The Sicilian - Open Sicilian Basics

The Sicilian begins after 1. e4 c5

The Sicilian is a more advanced opening, and you should try learning it only after you've learned minimum 3 other defenses(openings for black). If you're looking for some pointers, look on my blog. This opening has around 190 variations, but I will only be going over the basics for black and white. 

The Dragon Variation

I will first go over the Dragon Variation.

If you didn't notice, that sequence was 5 moves, which if there are about 190 variations, you should learn around 950 lines, so back out now if you want. I'm just trying to intimidate you, stay, these are simple. So after we play c5, if they play Nf3, this is the open variation. If we want we can play d6, and do a Dragon Sicilian. Radical name. After they play d4, we will trade and after they recapture with the knight we will play Nf6, attacking their pawn. they play natural move Nc3 to defend it and we initiate the dragon finally with g6.

The move g6 prepares a fianchetto, which I would hope you know the meaning of since you think you're advanced enough to learn this opening. Now we fianchetto the bishop to put pressure on that diagonal, also it would be difficult to develop it anywhere else since the e7 and d6 pawns block it in. It's called the Dragon because it somewhat resembles the Draco Constellation.

The most popular(and best) move is Be3 and we follow through with our plans with Bg7. They have a dangerous option called the Yugoslav attack with f3. We should castle and when they play Qd2 preparing to castle queenside, we will play Nc6. If they take recapture with the b-pawn.

If instead they play Bc4, pinning the f-pawn which can be useful since they will march their kingside pawns towards us, we will trade knights on d4. After Bxd4(or Qxd4) we will play Be6, the best computer move. If you want to keep pretty pawn structure move it to e7(I'm going to go over Be6 though). After they take we take with the f-pawn they castle queenside, we can start to bring our pieces to the fight with Qa5.

That's it for the Dragon Variation, but what if we accelerated it? 

The Bowdler attack breaks the principle that you should develop knights before bishops. White after c5 plays Bc4.

This usually isn't advantageous for white. The best move for black is e6, we prepare the d5 push and we block that diagonal. If they play for example Nf3, we will not play d5, rather we can play a6, preparing b5, kicking the bishop(maybe even trapping the bishop) while gaining queenside space. if they play Nc3. If they stop that with a4, we play Nf6, and the plan is to push d5, even if they push e5.

The bishop will be forced to retreat, if they played e5 we will move the knight to d7. If they took rather than retreating after d5, we will take the bishop, and when they take on g7 our bishop will take and we are better.

If they hadn't played e5, instead playing something like d3, we will still push d5 and after the trade the bishop is forced back(likely to a2) we can play aggressive with Qe7+, the bishop can't cover with Be3 because we can play d4 to win it, so they will lose rights to castle.

That's basically it for the Bowdler Attack. 

The Najdorf Sicilian

The next variation is the Najdorf, after c5 they play Nf3, the open Sicilian, we play d6 and they play d4. We trade and then play Nf6, attacking their pawn again. They defend with Nc3 and instead of g6, the Dragon, we play a6. This initiates the Najdorf.

This is more flexible than the dragon since we haven't committed to anything. We are not committing the bishop to g7, like in the Dragon, and we control the very nice b5 square that 3 of white's pieces are looking at. If they develop the bishop to c4, we always have the nice b5 push, kicking the bishop, and maybe the knight(not likely).

If they move the bishop to e2, we can strike the center with e5. The knight is forced to retreat since we played a6(convenient!).

If instead they play Bg5, x-raying a pin on our queen. We should play e6, defending the nice d5 square and protecting our knight.

It is very flexible, and we can go for the same dragon structure soon if we want, with g6. The best move in that position, by the way, was Be3. That concludes the Najdorf variation, the next variation is the Classical Sicilian.

Classical Variation

When they go for the open Sicilian after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 we play Nc6 they play d4 we trade and after the knight takes we play Nf6 attacking their pawn again, and after Nc3 we play d6, preparing to develop that bishop.

