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.

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Grigoriev VariationB72

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Qd2 O-O 9. O-O-O

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. Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal. Kings castle on opposite wings - expect pawn storms racing at both kings. The g7 bishop is the whole point - it rakes the long diagonal while both sides race: White storms the h-file, Black sacrifices down the c-file.

• 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.

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, after 6. Be2, through 8. Be3B73

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3

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

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery VariationB73

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Zollner GambitB73

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Bg7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. f4 Qb6 10. e5

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal LineB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine LineB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Maróczy LineB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Na5

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Tartakower LineB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Qc8

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Spielmann VariationB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. Nb3 d6 9. O-O Be6 10. f4 Na5 11. f5 Bc4 12. Bd3

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Bernard DefenseB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Na5 11. f5 Bc4 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. cxd3 d5

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

• 2... g6 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g7. Theory calls this the Hyperaccelerated Dragon.

Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Stockholm AttackB74

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7 7. Be3 Nf6 8. Be2 O-O 9. Nb3 Be6 10. O-O Na5 11. f5 Bc4 12. Nxa5 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Qxa5 14. g4

• 2. Nc3 Develops the knight to c3, eyeing d5 and e4. It also props up the e4 pawn.

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Early DeviationsB75

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Belezky LineB75

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Hungarian DragonB75

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Nc6 7. f3 h5

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, through 7... O-OB76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, after 8. Qd2, through 8... Nc6B76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern LineB76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. O-O-O

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Panov VariationB76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. g4

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Main Line, through 9. Bc4B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4

Black's pawn on f7 is pinned against the king.

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Byrne VariationB77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 a5

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Main Line, after 9... Bd7, through 9... Bd7B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Sosonko VariationB77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Nd7

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Main Line, after 9... Bd7, through 10. Bb3B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. Bb3

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Czerniak Variation, through 10... Be6B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Be6

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Czerniak Variation, after 11. Bb3B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Be6 11. Bb3 Qa5

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, after 8. Qd2, through 10. O-O-OB78

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Chinese DragonB78

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rb8

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Old LineB78

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Topalov VariationB78

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 Nxd4 12. Bxd4

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, after 8. Qd2, through 12. Bb3B79

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. h4 Qa5 11. O-O-O Rfc8 12. Bb3

Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Soltis VariationB79

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Qa5 11. h4 Rfc8 12. Bb3 h5

Scheveningen VariationB80

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

The small centre (...d6 plus ...e6) is a spring: solid now, and the freeing ...d5 break is always in the air.

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

Scheveningen Variation, Fianchetto VariationB80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g3

Scheveningen Variation, Vitolins VariationB80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bb5+

Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2B80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. Qd2

Scheveningen Variation, Keres AttackB81

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g4

Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic AttackB82

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4

Scheveningen Variation, Tal VariationB82

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qf3

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, after 2... e6, through 6. Be2B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2

Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation, after 4... Nc6, through 6... Nf6B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Nf6

Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation, after 4... Nf6, through 9. Be3B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3

Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation, after 4... Nf6, through 10. Nb3B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3 Bd7 10. Nb3

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, after 2... d6, through 6... e6B84

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6

Najdorf Variation, Scheveningen VariationB84

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Nbd7

5...a6 keeps every option open: ...e5 to claim the centre, ...b5 for queenside space, and no white piece may use b5 - Black invites a sharp fight where the extra centre pawn counts in the long run.

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, after 2... d6, through 7... Qc7B84

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Qc7

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation, after 2... d6, through 8... Nc6B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e6 7. Be2 Qc7 8. O-O Nc6

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation, after 2... e6, through 9. f4B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 d6 9. f4

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation, after 2... e6, through 10. a4B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Kh1 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. a4

Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main LineB85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Qe1 O-O

Sozin AttackB86

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4

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.

Sozin Attack, Flank VariationB87

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 b5

Sozin Attack, Leonhardt VariationB88

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 e6

Sozin Attack, Fischer VariationB88

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 Be7 8. Be3 O-O 9. f4

Sozin Attack, Main LineB89

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3

Velimirovic AttackB89

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qe2

Sozin Attack, Main Line, Sherbakov VariationB89

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Bb3 O-O 9. O-O Na5 10. f4 b6

Najdorf Variation, through 5... a6B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6

Najdorf Variation, Adams AttackB90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3

Najdorf Variation, Dekker GambitB90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g4

Najdorf Variation, English Attack, through 6. Be3, line 1B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3

Lines 301–360 of 391 — page 6 of 7.

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