Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Smith-Morra Declined
8/8
1.e4c52.c3Nf63.e5Nd54.d4cxd4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Smith-Morra Declined1.6M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
69%1.1M48%
18%285k53%
6%93k51%
4.9%77k52%
1.3%21k46%
0.1%1.4k49%
0%64841%
0%45045%
0%32942%
0%11045%
Famous games in this line9.8k master games
Aronian, L. (2785) – Dominguez Perez, L. (2756)Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2764) – Giri, Anish (2763)Nakamura, Hi (2788) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2731)Alekseev, Evgeny (2678) – Grischuk, A. (2777)Kamsky, Gata (2723) – Grischuk, Alexander (2728)Aronian, L. (2748) – Sevian, Samuel (2692)Sevian, Samuel (2692) – Dominguez Perez, L. (2741)Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2665) – Dominguez Perez, Leinier (2757)Heroes of this opening Giri, Anish · Nakamura, Hi · Aronian, L. · Dominguez Perez, L.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B22
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4
Keep exploring
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