B20-B99

Sicilian Defense

391 named lines in this family, ECO B20-B99. Every one of them opens 1. e4 c5, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed; sixty lines to a page. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. e4 c5

• 1. e4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... c5 Fights for d4 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Sicilian Defense.

Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, Gurgenidze VariationB36

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as Black's avenue and the d-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. By fianchettoing before ...d6, Black keeps ...d5 in one move as an equalizing break - but must respect the Maroczy bind (c4) that this move order allows.

• 2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5.
• 2... Nc6 Develops the knight to c6, eyeing d4 and e5. Theory calls this the Old Sicilian.

Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, after 5... Bg7, through 5... Bg7B37

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7

Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Accelerated Dragon, Simagin VariationB37

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Nc2 d6 7. Be2 Nh6

Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, after 5... Bg7, through 6. Be3B38

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3

Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, Breyer VariationB39

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Ng4

French VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6

In the centre, White holds e4.

• 2... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the French Variation.

Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3

French Variation, Westerinen AttackB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3

Kramnik VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4

Wing Gambit DeferredB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b4

Drazic VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 a6

In the centre, White holds d4 and e4.

French Variation, OpenB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4

Black trades the c-pawn for White's d-pawn and plays for an unbalanced fight: queenside counterplay against White's central and kingside ambitions. Black has doubled pawns on the d-file.

Marshall CounterattackB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Smith-Morra Gambit DeferredB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3

Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.

French Variation, NormalB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6

Kveinis VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Qb6

Paulsen-Basman DefenseB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5

Alapin Variation, Sherzer VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 Nc6

2.c3 says no to main-line theory: White simply builds d4 next move and plays a tidy centre against Black's queenside counters.

Gaw-Paw VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Qb6

Pin VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4

White's knight on c3 is pinned against the king.

Kan Variation, Wing Attack, Fianchetto VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. g3 b5 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4

...a6 and ...e6 first: Black stays flexible, keeps the pieces at home until White commits, and picks the right setup afterwards.

Pin Variation, Koch VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. e5

Pin Variation, Jaffe VariationB40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 e5

Kan VariationB41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6

Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti VariationB41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4

Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Hedgehog VariationB41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 g6

Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation, through 7... Nc6B41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6

Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation, after 8. Bc2B41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bc2

Kan Variation, Modern VariationB42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3

Kan Variation, Polugaevsky VariationB42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5

Kan Variation, Swiss Cheese VariationB42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 g6

Kan Variation, Gipslis VariationB42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O d6 7. c4 g6

Kan Variation, Knight VariationB43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3

Kan Variation, Wing AttackB43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5

Kan Variation, Wing Attack, Spraggett AttackB43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. Bd3 Qb6 7. Nf3

Kan Variation, Wing Attack, Christiansen's DreamB43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. Bd3 Qb6 7. Be3 Bc5 8. Qg4

Taimanov Variation, through 4... Nc6B44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6

...e6 and ...Nc6 with the queen often on c7: pressure against e5 and down the c-file while the king waits to see which wing is safer.

Taimanov Variation, Szén VariationB44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5

Taimanov Variation, Gary GambitB44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 d5

Taimanov Variation, Modern LineB44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O b6

Taimanov Variation, after 5. Nc3, through 5. Nc3B45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3

Four Knights VariationB45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6

Four Knights Variation, Exchange VariationB45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nxc6

Four Knights Variation, Cobra VariationB45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Ndb5 Bc5

Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov TransferB45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Ndb5 d6

Four Knights Variation, American AttackB45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Ndb5 Bb4 7. Nd6+

Taimanov Variation, after 5. Nc3, through 5... a6B46

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6

Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, through 5... Qc7B47

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7

Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, Ponomariov GambitB47

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8. Bb6

Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English AttackB48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3

Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, after 6. Be3B49

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2

Modern VariationsB50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6

• 2... d6 Supports the centre, adding control of e5.

Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3

Kopec SystemB50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bd3

Main line, after 2. Nf3, through 3. d4B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4

Wing Gambit, Deferred VariationB50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. b4

Kotov GambitB50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. g3 b5

Main line, after 2. Nf3, through 3... cxd4B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4

Modern Variations, Anti-Qxd4 Move OrderB50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6

Modern Variations, TartakowerB50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3

Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Lines 181–240 of 391 — page 4 of 7.

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