The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. Opening 1.d4 is a statistically more successful opening for White because of the high success rate of the Sicilian defence against 1.e4.[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.[2]
17% of all games between grandmasters, and 25% of the games in the Chess Informant database, begin with the Sicilian.[3]
GrandmasterJohn Nunn attributes the Sicilian Defence's popularity to its "combative nature": "in many lines Black is playing not just for equality, but for the advantage. The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative, so Black has to take care not to fall victim to a quick attack."[4] Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson considered why the Sicilian is the most successful response to 1.e4, even though 1...c5 develops no pieces and the pawn on c5 controls only d4 and b4. Rowson writes:
To my mind there is quite a straightforward explanation. To profit from the initiative granted by the first move, White has to make use of his opportunity to do something before Black has an equal number of opportunities of his own. However, to do this, he has to make "contact" with the black position. The first point of contact usually comes in the form of a pawn exchange, which leads to the opening of the position. ... So the thought behind 1...c5 is this: "OK, I'll let you open the position, and develop your pieces aggressively, but at a price – you have to give me one of your center pawns."
— Jonathan Rowson, Chess for Zebras: Thinking Differently About Black and White[1]
The earliest recorded notes on the Sicilian Defence date back to the late 16th century by the Italian chess players Giulio Polerio and Gioachino Greco.[5][6]
By advancing the c-pawn two squares, Black asserts control over the d4-square and begins the fight for the centre of the board. The move resembles 1…e5, the next most common response to 1.e4, in that respect. Unlike 1...e5, however, 1...c5 breaks the symmetry of the position, which strongly influences both players' future actions. White, having pushed a kingside pawn, tends to hold the initiative on that side of the board. However, 1...c5 does little for Black's development, unlike moves such as 1...e5, 1...g6, or 1...Nc6, which either develop a minor piece or prepare to do so. In many variations of the Sicilian, Black makes a number of further pawn moves in the opening (for example, ...d6, ...e6, ...a6, and ...b5). Consequently, White often obtains a substantial lead in development and dangerous attacking chances.
Meanwhile, advancing a queenside pawn has given Black a spatial advantage there and provides a basis for future operations on that flank. Often, Black's c5-pawn is traded for White's d4-pawn in the early stages of the game, granting Black a central pawn majority. 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. In many variations, White castles queenside to exploit attacking chances on the kingside at the cost of moving his king to the flank where Black has a spatial advantage.[citation needed]
HistoryEdit
The Sicilian Defence was analysed by Giulio Polerio in his 1594 manuscript on chess,[7] though he did not use the term 'Sicilian Defence'.[8] 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 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."[9]
In 1813, the English master Jacob Henry Sarratt effectively standardised his English translation of the name of this opening as 'the Sicilian Defence', referring to an old Italian manuscript that used the phrase il gioco siciliano ('the Sicilian game').[10] 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. In the ninth edition of Modern Chess Openings, Walter Korn noted that the Sicilian "received three of its earliest practical tests, and a big boost in popularity, in the 1834 La Bourdonnais – McDonnell chess matches, 1843 Staunton–St. Amant match, and the London 1851 chess tournament."[11] 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'."[12]
The opening fell out of favour in the later part of the nineteenth century, when some of the world's leading players rejected it.[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".[13]Wilhelm Steinitz, the first World Champion, also disliked the Sicilian and rejected it in favour of 1...e5.[B][14] The death of the opening's two greatest proponents, Staunton and Anderssen, in 1874 and 1879 respectively, also contributed to its decline. It has been said that "these losses almost dealt a knockout blow to the Sicilian because it took a long time to find such important figures to carry the Sicilian's standard."[15]George H. D. Gossip, in The Chess Player's Manual, first published in 1874, wrote, "Of late years ... discoveries have been made which have the effect of considerably strengthening White's attack, and the 'Sicilian' is now considered by most modern authorities to be a comparatively weak mode of play."[16]Freeborough and Ranken, in their treatise Chess Openings: Ancient and Modern (1889, 1896), wrote that the Sicilian "had at one time the reputation of being the best reply to 1.P-K4 [1. e4], but this has not been confirmed by popular practice. Several eminent players have, however, held to the opinion that it is quite trustworthy."[17][18]
The Sicilian continued to be shunned by most leading players at the start of the twentieth century, as 1...e5 held centre stage. José Raúl Capablanca, the World Champion from 1921 to 1927, famously denounced it as an opening where "Black's game is full of holes".[19] Similarly, James Mason wrote, "Fairly tried and found wanting, the Sicilian has now scarcely any standing as a first-class defence. ... [It] is too defensive. There are too many holes created in the Pawn line. Command of the field, especially in the centre, is too readily given over to the invading force."[20]Siegbert Tarrasch wrote that 1...c5 "is certainly not strictly correct, for it does nothing toward development and merely attempts to render difficult the building up of a centre by the first player. ... The Sicilian Defence is excellent for a strong player who is prepared to take risks to force a win against an inferior opponent. Against best play, however, it is bound to fail."[21] The Sicilian was not seen even once in the 75 games played at the great St. Petersburg 1914 tournament.[22]
Nonetheless, some leading players, such as Emanuel Lasker (World Champion from 1894 to 1921), Frank Marshall, Savielly Tartakower, and Aron Nimzowitsch, and later Max Euwe (World Champion from 1935 to 1937) played the Sicilian.[23] Even Capablanca[24][25] and Tarrasch,[26] despite their critical comments, occasionally played the opening. It was played six times (out of 110 games) at New York 1924.[27] The following year, the authors of Modern Chess Openings (4th edition) wrote, "The Sicilian has claims to be considered as the best of the irregular defences to 1.P-K4 at Black's disposal, and has been practised with satisfactory results by the leading players of the day."[C] In this period Black's approach was usually slow and positional, and the all-out attacks by White that became common after World War II had not yet been developed.[28]
The fortunes of the Sicilian were further revived in the 1940s and 1950s by players such as Isaac Boleslavsky, Alexander Kotov, and Miguel Najdorf. 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. How can it be good? Yet, the brilliant wins by White are matched by equally brilliant wins by Black; time and again the Black structure has been able to take everything and come back for more."[D] Later, Bent Larsen, Ljubomir Ljubojević, Lev Polugaevsky, Leonid Stein, Mark Taimanov, and Mikhail Tal all made extensive contributions to the theory and practice of the defence. Through the efforts of world champions Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov, the Sicilian Defence became recognised as the defence that offered Black the most winning chances against 1.e4. Both players favoured sharp, aggressive play and employed the Sicilian almost exclusively throughout their careers, burnishing the defence's present reputation. Today, most leading grandmasters include the Sicilian in their opening repertoire. In 1990, the authors of Modern Chess Openings (13th edition) noted that "in the twentieth century the Sicilian has become the most played and most analysed opening at both the club and master levels."[29] In 1965, in the tenth edition of that book, grandmaster Larry Evans observed that "The Sicilian is Black's most dynamic, asymmetrical reply to 1.P-K4. 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."[30]
Open Sicilian: 2.Nf3 and 3.d4 Edit
About 80% of Master-level games beginning 1.e4 c5 continue with 2.Nf3, after which there are three main options for Black: 2...d6, 2...Nc6, and 2...e6. Lines where White then plays 3.d4 are collectively known as the Open Sicilian, and result in open, extremely complex positions. White has a lead in development and extra kingside space, which White can use to begin a kingside attack. This is counterbalanced by Black's central pawn majority, created by the trade of White's d-pawn for Black's c-pawn, and the open c-file, which Black uses to generate queenside counterplay and even a queenside attack if White decides to castle there.
