Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian

The Old Sicilian is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6, one of Black's three main second moves in the Sicilian Defense, alongside 2...d6 and 2...e6. It is a natural developing move that also prepares ...Nf6: as after 2...d6, Black stops White from answering ...Nf6 with e5.

Main lines after 3.d4

After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Black's most common move is 4...Nf6. Other important moves are 4...e6, transposing to the Taimanov Variation; 4...g6, the Accelerated Dragon; and 4...e5, which leads to the Kalashnikov Variation after 5.Nb5 d6.

After 4...Nf6 White usually replies 5.Nc3, and Black chooses between:

• 5...d6, transposing to the Classical Variation;
• 5...e5, the Sveshnikov or Lasker-Pelikan Variation;
• 5...e6, transposing to the Four Knights Variation.

Other moves include 5...g6, aiming for the Dragon while avoiding the Maróczy Bind, and the provocative 5...h5.

Without 3.d4

• 3.Bb5 is the Rossolimo Variation.
• 3.Nc3 is a common transpositional device: White can play d4 or Bb5 next depending on Black's reply. Black sometimes answers 3...e5 to avoid both, and then 4.Bc4 is considered White's best move.
• 3.c3 tends to transpose to the Alapin Variation.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins 48.5% of the 87 million games and Black 46.6%. The gap is small under 1400, 48.9% against 47.5%, and grows from 2200 up to 48.4% against 44.1%. In 134,924 master games over the board 44.4% were drawn, White won 31.8% and Black 23.8%.