An Introduction to the Sicilian Defense

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Compiled by Steven Craig Miller

Copyright 2003 Steven Craig Miller Copying and distribution of this article is permitted for noncommercial purposes.

An Introduction to the Sicilian Defense complied by Steven Craig Miller

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Table of Contents
Introduction Part I: Open Sicilians a. The Scheveningen Variation b. The Najdorf Variation c. The Classical Variation d. The Dragon Variation e. The Accelerated Dragon f. The Sveshnikov Variation g. Lwenthal Variation h. The Four Knights Variation i. The Kalashnikov Variation j. The Taimanov Variation k. The Kan Variation Part II: Other Sicilian Systems l. The c3 Sicilain m. The Morra Gambit n. The Closed Sicilian o. The Bb5 Systems p. The Grand Prix Attack

a. The Scheveningen Variation

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

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(Scheveningen is pronounced something like: Shaw-ven-again). (1) Classical Scheveningen (2) Modern Scheveningen (3) English Attack (4) Keres Attack (5) Fischer Attack

Introduction
The Sicilian Defense is the most popular chess opening of all time. Almost a quarter of all games played are Sicilians. While the majority of scholastic games at the beginning level are symmetrical king pawn openings (1. e4 e5), at higher levels the most popular answer to 1. e4 is 1. c5.

a1. Classical Scheveningen

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Be2 0-0 f4 Be3 a4 a6 Be7 0-0 Nc6 Qc7

Part I: Open Sicilians

In an Open Sicilian position, in which White plays 2. Nf3 followed by 3. d4, White has an advantage in development, while Black has a structural advantage with an extra central pawn.

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a2. Modern Scheveningen

6. 7. 8. 9. Be2 0-0 Be3 f4 Nc6 Be7 0-0

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a3. English Attack
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Be3 Qd2 f3 g4 0-0-0 a6 b5 Nbd7 h6 Bb7

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a5. Fischer Attack
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Bc4 Bb3 0-0 Qf3 Qg3 a6 b5 Be7 Qc7 0-0

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

a4. Keres Attack

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. g4 h4 Rg1 gxh5 Bg5 h6 Nc6 h5 Nxh5 Nf6

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An Introduction to the Sicilian Defense complied by Steven Craig Miller (1) Main Line Najdorf (2) Poisoned Pawn Variation (3) Polugaevsky Variation (4) English Attack (Najdorf) (5) 6. Bc4 Najdorf (6) 6. Be2 Najdorf

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b3. Polugaevsky Variation

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Bg5 f4 e5 fxe5 Qe2 0-0-0 e6 b5 dxe5 Qc7 Nfd7 Bb7

b1. Main Line Najdorf

6. 7. 8. 9. Bg5 f4 Qf3 0-0-0 e6 Be7 Qc7 Nbd7

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b2. Poisoned Pawn Variation
6. 7. 8. 9. Bg5 f4 Qd2 Rb1 e6 Qb6 Qxb2 Qa3

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b4. English Attack (Najdorf)

6. 7. 8. 9. Be3 Nb3 f3 g4 e5 Be6 Nbd7 b5

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b5. 6. Bc4 Najdorf

6. 7. 8. 9. Bc4 Bb3 0-0 Qf3 e6 b5 Be7

c. The Classical Variation

1. 2. 3. 4. e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 c5 d6 (or Nc6) cxd4 Nc6 (or d6)

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b6. 6. Be2 Najdorf
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Be2 Nb3 0-0 Be3 Qd2 a4 a5 Rfd1 e5 Be7 0-0 Be6 Nbd7 Rc8 Qc7

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(1) Richter-Rauzer Attack (2) Sozin & Velimirovic Attacks (3) Boleslavsky Variation

c1. Richter-Rauzer Attack

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Bg5 Qd2 0-0-0 Be3 f4 Bxd4 e6 a6 h6 Be7 Nxd4 b5

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c2. Sozin-Velimirovic Attack

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Bc4 Be3 Qe2 0-0-0 Bb3 e6 a6 Be7 0-0 Qc7

d. The Dragon Variation

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 Nc3 c5 d6 cxd4 Nf6 g6

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(1) Yugoslav Attack (2) Classical Dragon (3) Levenfish Attack (4) Dragon with 6. g3

c3. Boleslavsky Variation

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Be2 Nf3 0-0 Re1 h3 Bf1 e5 h6 Be7 0-0 Be6

d1. Yugoslav Attack with 9. Bc4

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Be3 f3 Qd2 Bc4 0-0-0 Bg7 0-0 Nc6 Bd7

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d2. Classical Dragon

6. 7. 8. 9. Be2 0-0 Be3 Nb3 Bg7 Nc6 0-0 Be6 6. 7. 8. 9.

d4. Dragon with 6. g3

g3 Nde2 Bg2 0-0 Nc6 Bg7 0-0

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d3. Levenfish Attack
6. 7. 8. 9. f4 Nxc6 e5 exd6 Nc6 bxc6 Nd7 exd6

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e. The Accelerated Dragon
1. 2. 3. 4. e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 c5 Nc6 cxd4 g6

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(1) Maroczy Bind (2) Classical Accelerated Dragon