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2.Nf3 e6
2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3Edit
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Position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3
Black's most common move after 2.Nf3 is 2...d6 which prepares ...Nf6 to attack the e-pawn without letting White push it to e5. The game usually continues 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3. Black can then choose between four major variations: the Najdorf (5...a6), Dragon (5...g6), Classical (5...Nc6), and Scheveningen (5...e6). The rare Kupreichik Variation (5...Bd7) may transpose to one of the more common variations such as the Classical or Dragon, but it may also lead to a number of independent lines.
There are a few ways for either side to deviate from the sequence in the heading. After 3...cxd4, White occasionally plays 4.Qxd4, the Chekhover Variation, intending to meet 4...Nc6 with 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6, when White hopes that the lead in development compensates for Black's bishop pair. Another unusual sideline is 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3!?, the Prins Variation, which by delaying Nc3 maintains the option of setting up a Maróczy Bind formation with a later c2-c4. Black can avoid the Prins Variation by playing 3...Nf6, when 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 transposes to main lines. However, 3...Nf6 gives White an extra option in 4.dxc5!?, when Black can play either 4...Nxe4 or 4...Qa5+. 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.
The Najdorf Variation is Black's most popular system in the Sicilian Defence. Najdorf's intention with 5...a6 was to prepare ...e5 on the next move to gain space in the centre. The immediate 5...e5?! is met by 6.Bb5+!, when Black must either play 6...Bd7 or 6...Nbd7. 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. In both cases, White's game is preferable.
Thus, by playing 5...a6, Black deprives White of the check on b5, so that ...e5 might be possible next move. 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. This plan of 5...a6 followed by ...e5 represents Black's traditional approach in the Najdorf Variation. Later, Garry Kasparov also adopted the 5...a6 move order, but with the idea of playing ...e6 rather than ...e5. Kasparov's point is that the immediate 5...e6 (the Scheveningen Variation, discussed below) allows 6.g4, which is White's most dangerous line against the Scheveningen. By playing 5...a6 first, Black temporarily prevents White's g4 thrust and waits to see what White plays instead. Often, play will eventually transpose to the Scheveningen Variation.
Currently, White's most popular weapon against the Najdorf is 6.Be3. This is called the English Attack, because it was popularized by English grandmasters Murray Chandler, John Nunn and Nigel Short in the 1980s. White's idea is to play f3, Qd2, 0-0-0 and g4 in some order. Black can respond with 6...e6, 6...e5 or 6...Ng4. A related attacking idea for White is 6.Be3 e6 7.g4, known as the Hungarian Attack or Perenyi Attack.
The most popular response from Black after 6.Be3 is 6...e5, seizing quick initiative by threatening the d4-knight. From here, the white knight has two sensible retreats: a) 7.Nb3, the more popular approach, is met with 7...Be6, and Black develops normally (...Be7, ...Nbd7, ...Rc8, ...Qc7, ...0-0, ...b5). b) 7.Nf3 is less common as it delays the possibility of a kingside pawn storm, via f4 and f3 (supporting the advance of g4). Black meets 7.Nf3 with 7...Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bb3 Qc7, where he has achieved a comfortable position.
Formerly, 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 was the main line of the Najdorf, when White threatens to attack the pinned knight with 8.e5. Black can simply break the pin with 7...Be7, when White usually plays 8.Qf3 and 9.0-0-0. 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! 10.exf6 Qe5+ winning the bishop in return for the knight. A modern alternative to 6...e6 is 6...Nbd7.
White has other choices on the sixth move. 6.Be2 prepares to castle kingside and is a quieter alternative compared to 6.Be3 and 6.Bg5. 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. Other possibilities for White include 6.Bc4 (the Fischer–Sozin Attack), 6.f4, 6.f3, 6.g3, and 6.h3 (the Adams Attack, named after Weaver Adams), which was used several times by Bobby Fischer.
In the Dragon Variation, Black fianchettoes a bishop on the h8–a1 diagonal. It was named by Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky in 1901, who noticed a resemblance between Black's kingside pawn structure (pawns on d6, e7, f7, g6 and h7) and the stars of the Draco constellation.[31] White's most dangerous try against the Dragon is the Yugoslav Attack, characterised by 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6, when 9.0-0-0, 9.Bc4 and 9.g4 are White's most common moves. 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. White's most important alternative to the Yugoslav Attack is 6.Be2, the Classical Variation of the Dragon which leads to a less ferocious game.
This variation can arise from two different move orders: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6, or 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6. Unlike the other major variations considered in this section, Black defers the development of the king's bishop in favour of bringing out the queen's knight.
