Tree path 13 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › Modern Variations › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › Modern Variations, Main Line › Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation › Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation › Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation › Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation › Polugaevsky Variation › Simagin Line

B96

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Polugaevsky Variation, Simagin Line

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Overview

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Polugaevsky Variation, Simagin Line is a variation within the Semi-Open Games family, indexed as ECO B96.

The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.

Play reaches this position via 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 b5 8. e5 dxe5 9. fxe5 Qc7 10. Qe2, after 19 plies of opening development.

It is a variation of Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Polugaevsky Variation, which itself descends from the root opening King's Pawn Game.

Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.

ECO code: B96
Group: Semi-Open Games (B)
Plies: 19
Parent: Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Polugaevsky Variation

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

4,269 games · White 50.2% / Draw 3.7% / Black 46.1%

Moves	Games	W / D / B
Nfd7	3,990
b4	93
Nd5	89
h6	39
Bb4	38
Bc5	5
Bb7	5
Qd7	4

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 03:22:25

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