Sicilian defence

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The Sicilian defence, usually called just the Sicilian, is a chess opening, which starts with these moves:

  • 1. e4 c5

In competitive chess, it is by far the most frequently played reply to the King's Pawn opening (1.e4).

The open Sicilian


Start of chess board.
a8 black rook b8 black knight c8 black bishop d8 black queen e8 black king f8 black bishop g8 __ [[Image:chess rd

d44.png|22px|alt=h8 black rook]]

a7 black pawn b7 black pawn c7 __ d7 __ e7 black pawn f7 black pawn g7 black pawn [[Image:chess pd

l44.png|22px|alt=h7 black pawn]]

a6 __ b6 __ c6 __ d6 black pawn e6 __ f6 black knight g6 __ [[Image:chess __

d44.png|22px|alt=h6 __|link=]]

a5 __ b5 __ c5 __ d5 __ e5 __ f5 __ g5 __ [[Image:chess __

l44.png|22px|alt=h5 __|link=]]

a4 __ b4 __ c4 __ d4 white knight e4 white pawn f4 __ g4 __ [[Image:chess __

d44.png|22px|alt=h4 __|link=]]

a3 __ b3 __ c3 white knight d3 __ e3 __ f3 __ g3 __ [[Image:chess __

l44.png|22px|alt=h3 __|link=]]

a2 white pawn b2 white pawn c2 white pawn d2 __ e2 __ f2 white pawn g2 white pawn [[Image:chess pl

d44.png|22px|alt=h2 white pawn]]

a1 white rook b1 __ c1 white bishop d1 white queen e1 white king f1 white bishop g1 __ [[Image:chess rl

l44.png|22px|alt=h1 white rook]]

End of chess board.
  • Open variations 1e4 c5 2Nf3 followed by 3d4. A typical line is
1.e4 c5
2.Nf3 d6
3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3

Now Black decides where to put his KB: on e7 or g7; his QN will probably go to c6.

The closed Sicilian


Start of chess board.
a8 black rook b8 __ c8 black bishop d8 black queen e8 black king f8 __ g8 black knight [[Image:chess rd

d44.png|22px|alt=h8 black rook]]

a7 black pawn b7 black pawn c7 __ d7 __ e7 black pawn f7 black pawn g7 black bishop [[Image:chess pd

l44.png|22px|alt=h7 black pawn]]

a6 __ b6 __ c6 black knight d6 black pawn e6 __ f6 __ g6 black pawn [[Image:chess __

d44.png|22px|alt=h6 __|link=]]

a5 __ b5 white bishop c5 black pawn d5 __ e5 __ f5 __ g5 __ [[Image:chess __

l44.png|22px|alt=h5 __|link=]]

a4 __ b4 __ c4 __ d4 __ e4 white pawn f4 white pawn g4 __ [[Image:chess __

d44.png|22px|alt=h4 __|link=]]

a3 __ b3 __ c3 white knight d3 white pawn e3 __ f3 white knight g3 __ [[Image:chess __

l44.png|22px|alt=h3 __|link=]]

a2 white pawn b2 white pawn c2 white pawn d2 __ e2 __ f2 __ g2 white pawn [[Image:chess pl

d44.png|22px|alt=h2 white pawn]]

a1 white rook b1 __ c1 white bishop d1 white queen e1 white king f1 __ g1 __ [[Image:chess rl

l44.png|22px|alt=h1 white rook]]

End of chess board.
  • Closed variations 1e4 c5 2Nc3 not followed by d4. A typical line is
1.e4 c5
2.Nc3 Nc6
3.f4 d6
4.Nf3 g6
5.Bb5 Bg7
6.d3

Instead of 3.f4, a slower game with 3.g3 followed by Bg2 and d3 could be chosen by White.

  • ECO code B20–B99. ECO is the Encyclopaedia of chess openings.