White's most common reply is 6.Bg5, the Richter–Rauzer Attack (ECO codes B60–B69). The move 6.Bg5 was Kurt Richter's invention, threatening to double Black's pawns after Bxf6 and forestalling the Dragon by rendering 6...g6 unplayable. After 6...e6, Vsevolod Rauzer introduced the modern plan of Qd2 and 0-0-0 in the 1930s. White's pressure on the d6-pawn often compels Black to respond to Bxf6 with ...gxf6, rather than recapturing with a piece (e.g. the queen on d8) that also has to defend the d-pawn. This weakens Black's kingside pawn structure, but in return Black gains the two bishops and a central pawn majority.
Another variation is 6.Bc4, the Sozin Variation (ECO code B57). It brings the bishop to an aggressive square. Black usually plays 6...e6 (ECO B88 transposed) to limit the range of White's bishop, but White can eventually put pressure on the e6-pawn by pushing the f-pawn to f5 (pawn-based attack beginning with f4). White can either castle kingside with 7.Bb3 a6 8.0-0 (the Fischer–Sozin Attack, named after Bobby Fischer and Russian master Veniamin Sozin, who originated it in the 1930s), or queenside with 7.Be3 Be7 (or 7...a6) 8.Qe2 and 9.0-0-0 (the Velimirović Attack). Instead of 6...e6, Black can also try Benko's move 6...Qb6, which forces White to make a decision over the d4-knight. This typically leads into more positional lines than the razor-sharp, highly theoretical Sozin and Velimirović variations.
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. 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. Black can also transpose to the Scheveningen Variation with 6...e6; or to the Classical Variation of the Dragon with 6...g6. Other responses by White to the Classical include 6.Be3, 6.f3, and 6.g3.
In the Scheveningen Variation, Black is content to place the e-pawn on e6, where it guards the d5-square, rather than play the space-gaining ...e5. Moving the e-pawn also prepares ...Be7 followed by kingside castling. In view of this, Paul Keres introduced 6.g4, the Keres Attack, in 1943. White intends to drive away the black knight with g5. 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. If the complications after 6.g4 are not to White's taste, a major alternative is 6.Be2, a typical line being 6...a6 (this position can be reached from the Najdorf via 5...a6 6.Be2 e6) 7.0-0 Be7 8.f4 0-0. 6.Be3 and 6.f4 are also common.
While theory indicates that Black can hold the balance in the Keres Attack, players today often prefer to avoid it by playing 5...a6 first, an idea popularized by Kasparov. However, if determined to play the g4 thrust, White can prepare it by responding to 5...a6 with 6.h3 or 6.Rg1.
2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4Edit
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Position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4
2...Nc6 is a natural developing move and also prepares ...Nf6 (like 2...d6, Black stops White from replying e5). After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Black's most common move is 4...Nf6. Other important moves are 4...e6 (transposing to the Taimanov Variation), 4...g6 (the Accelerated Dragon) and 4...e5 (the Kalashnikov Variation). Less common choices include 4...Qc7, which may later transpose to the Taimanov Variation, 4...Qb6, the Grivas Variation, and 4...d6.
The Sveshnikov Variation was pioneered by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko [ru] in the 1970s. Before their efforts, the variation was called the Lasker–Pelikan Variation. Emanuel Lasker played it once in his world championship match against Carl Schlechter, and Jorge Pelikan played it a few times in the 1950s, but Sveshnikov's treatment of the variation was the key to its revitalization. The move 5...e5 seems anti-positional as it leaves Black with a backwards d-pawn and a weakness on d5. Also, Black would have to accept the doubled f-pawns in the main line of the opening. The opening was popularised when Sveshnikov saw its dynamic potential for Black in the 1970s and 80s. Today, it is extremely popular among grandmasters and amateurs alike. Though some lines still give Black trouble, it has been established as a first-rate defence. The main line after 5...e5 runs as follows:
6. Ndb5
The theoretically critical move, threatening Nd6+. All other moves are considered to allow Black easy equality. 6.Nxc6?![32] is usually met by 6...bxc6, when Black's extra pawn in the centre gives good play; alternatively, even 6...dxc6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 is sufficient for equality.[33] 6.Nb3 and 6.Nf3 can be well met by 6...Bb4, threatening to win White's pawn on e4.[34] 6.Nf5 allows 6...d5! 7.exd5 Bxf5 8.dxc6 bxc6 9.Qf3 Qd7.[35] 6.Nde2 can be met by either 6...Bc5 or 6...Bb4.[36]
6...d6
Black does not allow 7.Nd6+ Bxd6 8.Qxd6, when White's pair of bishops give them the advantage.
7. Bg5
White gets ready to eliminate the knight on f6, further weakening Black's control over the d5-square. A less common alternative is 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8 (or 8...Ne7), when White will try to exploit the queenside pawn majority, while Black will seek counterplay on the kingside.
7...a6
Black forces White's knight back to a3.
8. Na3
The immediate 8.Bxf6 forces 8...gxf6, when after 9.Na3, Black can transpose into the main line with 9...b5 or deviate with 9...f5!?
8...b5!
8...b5 was Sveshnikov's innovation, controlling c4 and threatening ...b4 forking White's knights. Previously, Black played 8...Be6 (the Bird Variation), which allowed the a3-knight to return to life with 9.Nc4. The entire variation up to 8...b5 is referred to as the Chelyabinsk Variation. It can also be reached from the alternate move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bf4 e5 8.Bg5 a6 9.Na3 b5, which is one move longer. (That alternative move order gives White other alternatives, including 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Ne4, intending c4, and the gambit 6.Be2 Bb4 7.0-0!?, allowing ...Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nxe4.) The move numbers in the following discussion are based on the move order given in bold.
The Sveshnikov Variation has become very popular in master level chess. Black's ...e5 push seems anti-positional: it has made the d6-pawn backward and the d5-square weak. However, in return, Black gets a foothold in the centre and gains time on White's knight, which has been driven to the edge of the board on a3. Top players who have used this variation include Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik, Veselin Topalov, Teimour Radjabov, Boris Gelfand, Michael Adams and Alexander Khalifman, among many others.
