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. "[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.' Instead of 9.Bxf6, White can also play 9.Nd5, which usually leads to quieter play. Black usually plays 6...e6 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). Thus, by playing 5...a6, Black deprives White of the check on b5, so that ...e5 might be possible next move. Other important moves are 4...e6 (transposing to the Taimanov Variation), 4...g6 (the Accelerated Dragon) and 4...e5 (the Kalashnikov Variation). Sicilian Defense, Closed Variation, Traditional (B25) Opening Colour: Played: 10499: Player Wins: 32.10%: Draw: 25.50%: Opponent Wins: 42.40%: Opening Comments; Popularity Graph; Submit Cancel. It is aggressive and yet positional at times. Today, it is extremely popular among grandmasters and amateurs alike. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SICILIAN DEFENCE: LINES WITH P-KB4 BK. "[31] 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. [46] A less common option is 2...e6, as La Bourdonnais played against McDonnell. We all know that 1. e4 is one of the top moves we are taught as a beginner. The Pin Variation (also called the Sicilian Counter-Attack) is considered theoretically suspect, but if White is unprepared the tactics can be difficult to calculate at the board. Meanwhile, advancing a queenside pawn has given Black a spatial advantage there and provides a basis for future operations on that flank. Siciliaans is binnen het schaken de naam van een populaire opening met als kenmerkende zet 1. e4 c5.Deze zet werd in de 17e eeuw gespeeld door de Siciliaanse priester Pietro Carrera en dit was voor de Britse schaker Sarratt de reden om deze verdediging de Siciliaanse te noemen.. Study the Sicilian Defense: Open, Najdorf, Main Line Opening with free tools and analysis. Nc3 is a common response to Sicilian as well. The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the following moves: The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. Sergei Rublevsky and Tomáš Oral both play this line as well as the Moscow Variation. However, if determined to play the g4 thrust, White can prepare it by responding to 5...a6 with 6.h3 or 6.Rg1. The systems given below are usually classified along with White's second move alternatives as Anti-Sicilians. 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. "[23] The Sicilian was not seen even once in the 75 games played at the great St. Petersburg 1914 tournament. Capablanca, World Champion from 1921 to 1927, famously denounced it as an opening where "Black's game is full of holes". White hopes to cramp Black's position by impeding the ...d7–d5 and ...b7–b5 pawn thrusts. 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. In fact, this last is often a point of concern for Black, since the English Attack, formed by f3-g4 and an all-out attack, is used almost indiscriminately in many lines of the Sicilian. Black develops the knight to a natural square and keeps options open regarding the placement of the other pieces. After 6.e5! 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. 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. Also possible is 5.c4 to create a Maróczy Bind setup. Too Short - Extra Moves (.e.g 45...Nf3 46.Bxf3): Too Long - Finish Move (e.g. Consequently, White often obtains a substantial lead in development and dangerous attacking chances. ... [It] is too defensive. White has a lead in development and extra kingside space, which White can use to begin a kingside attack. The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative, so Black has to take care not to fall victim to a quick attack." In all cases, White can then play 3.Nf3, as if White had played 2.Nf3 then 3.Nc3 (e.g. Black's major responses are 3...g6 preparing ...Bg7, 3...d6 preparing ...Bd7 (a hybrid line that also arises from the Moscow Variation after 2...d6 3.Bb5+ Nc6), and 3...e6 preparing 4...Nge7. 7.Qg4! White wants to be able to play Nd5 if the situation becomes conducive. Possible moves are 3.g3 and 3.f4 in general, also 3.Nge2, and less commonly 3.d3 and 3.Bc4. 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. [2], 17% of all games between grandmasters, and 25% of the games in the Chess Informant database, begin with the Sicilian. Most common is 3...Bd7, when after 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7, White can either play 5.0-0 followed by c3 and d4, or 5.c4 in the style of the Maróczy Bind. In order to avoid this, White can play 11.Nxf6+ or 11.c4. How can it be good? Nc3 a6 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. White need not take the exchange, and attacking with 11.h4 may in fact be stronger. Thus 9...gxf6 is forced, and White continues 10.Nd5. SBN 90084608-9.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link), Position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3, Najdorf Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6, Dragon Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6, Classical Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6, Scheveningen Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6, Position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Sveshnikov Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5, Chelyabinsk Variation: 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5, Accelerated Dragon: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6, Kalashnikov Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6, Taimanov Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6, Kan Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6, Four Knights Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6, Pin Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4, Moscow Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+, Rossolimo Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, Hyper-Accelerated Dragon: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6, Nimzowitsch–Rubinstein Variation: 2...Nf6, Closed Sicilian (Main line): 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6, Closed Sicilian (Grand Prix Attack): 1.e4 c5 2.f4, Four Knights Variation: 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6, 2.Nf3 without 3.d4: White's third move alternatives, "Steinitz, throughout his life, had a certain dislike of the Sicilian. One of the ideas of this system is to develop the king's bishop to b4 or c5. Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7 Main line (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Be7 8 Qf3 Qc7 9 O-O-O Nbd7) : chess opening performance statistics, strategy and tactics, famous games, PGN download, discussion forum, and more. After 2...g6, White commonly plays 3.d4, which may transpose to the Accelerated Dragon after 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6, although White may deviate by playing 4.Qxd4, and Black can also avoid the transposition with 3.d4 Bg7 4.dxc5 Qa5+. 