B53 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense

10/10
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Qxd4Nc65.Bb5Qd7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense1.5k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
68%1.0k52%
8.3%12454%
7.1%10758%
4.6%6954%
4%6037%
2.1%3245%
1.3%1953%
1.1%1776%
1.1%1628%
0.9%1461%
Famous games in this line116 master games
Stellwagen, Daniel (2600)Tiviakov, Sergei (2663)2007½–½Popov, Iv RUS (2652)Sethuraman, S. (2553)2013½–½Lalic, Bogdan (2550)Tiviakov, Sergei (2611)1999½–½Campora, Daniel Hugo (2520)Tiviakov, Sergei (2640)1998½–½Predojevic, B. (2621)Boensch, U. (2516)20211–0Zarnicki, Pablo (2570)Ricardi, Pablo (2545)1995½–½Cyborowski, Lukasz (2565)Jakubiec, Artur (2532)20040–1Malakhov, V. (2717)Qashashvili, A. (2378)2014½–½
Heroes of this opening Predojevic, B. · Jakubiec, Artur
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B53
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 Qd7
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
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From the archives

No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.

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