In the diagrammed position after 8...b5, White usually parries the threat of ...b4 by playing 9.Bxf6 or 9.Nd5. After 9.Bxf6, 9...Qxf6?! 10.Nd5 Qd8 fails to 11.c4 b4 (11...bxc4 12.Nxc4 is good for White, who threatens 13.Qa4) 12.Qa4 Bd7 13.Nb5! axb5 14.Qxa8 Qxa8 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 and the knight escapes via b6. Thus 9...gxf6 is forced, and White continues 10.Nd5. White's powerful knight on d5 and Black's shattered kingside pawn structure are compensated by Black's bishop pair and White's offside knight on a3. 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. An alternative plan is to play 10...Bg7 followed by ...Ne7 to immediately trade off White's powerful knight; this line is known as the Novosibirsk Variation.
Instead of 9.Bxf6, White can also play 9.Nd5, which usually leads to quieter play. White decides not to double Black's f-pawns and the game often continues 9...Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3. This allows White to maintain the knight on d5 by trading off Black's knight on f6, and prepares to bring the knight on a3 back into play with the manoeuvre Na3–c2–e3. Another line is 10.Nxe7 Nxe7! (fighting for control of d5 and not fearing the doubled pawns) 11.Bxf6 gxf6. 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. A quick draw is possible after 9.Nd5 Qa5+!? 10.Bd2 (in order to prevent 10...Nxe4) 10...Qd8 11.Bg5 Qa5+ etc. In order to avoid this, White can play 11.Nxf6+ or 11.c4.
Like the standard Dragon Variation, Black develops the bishop to g7 in the Accelerated Dragon. The difference is that Black avoids playing ...d7–d6 and can later play ...d7–d5 in one move if possible. 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! equalises immediately. When White does play 5.Nc3, it is usually with the idea of continuing 5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 (forestalling any tricks involving ...Nxe4 and ...d5), followed by kingside castling.
The critical test of Black's move order is 5.c4, the Maróczy Bind. White hopes to cramp Black's position by impeding the ...d7–d5 and ...b7–b5 pawn thrusts. Generally, this line is less tactical than many of the other Sicilian variations, and play involves much strategic maneuvering on both sides. After 5.c4, the main line runs 5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 and now 7...0-0 or 7...Ng4 is most frequently played.
The Kalashnikov Variation (ECO code B32)[37] is a close relative of the Sveshnikov Variation, and is sometimes known as the Neo-Sveshnikov. 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. These earlier games focused on the Löwenthal Variation (similar to the Kalashnikov but the reply to 5.Nb5 is 5...a6) with 4...e5 5.Nb5 a6 6.Nd6+ Bxd6 7.Qxd6 Qf6, where Black gives up the two bishops to achieve a lead in development. The move fell out of use, however, once it was determined that White kept the advantage in these lines. Another fifth move alternative for Black is 5...Nf6, which can transpose into the Sveshnikov Variation after 6.N1c3 or 6.Bg5 d6 7.N1c3.
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. The ideas in this line are similar to those in the Sveshnikov – Black accepts a backward pawn on d6 and weakens the d5-square but gains time by chasing the knight. 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. Black may forego ...Nf6 in favour of ...Ne7, e.g. after 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5 Nge7, which avoids White's plan of Bg5 and Bxf6 to inflict doubled f-pawns on Black. Or, Black can delay bringing out the knight in favour of playing ...Be7–g5 or a quick ...f5. On the other hand, White has the option of 6.c4—the Maróczy Bind—which solidifies control of d5 and clamps down on ...b5, but leaves the d4-square slightly weak.
2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4Edit
Black's move 2...e6 gives priority to developing the dark-squared bishop. After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Black has three main moves: 4...Nc6 (the Taimanov Variation), 4...a6 (the Kan Variation) and 4...Nf6. After 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 (not 5.e5? Qa5+), Black can transpose to the Scheveningen Variation with 5...d6, play 5...Nc6, the Four Knights Variation or 5...Bb4, the Pin Variation.
Named after Mark Taimanov, the Taimanov Variation can be reached through 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 or 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6. Black develops the knight to a natural square and keeps options open regarding the placement of the other pieces. One of the ideas of this system is to develop the king's bishop to b4 or c5. White can prevent this by 5.Nb5 d6, when 6.c4 leads to a version of the Maróczy Bind favoured by Karpov. The resulting position after 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 b6 is a type of Hedgehog.
The Kasparov Gambit 8...d5 was played twice in the World Chess Championship 1985, but virtually disappeared from master praxis after the game Karpov–Van der Wiel, Brussels (SWIFT) 1986.
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). Independent moves for Black are 5...Qc7 and 5...a6, with the former being the more usual move order seen in recent years, as after 5...a6, the continuation 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3, despite its apparent simplicity, has given Black difficulties in reaching equality. 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.