The best move is Bg5. If instead they play Be3, preparing Qd2 and castling queenside, we have a very nice counter attack. Ng4, when the bishop moves(best square is g5) we can attack further with Qb6, we pin the knight(it can't move because of Qxf2# checkmate), and attack b2.

Their best response is Bb5, blocking that file. Don't push a6, please, they will play Nd5, instead play Bd7.

If instead they play Bg5 play e6 and it's like the Najdorf example previously shown. That's all for the Classical Variation. It's a certified classic.

French/Paulsen Variation(s)

The next is the French Variation, or Paulsen Variation. After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 we play e6, initiating the French Variation.

After they play d4, opening the center, we can play a6, the Kan Variation. Kinda like the Najdorf. Say they develop with Nc3, we play Qc7. They can't go for the same Be3 Qd5 and queenside castling idea because we will play Nf6, and when they play Qd2 we play Bb4.

This pins the Knight to the queen, and x-rays an absolute pin on the queen. They have to defend the pawn on e4 so they play f3. We play d5 attacking the center. If they trade we will recapture with the knight and we put pressure on the pinned piece. If they don't, and play Bd3, we play e5, attacking the knight, when it moves we play d4, forking and winning a minor piece.

The best move instead of Be3 was to play Qf3, where you would develop and play standard chess with Nf6.

That is all for the French Variation, next is the Pelikán and Sveshnikov Variations.

Pelikán and Sveshnikov Variations

Don't ask me who names these things. After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 initiates the Pelikán and Sveshnikov Variations. Yes I did copy and paste that.

The best move for them is Ndb5. If they instead trade we take back with the b-pawn and we have the nice move later, d5, supported by our new c-pawn.

 We have a hole on d6, so that is what we will play. Pawn to d6. They can play Bg5, being aggressive trying to play Nd5 and capitalize on the pin. We will play a6, followed by b5(a6, Na3, b5). They must move one of the knights because b4 is a fork. Their best move is Nd5. We play Be7, if they trade the knight for our bishop, this is better for us, that bishop was passive and their knight was good.

That's all for the Pelikán and Sveshnikov Variations. Yes I still am using copy and paste.

Smith-Morra Gambit

The next variation is actually for white. The Smith-Morra Gambit. After 1. e4 c5, d4 will initiate the Smith-Morra Gambit.

We will accept and they have 2 real options. c3, mainline, or Nf3, the Morphy gambit. If they play c3, we will take. When they take with their knight we will play Nc6.

 When they play Nf3, do not play d6, preparing Nf6. After 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. e5 Nxe5 8. Nxe5 dxe5 9. Bxf7!! wins the queen.

The better move instead of d6 is e6, then d6. We create a smaller center, for a safer position. If instead of playing c3, the mainline, they play Nf3, the Morphy Gambit, we play e5, they can't take because of Qa5+.

Their better move was c3 now. We should not take and we should play Nc6. After we trade, don't trade the knights. Instead we should play Nf6.

Black is now the one with a lead in development.

Löwenthal Variation

The next variation is the Löwenthal Variation. After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5

Remember that if they trade, we just take with the b-pawn and can easily prepare the d5 push. This is similar to the Pelikán and Sveshnikov Variations. Just play those. Or not, I'm not your mom.

Alapin Sicilian

The next variation is by white again, the Alapin Sicilian. After 1. e4 c5 2. c3 initiates the Alapin Sicilian.

The way to proceed is not Nc6, but rather d5. You see, whenever the opponent plays c3/c6, this obstructs the knight's optimal square. Usually pushing the d-pawn, trading and recapturing with the queen would run into Nc3/Nc6, gaining a tempo on the queen, but now the knight can't move there. You can see this in openings like the Ponziani.

So when we play d5, they trade and we take back with queen, they likely play d4, we trade pawns and target the weak isolated d-pawn. We will play Nc6, they defend with with Nf3 and we play e5. If they trade take the queen.

At the time of making this blog, it's two days from Christmas, so I bid you all a merry Christmas. My gift to you all? Free Sicilian theory.

Joke Variations

The King's David Variation, just the bongcloud.

The Yates Variation, Botez gambit the knight.