Sicilian Defense: Open

The Open Sicilian with 2...Nc6 (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4) is one of the main battlegrounds of the Sicilian Defense. White opens the centre with d4; after 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Black has traded a wing pawn for a centre pawn and gets a half-open c-file in return.

The idea

2...Nc6 is a natural developing move that also prepares ...Nf6. Like 2...d6, it stops White from answering ...Nf6 with e5. After 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Black chooses the structure: the most common move is 4...Nf6, while 4...e6, 4...g6 and 4...e5 lead to quite different systems.

Main lines

• 4...Nf6 5.Nc3, when Black chooses between:
  • 5...d6, transposing to the Classical Variation;
  • 5...e5, the Sveshnikov Variation, called the Lasker-Pelikan Variation before Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko developed it in the 1970s. Black accepts a backward d-pawn and a hole on d5 in return for time and central space; it is now extremely popular at every level, and players such as Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov have used it;
  • 5...e6, transposing to the Four Knights Variation.
• 4...e6, transposing to the Taimanov Variation.
• 4...g6, the Accelerated Dragon.
• 4...e5 5.Nb5, with two options:
  • 5...a6, the Löwenthal Variation, played by La Bourdonnais in his 1834 matches against McDonnell and named after Johann Löwenthal; it declined once it was found that White keeps the advantage in several lines;
  • 5...d6, the Kalashnikov Variation, a close relative of the Sveshnikov that Black players revived in the late 1980s.
• Less common fourth moves include 4...Qc7, which may transpose to the Taimanov, 4...Qb6 (the Grivas Variation) and 4...d6.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Black gets an unbalanced game with a half-open c-file and many systems to choose from.
• The Sveshnikov in particular is established as a first-rate defence.

Weaknesses

• Lines such as the Sveshnikov and Kalashnikov leave Black with a backward d-pawn and a weak d5-square.
• Some older lines, such as the Löwenthal, are known to leave White an advantage.

Who should play it

The Open Sicilian with 2...Nc6 suits Black players who want a fighting game against 1.e4 and are ready to study the system they choose after 4.Nxd4. White players who want to avoid the Sveshnikov often play the Rossolimo Variation (3.Bb5) instead of 3.d4.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins 48.7% against Black's 46.3%. Under 1400 White leads 51.0% against 45.3%; the gap narrows with rating, to 49.5% against 46.5% at 1400–1799, 48.6% against 46.3% at 1800–2199 and 47.1% against 45.2% from 2200 up. In about 78,200 master games 45.4% were drawn; White won 30.2% and Black 24.4%.