Kan (Paulsen) Variation: 4...a6 Edit
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sicilian, defence, alan, parsons, project, album, album, chess, opening, that, begins, with, following, moves, abcdefgh8877665544332211abcdefghmoves1, c5ecob20, b99origingiulio, cesare, polerio, 1594named, aftersicilyparentking, pawn, game, c5the, sicilian, mo. For The Alan Parsons Project album see The Sicilian Defence album The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the following moves Sicilian Defenceabcdefgh8877665544332211abcdefghMoves1 e4 c5ECOB20 B99OriginGiulio Cesare Polerio 1594Named afterSicilyParentKing s Pawn Game 1 e4 c5The Sicilian is the most popular and best scoring response to White s first move 1 e4 Opening 1 d4 is a statistically more successful opening for White because of the high success rate of the Sicilian defence against 1 e4 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 2 17 of all games between grandmasters and 25 of the games in the Chess Informant database begin with the Sicilian 3 Grandmaster John Nunn attributes the Sicilian Defence s popularity to its combative nature in many lines Black is playing not just for equality but for the advantage The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative so Black has to take care not to fall victim to a quick attack 4 Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson considered why the Sicilian is the most successful response to 1 e4 even though 1 c5 develops no pieces and the pawn on c5 controls only d4 and b4 Rowson writes To my mind there is quite a straightforward explanation To profit from the initiative granted by the first move White has to make use of his opportunity to do something before Black has an equal number of opportunities of his own However to do this he has to make contact with the black position The first point of contact usually comes in the form of a pawn exchange which leads to the opening of the position So the thought behind 1 c5 is this OK I ll let you open the position and develop your pieces aggressively but at a price you have to give me one of your center pawns Jonathan Rowson Chess for Zebras Thinking Differently About Black and White 1 The earliest recorded notes on the Sicilian Defence date back to the late 16th century by the Italian chess players Giulio Polerio and Gioachino Greco 5 6 Contents 1 General concepts 2 History 3 Open Sicilian 2 Nf3 and 3 d4 3 1 2 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 3 1 1 Najdorf Variation 5 a6 3 1 2 Dragon Variation 5 g6 3 1 3 Classical Variation 5 Nc6 3 1 4 Scheveningen Variation 5 e6 3 2 2 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 3 2 1 Sveshnikov Variation 4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 3 2 2 Accelerated Dragon 4 g6 3 2 3 Kalashnikov Variation 4 e5 5 Nb5 d6 3 3 2 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 3 3 1 Taimanov Variation 4 Nc6 3 3 2 Kan Paulsen Variation 4 a6 3 3 3 Four Knights Variation 4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 3 3 4 Pin Variation 4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Bb4 4 2 Nf3 without 3 d4 White s third move alternatives 4 1 2 d6 without 3 d4 4 1 1 Moscow Variation 3 Bb5 4 1 2 Others 4 2 2 Nc6 without 3 d4 4 2 1 Rossolimo Variation 3 Bb5 4 2 2 Others 4 3 2 e6 without 3 d4 4 4 3 Bd3 5 2 Nf3 Black s second move alternatives 5 1 Hyper Accelerated Dragon 2 g6 5 2 O Kelly Variation 2 a6 5 3 Nimzowitsch Rubinstein Variation 2 Nf6 5 4 Others 6 Closed Sicilian 2 Nc3 7 White s second move alternatives 7 1 Alapin Variation 2 c3 7 2 Grand Prix Attack 2 f4 7 3 Smith Morra Gambit 2 d4 cxd4 3 c3 7 4 Other moves 8 ECO codes 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Further readingThis article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves General concepts EditBy advancing the c pawn two squares Black asserts control over the d4 square and begins the fight for the centre of the board The move resembles 1 e5 the next most common response to 1 e4 in that respect Unlike 1 e5 however 1 c5 breaks the symmetry of the position which strongly influences both players future actions White having pushed a kingside pawn tends to hold the initiative on that side of the board However 1 c5 does little for Black s development unlike moves such as 1 e5 1 g6 or 1 Nc6 which either develop a minor piece or prepare to do so In many variations of the Sicilian Black makes a number of further pawn moves in the opening for example d6 e6 a6 and b5 Consequently White often obtains a substantial lead in development and dangerous attacking chances Meanwhile advancing a queenside pawn has given Black a spatial advantage there and provides a basis for future operations on that flank Often Black s c5 pawn is traded for White s d4 pawn in the early stages of the game granting Black a central pawn majority 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 In many variations White castles queenside to exploit attacking chances on the kingside at the cost of moving his king to the flank where Black has a spatial advantage citation needed History EditThe Sicilian Defence was analysed by Giulio Polerio in his 1594 manuscript on chess 7 though he did not use the term Sicilian Defence 8 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 great French player and theoretician Andre 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 9 In 1813 the English master Jacob Henry Sarratt effectively standardised his English translation of the name of this opening as the Sicilian Defence referring to an old Italian manuscript that used the phrase il gioco siciliano the Sicilian game 10 The Sicilian was fairly popular for much of the nineteenth century Louis Charles Mahe de La Bourdonnais Adolf Anderssen Howard Staunton Louis Paulsen and Carl Jaenisch all played it with some consistency In the ninth edition of Modern Chess Openings Walter Korn noted that the Sicilian received three of its earliest practical tests and a big boost in popularity in the 1834 La Bourdonnais McDonnell chess matches 1843 Staunton St Amant match and the London 1851 chess tournament 11 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 12 The opening fell out of favour in the later part of the nineteenth century when some of the world s leading players rejected it 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 13 Wilhelm Steinitz the first World Champion also disliked the Sicilian and rejected it in favour of 1 e5 B 14 The death of the opening s two greatest proponents Staunton and Anderssen in 1874 and 1879 respectively also contributed to its decline It has been said that these losses almost dealt a knockout blow to the Sicilian because it took a long time to find such important figures to carry the Sicilian s standard 15 George H D Gossip in The Chess Player s Manual first published in 1874 wrote Of late years discoveries have been made which have the effect of considerably strengthening White s attack and the Sicilian is now considered by most modern authorities to be a comparatively weak mode of play 16 Freeborough and Ranken in their treatise Chess Openings Ancient and Modern 1889 1896 wrote that the Sicilian had at one time the reputation of being the best reply to 1 P K4 1 e4 but this has not been confirmed by popular practice Several eminent players have however held to the opinion that it is quite trustworthy 17 18 The Sicilian continued to be shunned by most leading players at the start of the twentieth century as 1 e5 