Illustration: The Spruce / Theresa Chiechi. This generally leads to unbalanced positions and usually leaves black with a central pawn majority after trading his c-pawn for White's d-pawn. Qd3 e5 8. Study the Sicilian Defense: Mengarini Variation Opening with free tools and analysis. Another alternative for White is 3. f4, which is known as the Grand Prix attack. 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. Learn the common lines that arise with this strategy. It brings the bishop to an aggressive square. 6.Be3 and 6.f4 are also common. 2...Nc6 is a natural developing move, and also prepares ...Nf6 (like 2...d6, Black stops White from replying e5). Instead of 9.Bxf6, White can also play 9.Nd5, which usually leads to quieter play. The line 2...Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 resembles Alekhine's Defence, but the inclusion of the moves c3 and ...c5 is definitely in Black's favour. Meanwhile, advancing a queenside pawn has given Black a spatial advantage there and provides a basis for future operations on that flank. Search. You can browse our entire chess database from this line, move by move. This plan of 5...a6 followed by ...e5 represents Black's traditional approach in the Najdorf Variation. 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. 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. Another variation is 6.Bc4, the Sozin Variation (ECO code B57). 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. 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. B27: Sicilian defence - 1. e4 c5 2. Study the Sicilian Defense: French Variation Opening with free tools and analysis. 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. If Black really wants to play g6 as soon as possible, an even faster way is the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon, where black plays g6 on the second move (1. e4 c5 2. This is the 3rd variation according to our post on the Sicilian Kan. Today, most leading grandmasters include the Sicilian in their opening repertoire. 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). [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. Both sides typically launch fierce attacks: White on the kingside, Black on the queenside. This move was suggested by Irina Krush, and played in the Kasparov–The World, 1999 online game. White hopes to cramp Black's position by impeding the ...d7–d5 and ...b7–b5 pawn thrusts. Play. Other responses by White to the Classical include 6.Be3, 6.f3, and 6.g3. (Redirected from Scheveningen Sicilian) In chess, the Scheveningen Variation of the Sicilian Defence is an opening that is a line of the Open Sicilian characterised by Black setting up a "small centre" with pawns on d6 and e6. Nb5!, with 6...Nxe4?! In the early days of the Najdorf 7.Qf3 was popular, but the reply 7...h6 did not allow White to obtain any advantage. The Sicilian Defense can be broken down into four main variations: The Najdorf, The Classical Sicilian, The Dragon, and the Scheveningen. Staunton (three weeks before his death), ... pronounced it to be quite trustworthy, and on the same date Lowenthal expressed a similar opinion. 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. Bxf2+ 10.Ke2 0-0 11.Rf1 Bc5 12.Ng5 Nd4+ 13.Kd1 with sharp play favouring White.[44]. Opening 1.d4 is a statistically more successful opening for White because of the high success rate of the Sicilian defence against 1.e4. Like the standard Dragon Variation, Black develops the bishop to g7 in the Accelerated Dragon. This pawn structure with the pawn on e4 and c4 is considered very solid. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Ways for Black to Respond to e4 Opening Move in Chess, The Fool's Mate, Chess' Fastest Checkmate. The critical test of Black's move order is 5.c4, the Maróczy Bind. Many other strong players such as Smyslov, Capablanca, Bronstein played this variation. 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! Black can block the check with 3...Bd7, 3...Nc6 or 3...Nd7. Rowson writes: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, To my mind there is quite a straightforward explanation. 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. "[17] 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. 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. [B][16] The death of the opening's two greatest proponents, Staunton and Anderssen, in 1874 and 1879 respectively, also contributed to its decline. 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. 3.c3 transposes to lines of the Alapin Variation after 3...Nf6 or 3...d5, while 3.c4 transposes into the Symmetrical English. Also possible is 5.c4 to create a Maróczy Bind setup. After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, Black has three main moves: 4...Nc6 (the Taimanov Variation), 4...a6 (the Kan Variation) and 4...Nf6. While this supports the d4 advance, it takes away the c3 square, usually a good place for White's queenside knight. After 4...Nf6, White usually replies 5.Nc3. [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! A modern alternative to 6...e6 is 6...Nbd7. 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 (1856–1923). Sharp play favouring White. [ 44 ]. `` [ 40 ]. `` [ 40 ]. [... Alternative for White is 6.Be3 e6 7.g4, known as the Moscow Variation seen once. Answers with 6.Bd3, supporting the e4-pawn plays 3.d4 are collectively known as the Richter-Rauzer attack the. When a White player has a lead in development and extra kingside space, which is met by...! 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