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e1. Maroczy Bind

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. c4 Be3 Nc3 Qxg4 Qd1 Bg7 Nf6 Ng4 Nxd4 Ne6

f. The Sveshnikov Variation

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 Nc3 Ndb5 Bb5 Na3 c5 Nc6 cxd4 Nf6 e5 d6 a6 b5

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e2. Classical Accelerated Dragon
5. 6. 7. 8. Nc3 Be3 Bc4 0-0 Bb7 Nf6 Qa5 0-0

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(1) Sveshnikov with 9. Bxf6 (2) Sveshnikov with 9. Nd5

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f1. Sveshnikov with 9. Bxf6

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Bxf6 Nd5 c3 exf5 Nc2 Nce3 Bd3 gxf6 f5 Bg7 Bxf5 0-0 Be6 f5

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f2. Sveshnikov with 9. Nd5

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Nd5 Bxf6 c3 Nc2 a4 Rxa4 Be7 Bxf6 0-0 Bg5 bxa4 a5

h. The Four Knights Variation

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

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g. Lwenthal Variation
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 Nb5 Nd6+ Qxd6 c5 Nc6 cxd4 e5 a6 Bxd6 Qf6

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6. Nbd5 Bb4

Another possibility is 6. d6 7. Bf4 e5 8. Bg5 which transposes into the Sveshnikov variation with both sides having made an extra move (Black has played e6 and e5, and White has played Bf4 and Bg5). 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. a3 Nxc3 exd5 Bd3 0-0 Bxc3+ d5 exd5 0-0

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i. The Kalashnikov Variation

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 Nb5 c5 Nc6 cxd4 e5 d6

j. The Taimanov Variation

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

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. c4 N1c3 Na3 Be2 Nc2 Rxc1 0-0 Be7 a6 Be6 Bg5 Bxc1 Nf6 0-0

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(1) Maroczy Taimanov (2) Pure Taimanov (3) Paulsen Taimanov

j1. Maroczy Taimanov

5. 6. 7. 8. Nb5 c4 N1c3 Na3 d6 Nf6 a6

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j2. Pure Taimanov

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Nc3 Be2 Be3 Qxd4 0-0 Qd2 a6 Nge7 Nxd4 b5 Nc6 Be7 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

k. The Kan Variation

e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 Bd3 0-0 Qe2 c4 c5 e6 cxd4 a6 Nf6 Qc7 d6

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j3. Paulsen Taimanov
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Nc3 Be3 Be2 0-0 Na4 Qc7 a6 Nf6 Bb4

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Part II: Other Sicilian Systems l. The c3 Sicilain
1. 2. e4 c3 c5

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(1) 2. c3 With 2. Nf6 (2) 2. c3 With 2. d5

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l1. 2. c3 With 2. Nf6

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. e5 d4 Nf3 Bc4 Bb3 exd6 0-0 Nf6 Nd5 cxd4 Nc6 Nb6 d5 Qxd6 Be6 1. 2. 3. 4.

m. The Morra Gambit

e4 d4 c3 Nxc3 c5 cxd4 dxc3

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l2. 2. c3 With 2. d5
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. exd5 d4 Nf3 Be3 cxd4 Nc3 a3 Bd3 0-0 d5 Qxd5 Nf6 e6 cxd4 Nc6 Qd6 Be7 0-0

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4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Nf3 Bc4 0-0 Qe2 Rd1 h3 Nc6 d6 e6 Nf6 Be7 e5 0-0

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n. The Closed Sicilian

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

e4 Nc3 g3 Bg2 d3 Be3 Qd2 Nge2 0-0 Nd1

c5 Nc6 g6 Bg7 d6 Rb8 b5 Nd4 b4

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o. The Bb5 Systems
(1) Rossolimo Variation (2) Moscow Variation

o2. Moscow Variation

1. 2. 3. e4 Nf3 Bb5+ c5 d6

o1. Rossolimo Variation

1. 2. 3. e4 Nf3 Bb5 c5 Nc6

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3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 0-0 Re1 c3 d4 e5 g6 Bg7 Nf6 0-0 d5 Ne4

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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Bxd7+ c4 0-0 Nc3 d4 Nxd4 Nde2 Bd7 Qxd7 Nc6 Nf6 g6 cxd4 Bg7

p. The Grand Prix Attack

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. e4 Nc3 f4 Nf3 Bb5 c5 Nc6 g6 Bg7 Nd4

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An Introduction to the Sicilian Defense complied by Steven Craig Miller For further reading, see: Starting Out: The Sicilian by John Emms (Everyman Chess, 2002). The next two works are good one volume surveys, which attempt to cover every chess opening to some degree. Modern Chess Openings by Nick de Firmian (14th edition; Three Rivers Press, 1997). Nunns Chess Openings by John Nunn, Graham Burgess, John Emms, and Joe Gallagher (Gambit/Everyman Chess, 1999). The following books are more specialized: Easy Guide to the Classical Sicilian by Jouni Yrjl (Everyman Chess, 2000). Easy Guide to the Najdorf by Tony Kosten (Everyman Chess, 1999). Easy Guide to the Dragon by Mikhail Golubev (Everyman Chess, 1999). Easy Guide to the Sicilian Scheveningen by Steffen Pedersen (Cadogan, 1998). Easy Guide to the Sveshnikov Sicilian by Jacob Aagaard (Everyman Chess, 2000). The Grand Prix Attack by Gary Lane (Batsford, 1997). just to name a few!

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