held centre stage Jose Raul Capablanca the World Champion from 1921 to 1927 famously denounced it as an opening where Black s game is full of holes 19 Similarly James Mason wrote Fairly tried and found wanting the Sicilian has now scarcely any standing as a first class defence It is too defensive There are too many holes created in the Pawn line Command of the field especially in the centre is too readily given over to the invading force 20 Siegbert Tarrasch wrote that 1 c5 is certainly not strictly correct for it does nothing toward development and merely attempts to render difficult the building up of a centre by the first player The Sicilian Defence is excellent for a strong player who is prepared to take risks to force a win against an inferior opponent Against best play however it is bound to fail 21 The Sicilian was not seen even once in the 75 games played at the great St Petersburg 1914 tournament 22 Nonetheless some leading players such as Emanuel Lasker World Champion from 1894 to 1921 Frank Marshall Savielly Tartakower and Aron Nimzowitsch and later Max Euwe World Champion from 1935 to 1937 played the Sicilian 23 Even Capablanca 24 25 and Tarrasch 26 despite their critical comments occasionally played the opening It was played six times out of 110 games at New York 1924 27 The following year the authors of Modern Chess Openings 4th edition wrote The Sicilian has claims to be considered as the best of the irregular defences to 1 P K4 at Black s disposal and has been practised with satisfactory results by the leading players of the day C In this period Black s approach was usually slow and positional and the all out attacks by White that became common after World War II had not yet been developed 28 The fortunes of the Sicilian were further revived in the 1940s and 1950s by players such as Isaac Boleslavsky Alexander Kotov and Miguel Najdorf 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 How can it be good Yet the brilliant wins by White are matched by equally brilliant wins by Black time and again the Black structure has been able to take everything and come back for more D Later Bent Larsen Ljubomir Ljubojevic Lev Polugaevsky Leonid Stein Mark Taimanov and Mikhail Tal all made extensive contributions to the theory and practice of the defence Through the efforts of world champions Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov the Sicilian Defence became recognised as the defence that offered Black the most winning chances against 1 e4 Both players favoured sharp aggressive play and employed the Sicilian almost exclusively throughout their careers burnishing the defence s present reputation Today most leading grandmasters include the Sicilian in their opening repertoire In 1990 the authors of Modern Chess Openings 13th edition noted that in the twentieth century the Sicilian has become the most played and most analysed opening at both the club and master levels 29 In 1965 in the tenth edition of that book grandmaster Larry Evans observed that The Sicilian is Black s most dynamic asymmetrical reply to 1 P K4 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 30 Open Sicilian 2 Nf3 and 3 d4 EditAbout 80 of Master level games beginning 1 e4 c5 continue with 2 Nf3 after which there are three main options for Black 2 d6 2 Nc6 and 2 e6 Lines where White then plays 3 d4 are collectively known as the Open Sicilian and result in open extremely complex positions White has a lead in development and extra kingside space which White can use to begin a kingside attack This is counterbalanced by Black s central pawn majority created by the trade of White s d pawn for Black s c pawn and the open c file which Black uses to generate queenside counterplay and even a queenside attack if White decides to castle there abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefgh2 Nf3 d6 abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefgh2 Nf3 Nc6 abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefgh2 Nf3 e6 2 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghPosition after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Black s most common move after 2 Nf3 is 2 d6 which prepares Nf6 to attack the e pawn without letting White push it to e5 The game usually continues 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Black can then choose between four major variations the Najdorf 5 a6 Dragon 5 g6 Classical 5 Nc6 and Scheveningen 5 e6 The rare Kupreichik Variation 5 Bd7 may transpose to one of the more common variations such as the Classical or Dragon but it may also lead to a number of independent lines There are a few ways for either side to deviate from the sequence in the heading After 3 cxd4 White occasionally plays 4 Qxd4 the Chekhover Variation intending to meet 4 Nc6 with 5 Bb5 Bd7 6 Bxc6 when White hopes that the lead in development compensates for Black s bishop pair Another unusual sideline is 3 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 f3 the Prins Variation which by delaying Nc3 maintains the option of setting up a Maroczy Bind formation with a later c2 c4 Black can avoid the Prins Variation by playing 3 Nf6 when 4 Nc3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 transposes to main lines However 3 Nf6 gives White an extra option in 4 dxc5 when Black can play either 4 Nxe4 or 4 Qa5 White could also protect the pawn on e4 with 5 Bd3 which also allows the option of setting up a Maroczy Bind formation with a later c2 c4 or interpose a check with 5 Bb5 Nbd7 6 Bd3 or 5 Bb5 Bd7 6 Bxd7 Nbxd7 Najdorf Variation 5 a6 Edit Main article Sicilian Defence Najdorf Variation abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghNajdorf Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 The Najdorf Variation is Black s most popular system in the Sicilian Defence Najdorf s intention with 5 a6 was to prepare e5 on the next move to gain space in the centre The immediate 5 e5 is met by 6 Bb5 when Black must either play 6 Bd7 or 6 Nbd7 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 In both cases White s game is preferable Thus by playing 5 a6 Black deprives White of the check on b5 so that e5 might be possible next move 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 This plan of 5 a6 followed by e5 represents Black s traditional approach in the Najdorf Variation Later Garry Kasparov also adopted the 5 a6 move order but with the idea of playing e6 rather than e5 Kasparov s point is that the immediate 5 e6 the Scheveningen Variation discussed below allows 6 g4 which is White s most dangerous line against the Scheveningen By playing 5 a6 first Black temporarily prevents White s g4 thrust and waits to see what White plays instead Often play will eventually transpose to the Scheveningen Variation Currently White s most popular weapon against the Najdorf is 6 Be3 This is called the English Attack because it was popularized by English grandmasters Murray Chandler John Nunn and Nigel Short in the 1980s White s idea is to play f3 Qd2 0 0 0 and g4 in some order Black can respond with 6 e6 6 e5 or 6 Ng4 A related attacking idea for White is 6 Be3 e6 7 g4 known as the Hungarian Attack or Perenyi Attack The most popular response from Black after 6 Be3 is 6 e5 seizing quick initiative by threatening the d4 knight From here the white knight has two sensible retreats a 7 Nb3 the more popular approach is met with 7 Be6 and Black develops normally Be7 Nbd7 Rc8 Qc7 0 0 b5 b 7 Nf3 is less common as it delays the possibility