Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Anti-Alapin Gambit

6/6
1.e4c52.c3d53.exd5Nf6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Anti-Alapin Gambit145k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
47%68k50%
25%36k47%
16%23k49%
5%7.2k53%
2.5%3.6k58%
2.1%3.0k46%
0.7%98345%
0.4%52850%
0.3%39142%
0.2%33648%
Famous games in this line352 master games
Grandelius, N. (2635)Carlsen, M. (2864)20220–1Mamedov, Rau (2642)Saric, Iv (2670)2023½–½Howell, D. (2677)Brkic, A. (2608)20231–0Naroditsky, D. (2616)Narayanan, SL. (2658)2022½–½Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. (2662)Yuffa, D. (2607)2024½–½Pechac, Jergus (2633)Indjic, A. (2630)20231–0Artemiev, V. (2701)Zemlyanskii, Ivan (2543)2024½–½Howell, David (2614)Ivanisevic, Ivan (2629)20091–0
Heroes of this opening Howell, David · Carlsen, M. · Pechac, Jergus
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B22
Line
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Nf6
Gambit
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Alapin 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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