Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation
10/10
1.e4c52.Nf3Nc63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3e5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation2.9M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
53%1.5M53%
6.9%198k45%
0.8%24k49%
0.2%4.8k25%
0.1%2.0k22%
0%1.1k18%
0%1.1k20%
Famous games in this line28k master games
Caruana, F. (2832) – Carlsen, M. (2835)Caruana, F. (2832) – Carlsen, M. (2835)Caruana, F. (2832) – Carlsen, M. (2835)Caruana, F. (2832) – Carlsen, M. (2835)Caruana, F. (2819) – Carlsen, M. (2845)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2779) – Carlsen, M. (2875)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780) – Carlsen, M. (2872)Giri, A. (2793) – Carlsen, M. (2853)- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B33
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation6.Nf3Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Exchange Variation6.Nxc6Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Schlechter Variation6.Nb3Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Bird Variation6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 Be6
Nearby lines in the family
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.
Study this opening