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
Family
Sicilian Defense
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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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation2…e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6Sicilian Defense: Gaw-Paw Variation2…e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …
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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