This chess opening

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Goldname

How does one go about this position? I'm commonly stuck here, and I'm not sure whether I should move e6 and then bc5, fiancetto, or nf6.

Also, what opening is this called?

Goldname

For black that is

I_Am_Second

Thats the Sicilian

Sqod

Sicilian Defense.

Per 365chess, Black's most popular next move is 4...Nf6 (which forces White to defend his e-pawn with 5. Nc3).

http://www.365chess.com/opening.php?m=8&n=46&ms=e4.c5.Nf3.Nc6.d4.cxd4.Nxd4

Whatever you do as Black, don't capture White's knight at d4 since that will centralize White's queen without a good way to drive it off.

If White captures *your* knight at c6, recapture with your b-pawn, not d-pawn, so that your queen doesn't get slapped with Qxd8+.

ThrillerFan
Goldname wrote:

How does one go about this position? I'm commonly stuck here, and I'm not sure whether I should move e6 and then bc5, fiancetto, or nf6.

Also, what opening is this called?

 

Black's idea here is a matter of choice.  The following are the main responses - anything other than these 5 are probably dubious at best:

4...g6 - Known as the "Accelerated Dragon"

4...e5 - Known as the "Kalashnikov" after 5...d6, or the unsound "Lowenthal" after 5...a6

4...Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 - Known as the "Sveshnikov" or "Pelikan"

4...e6 - Known as the "Taimanov" - and NO, this should NOT be followed by 5...Bc5.  Instead, 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 (5.Nb5 or 5.c4 are also possible - study both - best White gets is equality IF Black knows what he's doing) Qc7 (5...a6 is the old line, considered inferior because of 6.Nxc6!) 6.Be2 (or 6.Be3, which leads to a more agressive, tactical line) a6 (Necessary!) 7.O-O Nf6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Na4 and now 9...Nxe4?? is a blunder.  Black has other options, like 9...O-O, 9...Be7, 9...Bd6, etc.

4...d5 - This is a very offbeat line that leads to an extremely positional game, possibly somewhat dull - If you want to play this, get "Dangerous Weapons - The Sicilian", there's a full chapter on this line.  I've played it twice as Black in over the board competition, one win, one draw.