Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit

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1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nc65.Nb5d66.c4Nf67.N1c3a68.Na3d5

Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid

Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit620 games · White to move

MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore

42348%

17553%

1414%

425%

350%

1100%

Famous games in this line41 master games

Karpov, Anatoly (2720) – Kasparov, Garry (2700)1985½–½ Karpov, Anatoly (2720) – Kasparov, Garry (2700)19850–1 Karpov, Anatoly (2700) – Van der Wiel, John (2555)1986½–½ Almasi, Zoltan (2580) – Horvath, Jozsef (2545)19931–0 Ernst, Thomas (2570) – Brodsky, Michail (2540)1992½–½ Acs, Peter (2623) – Cmilyte, Viktorija (2452)2003½–½ Korneev, Oleg (2490) – Horvath, Jozsef (2535)1993½–½ Almasi, Zoltan (2490) – Horvath, Jozsef (2535)1993½–½

Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Almasi, Zoltan

Family: Sicilian Defense
Category: Semi-Open
First move: 1.e4
ECO: B44
Line: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 d5

Gambit

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Nearby lines in the family

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Traditional Line2…d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Bird Variation2…Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Larsen Defense2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 …

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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