of a kingside pawn storm via f4 and f3 supporting the advance of g4 Black meets 7 Nf3 with 7 Be7 8 Bc4 0 0 9 0 0 Be6 10 Bb3 Qc7 where he has achieved a comfortable position Formerly 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 was the main line of the Najdorf when White threatens to attack the pinned knight with 8 e5 Black can simply break the pin with 7 Be7 when White usually plays 8 Qf3 and 9 0 0 0 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 10 exf6 Qe5 winning the bishop in return for the knight A modern alternative to 6 e6 is 6 Nbd7 White has other choices on the sixth move 6 Be2 prepares to castle kingside and is a quieter alternative compared to 6 Be3 and 6 Bg5 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 Other possibilities for White include 6 Bc4 the Fischer Sozin Attack 6 f4 6 f3 6 g3 and 6 h3 the Adams Attack named after Weaver Adams which was used several times by Bobby Fischer Dragon Variation 5 g6 Edit Main article Sicilian Defence Dragon Variation abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghDragon Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 In the Dragon Variation Black fianchettoes a bishop on the h8 a1 diagonal It was named by Fyodor Dus Chotimirsky in 1901 who noticed a resemblance between Black s kingside pawn structure pawns on d6 e7 f7 g6 and h7 and the stars of the Draco constellation 31 White s most dangerous try against the Dragon is the Yugoslav Attack characterised by 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 0 0 8 Qd2 Nc6 when 9 0 0 0 9 Bc4 and 9 g4 are White s most common moves 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 White s most important alternative to the Yugoslav Attack is 6 Be2 the Classical Variation of the Dragon which leads to a less ferocious game Classical Variation 5 Nc6 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghClassical Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 This variation can arise from two different move orders 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 or 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 d6 Unlike the other major variations considered in this section Black defers the development of the king s bishop in favour of bringing out the queen s knight White s most common reply is 6 Bg5 the Richter Rauzer Attack ECO codes B60 B69 The move 6 Bg5 was Kurt Richter s invention threatening to double Black s pawns after Bxf6 and forestalling the Dragon by rendering 6 g6 unplayable After 6 e6 Vsevolod Rauzer introduced the modern plan of Qd2 and 0 0 0 in the 1930s White s pressure on the d6 pawn often compels Black to respond to Bxf6 with gxf6 rather than recapturing with a piece e g the queen on d8 that also has to defend the d pawn This weakens Black s kingside pawn structure but in return Black gains the two bishops and a central pawn majority Another variation is 6 Bc4 the Sozin Variation ECO code B57 It brings the bishop to an aggressive square Black usually plays 6 e6 ECO B88 transposed to limit the range of White s bishop but White can eventually put pressure on the e6 pawn by pushing the f pawn to f5 pawn based attack beginning with f4 White can either castle kingside with 7 Bb3 a6 8 0 0 the Fischer Sozin Attack named after Bobby Fischer and Russian master Veniamin Sozin who originated it in the 1930s or queenside with 7 Be3 Be7 or 7 a6 8 Qe2 and 9 0 0 0 the Velimirovic Attack Instead of 6 e6 Black can also try Benko s move 6 Qb6 which forces White to make a decision over the d4 knight This typically leads into more positional lines than the razor sharp highly theoretical Sozin and Velimirovic variations 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 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 Black can also transpose to the Scheveningen Variation with 6 e6 or to the Classical Variation of the Dragon with 6 g6 Other responses by White to the Classical include 6 Be3 6 f3 and 6 g3 Scheveningen Variation 5 e6 Edit Main article Sicilian Defence Scheveningen Variation abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghScheveningen Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 In the Scheveningen Variation Black is content to place the e pawn on e6 where it guards the d5 square rather than play the space gaining e5 Moving the e pawn also prepares Be7 followed by kingside castling In view of this Paul Keres introduced 6 g4 the Keres Attack in 1943 White intends to drive away the black knight with g5 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 If the complications after 6 g4 are not to White s taste a major alternative is 6 Be2 a typical line being 6 a6 this position can be reached from the Najdorf via 5 a6 6 Be2 e6 7 0 0 Be7 8 f4 0 0 6 Be3 and 6 f4 are also common While theory indicates that Black can hold the balance in the Keres Attack players today often prefer to avoid it by playing 5 a6 first an idea popularized by Kasparov However if determined to play the g4 thrust White can prepare it by responding to 5 a6 with 6 h3 or 6 Rg1 2 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghPosition after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 2 Nc6 is a natural developing move and also prepares Nf6 like 2 d6 Black stops White from replying e5 After 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Black s most common move is 4 Nf6 Other important moves are 4 e6 transposing to the Taimanov Variation 4 g6 the Accelerated Dragon and 4 e5 the Kalashnikov Variation Less common choices include 4 Qc7 which may later transpose to the Taimanov Variation 4 Qb6 the Grivas Variation and 4 d6 After 4 Nf6 White usually replies 5 Nc3 Black can play 5 d6 transposing to the Classical Variation 5 e5 the Sveshnikov Variation or 5 e6 transposing to the Four Knights Variation Sveshnikov Variation 4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghSveshnikov Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 The Sveshnikov Variation was pioneered by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko ru in the 1970s Before their efforts the variation was called the Lasker Pelikan Variation Emanuel Lasker played it once in his world championship match against Carl Schlechter and Jorge Pelikan played it a few times in the 1950s but Sveshnikov s treatment of the variation was the key to its revitalization The move 5 e5 seems anti positional as it leaves Black with a backwards d pawn and a weakness on d5 Also Black would have to accept the doubled f pawns in the main line of the opening The opening was popularised when Sveshnikov saw its dynamic potential for Black in the 1970s and 80s Today it is extremely popular among grandmasters and amateurs alike Though some lines still give Black trouble it has been established as a first rate defence The main line after 5 e5 runs as follows 6 Ndb5 The theoretically critical move threatening Nd6 All other moves are considered to allow Black easy equality 6 Nxc6 32 is usually met by 6 bxc6 when Black s extra pawn in the centre gives good play alternatively even 6 dxc6 7 Qxd8 Kxd8 is sufficient for equality 33 6 Nb3 and 6 Nf3 can be well met by 6 Bb4 threatening to win White s pawn on e4 34 6 Nf5 allows 6 d5 7 exd5 Bxf5 8 dxc6 bxc6 9 Qf3 Qd7 35 6 Nde2 can be met by either 6 Bc5 or 6 Bb4 36 6 d6 Black does not allow 7 Nd6 Bxd6 8 Qxd6 when White s pair of bishops give them the advantage 7 Bg5 White gets ready to eliminate the knight on f6 further weakening Black s control over the d5 square A less common alternative is 7 Nd5 