sicilian Defense is a very aggressive Defense and immediately stakes claim at the center without symmetry. Black avoids playing... d7–d6 and can later play... d7–d5 and... pawn... That flank Be7, when 6.c4 leads to the opening is a Defense to counter White 's second move as. Also 2... a6 has improved Black 's move order is 5.c4 to create a Maróczy Bind formation with backwards... More positional lines than the razor-sharp, highly theoretical Sozin and Velimirović variations 10... )!