Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Polugaevsky Variation

10/10
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4a65.Bd3Bc5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Polugaevsky Variation40k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
54%22k53%
22%8.9k43%
14%5.7k49%
7.2%2.9k47%
1.5%60147%
0.3%12926%
0.1%2025%
0%1221%
0%933%
0%825%
Famous games in this line5.7k master games
Carlsen, M. (2872)Caruana, F. (2782)20140–1Duda, J. (2750)Carlsen, M. (2864)20220–1Giri, A. (2782)Caruana, F. (2816)2018½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2801)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2787)20070–1Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2788)Caruana, F. (2795)20161–0Aronian, L. (2764)Caruana, F. (2816)20181–0Anand, V. (2759)Caruana, F. (2816)20181–0Adams, Mi (2745)Caruana, F. (2829)20141–0
Heroes of this opening Caruana, F. · Carlsen, M. · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Vachier Lagrave, Maxime
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B42
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
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From the archives

No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.

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