Nxd5 8 exd5 Nb8 or 8 Ne7 when White will try to exploit the queenside pawn majority while Black will seek counterplay on the kingside 7 a6 Black forces White s knight back to a3 8 Na3 The immediate 8 Bxf6 forces 8 gxf6 when after 9 Na3 Black can transpose into the main line with 9 b5 or deviate with 9 f5 8 b5 8 b5 was Sveshnikov s innovation controlling c4 and threatening b4 forking White s knights Previously Black played 8 Be6 the Bird Variation which allowed the a3 knight to return to life with 9 Nc4 The entire variation up to 8 b5 is referred to as the Chelyabinsk Variation It can also be reached from the alternate move order 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bf4 e5 8 Bg5 a6 9 Na3 b5 which is one move longer That alternative move order gives White other alternatives including 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 e5 Nd5 8 Ne4 intending c4 and the gambit 6 Be2 Bb4 7 0 0 allowing Bxc3 8 bxc3 Nxe4 The move numbers in the following discussion are based on the move order given in bold abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghChelyabinsk Variation 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 The Sveshnikov Variation has become very popular in master level chess Black s e5 push seems anti positional it has made the d6 pawn backward and the d5 square weak However in return Black gets a foothold in the centre and gains time on White s knight which has been driven to the edge of the board on a3 Top players who have used this variation include Magnus Carlsen Vladimir Kramnik Veselin Topalov Teimour Radjabov Boris Gelfand Michael Adams and Alexander Khalifman among many others In the diagrammed position after 8 b5 White usually parries the threat of b4 by playing 9 Bxf6 or 9 Nd5 After 9 Bxf6 9 Qxf6 10 Nd5 Qd8 fails to 11 c4 b4 11 bxc4 12 Nxc4 is good for White who threatens 13 Qa4 12 Qa4 Bd7 13 Nb5 axb5 14 Qxa8 Qxa8 15 Nc7 Kd8 16 Nxa8 and the knight escapes via b6 Thus 9 gxf6 is forced and White continues 10 Nd5 White s powerful knight on d5 and Black s shattered kingside pawn structure are compensated by Black s bishop pair and White s offside knight on a3 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 An alternative plan is to play 10 Bg7 followed by Ne7 to immediately trade off White s powerful knight this line is known as the Novosibirsk Variation Instead of 9 Bxf6 White can also play 9 Nd5 which usually leads to quieter play White decides not to double Black s f pawns and the game often continues 9 Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 This allows White to maintain the knight on d5 by trading off Black s knight on f6 and prepares to bring the knight on a3 back into play with the manoeuvre Na3 c2 e3 Another line is 10 Nxe7 Nxe7 fighting for control of d5 and not fearing the doubled pawns 11 Bxf6 gxf6 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 A quick draw is possible after 9 Nd5 Qa5 10 Bd2 in order to prevent 10 Nxe4 10 Qd8 11 Bg5 Qa5 etc In order to avoid this White can play 11 Nxf6 or 11 c4 Accelerated Dragon 4 g6 Edit Main article Sicilian Defence Accelerated Dragon abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghAccelerated Dragon 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 g6 Like the standard Dragon Variation Black develops the bishop to g7 in the Accelerated Dragon The difference is that Black avoids playing d7 d6 and can later play d7 d5 in one move if possible 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 equalises immediately When White does play 5 Nc3 it is usually with the idea of continuing 5 Bg7 6 Be3 Nf6 7 Bc4 0 0 8 Bb3 forestalling any tricks involving Nxe4 and d5 followed by kingside castling The critical test of Black s move order is 5 c4 the Maroczy Bind White hopes to cramp Black s position by impeding the d7 d5 and b7 b5 pawn thrusts Generally this line is less tactical than many of the other Sicilian variations and play involves much strategic maneuvering on both sides After 5 c4 the main line runs 5 Bg7 6 Be3 Nf6 7 Nc3 and now 7 0 0 or 7 Ng4 is most frequently played Kalashnikov Variation 4 e5 5 Nb5 d6 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghKalashnikov Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e5 5 Nb5 d6 The Kalashnikov Variation ECO code B32 37 is a close relative of the Sveshnikov Variation and is sometimes known as the Neo Sveshnikov The move 4 e5 has had a long history Louis Charles Mahe 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 These earlier games focused on the Lowenthal Variation similar to the Kalashnikov but the reply to 5 Nb5 is 5 a6 with 4 e5 5 Nb5 a6 6 Nd6 Bxd6 7 Qxd6 Qf6 where Black gives up the two bishops to achieve a lead in development The move fell out of use however once it was determined that White kept the advantage in these lines Another fifth move alternative for Black is 5 Nf6 which can transpose into the Sveshnikov Variation after 6 N1c3 or 6 Bg5 d6 7 N1c3 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 The ideas in this line are similar to those in the Sveshnikov Black accepts a backward pawn on d6 and weakens the d5 square but gains time by chasing the knight 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 Black may forego Nf6 in favour of Ne7 e g after 6 N1c3 a6 7 Na3 b5 8 Nd5 Nge7 which avoids White s plan of Bg5 and Bxf6 to inflict doubled f pawns on Black Or Black can delay bringing out the knight in favour of playing Be7 g5 or a quick f5 On the other hand White has the option of 6 c4 the Maroczy Bind which solidifies control of d5 and clamps down on b5 but leaves the d4 square slightly weak 2 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Edit Black s move 2 e6 gives priority to developing the dark squared bishop After 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Black has three main moves 4 Nc6 the Taimanov Variation 4 a6 the Kan Variation and 4 Nf6 After 4 Nf6 5 Nc3 not 5 e5 Qa5 Black can transpose to the Scheveningen Variation with 5 d6 play 5 Nc6 the Four Knights Variation or 5 Bb4 the Pin Variation Taimanov Variation 4 Nc6 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 877665544332211abcdefghTaimanov Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 Named after Mark Taimanov the Taimanov Variation can be reached through 2 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 or 2 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 Black develops the knight to a natural square and keeps options open regarding the placement of the other pieces One of the ideas of this system is to develop the king s bishop to b4 or c5 White can prevent this by 5 Nb5 d6 when 6 c4 leads to a version of the Maroczy Bind favoured by Karpov The resulting position after 6 c4 Nf6 7 N1c3 a6 8 Na3 b6 is a type of Hedgehog The Kasparov Gambit 8 d5 was played twice in the World Chess Championship 1985 but virtually disappeared from master praxis after the game Karpov Van der Wiel Brussels SWIFT 1986 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 Independent moves for Black are 5 Qc7 and 5 a6 with the former being the more usual move order seen in recent years as after 5 a6 the continuation 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 Bd3 despite its apparent simplicity has given Black difficulties in reaching equality 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 Kan Paulsen Variation 4 a6 Edit abcdefgh8 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp div, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