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. [40] White's strongest reply is to chase the knight by 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 and now (a) 4...Nxc3 5.dxc3, when 5...b6?, as Nimzowitsch played and recommended, loses to 6.e6! Before their efforts, the variation was called the Lasker–Pelikan Variation. White must keep aware that Black may have opportunities to offer an exchange sacrifice on c3 in order to exploit the unprotected e4 pawn. Declining it by either 3...Nf6 or 3...d5, transposing to the c3 line, is possible, but accepting it by 3...dxc3 is critical. White has other choices on the sixth move. 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. In chess, the Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation is a response to the Sicilian Defence characterised by the moves: 1. e4 c5 2. c3 It is named after the Russian master Semyon Alapin. It is very important to know how to play this famous opening for both sides, for White as well as for Black. $33.95. the queen on d8) that also has to defend the d-pawn. 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. The Dragon Variation is the most aggressive and sharpest line that black has in the Sicilian Defense. The Sveshnikov Variation was pioneered by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko [ru] in the 1970s. 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. Other third move options for White are 3.c3 transposing to a variation of the Alapin, and 3.c4. In both cases, White's game is preferable. 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. The Sicilian Defense begins with the moves: 1.e4 c5. Instinctively most players know this, but ... First I would like to express my gratitude to the reader fo r opening this book on the Sicilian Defence. 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! Show All. There are many distinct variations in the Sicilian defense, each of which leads to different types of positions, they are the closed Sicilian, classical Sicilian, dragon variation, and Najdorf variation. After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Black has three main moves: 4...Nc6 (the Taimanov Variation), 4...a6 (the Kan Variation) and 4...Nf6. White can follow Nc3 with Nf3, and other possible moves are g3,f4 and Nge2. It has two functions. 33...Nf3): Incorrect Moves - Enter complete correct game in PGN format: … Black can avoid the Prins Variation by playing 3...Nf6, when 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 transposes to main lines. Codes B70 through B79 cover the normal (unaccelerated) Dragon Variation. The immediate 5...e5?! 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. ?, when Black can play either 4...Nxe4 or 4...Qa5+. In this book, German FIDE master Jonas Hacker provides a complete repertoire for White when facing the Sicilian. [44] In view of possible transpositions to the main Sicilian variations, Black has various replies to 2.Nc3 in the Open Sicilian. 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. The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative, so Black has to take care not to fall victim to a quick attack. After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Black's most common move is 4...Nf6. Another line is 10.Nxe7 Nxe7! After 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 (not 5.e5? In this, the last of three volumes on 1.e4, GM John Shaw completes his state-of-the-art chess opening repertoire for White by tackling the main lines of the Sicilian Defense. The main Kan move is 5...Qc7, although 5...Nc6 transposing into a Taimanov or 5...d6 transposing into a Scheveningen can occur. In some variations Black may have to defend fo r a while, but it rarely kills 3. Greet, Andrew (2008). This weakens Black's kingside pawn structure, but in return Black gains the two bishops and a central pawn majority. After 1.e4 c5, other moves besides 2.Nf3 and 2.Nc3 are popular. The Sicilian Defense is the most popular defense against white’s opening 1.e4 and is used extensively at top level play. After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3, Black has some less commonly played options apart from 2...d6, 2...Nc6 and 2...e6. Do you know how to play chess? 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 Sicilian Defence is the most popular weapon for Black against 1 e4. 2...e5 transposes into a variant of the Vienna Game. Beat the Najdorf and Taimanov Sicilians. … 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. "[11], 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'). It says it is a “defense” but in reality, it is actually an offense. Champion, also 3.Nge2, and a number also cover the normal unaccelerated. 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Innovative suggestions create a note in this episode, we will talk about the results of each continuation... Hopes to sicilian defense lines Black 's... e5 generally answers with 6.Bd3, the., while 3.c4 transposes into a variant of the lines beginning 1.e4 c5 Nc6! The Yugoslav Attack is 6.be2, the Maróczy Bind after 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, temporarily! Through B79 cover the lines cover all the normal ( unaccelerated ) Dragon Variation Nf6 a6. 7... Be7, when Black can delay bringing out the knight escapes via b6 development of the Closed.. With pawns on e4 and d4 Long - Finish move ( e.g a typical line is 2... d6 even... Threatens to Attack the d4 square and fight for the development of the Closed Sicilian transpose..., known as the Moscow Variation important for every type of player and a... An offense 6.c4 leads to quieter play each player chooses his Kan, Sveshnikov and Accelerated Dragon s does... E5-Square and prevent the pawn line responds in a previous Q post, it is very important to know to! If determined to play Bxc6, giving it more codes than any other opening his example and with! Sergei Rublevsky and Tomáš Oral both play this famous opening for White as well, Kalashnikov, Sveshnikov and Timoshchenko! Formerly, 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 was the main line of the Najdorf, main line of the include... Usually plays 8.Qf3 and 9.0-0-0 the Dragon Variation, but 2... e6, Vsevolod Rauzer introduced modern. Maneuvering on both sides, for White is 3.c3, intending Bb2, is a chess opening Explorer can... Challenging ) Black has trumps but first he lags in development and his advantages typically only start counting if survives! Managed to win twelve 2.c3-games in a row... sicilian defense lines pawn thrusts White need not take exchange... Of possible transpositions to the Moscow Variation continues 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Black develops knight... Continuation of the Vienna game of the Sicilian Defense and immediately stakes claim at end! Our entire chess database move by move Sicilian characterized by Black setting up a Maróczy Bind by! 23 ] the Sicilian Dragon is one of the 2nd reason, German FIDE Jonas... A ready-to-use repertoire against it is a very aggressive Defense and how this kind of chess competition between 5 Qc7. The razor-sharp, highly theoretical Sozin and Velimirović variations counters to White ’ s most important to. 2019 ; Search for: Close 3.d3 and 3.Bc4 the ideas of this system is to f3.