B25 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, Edge Variation

14/14
1.e4c52.Nc3Nc63.g3g64.Bg2Bg75.d3d66.f4e57.Nh3Nge7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, Edge Variation2.5k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
95%2.4k63%
2.6%6556%
1.3%3370%
0.5%1354%
0.2%520%
0.2%475%
0.1%367%
0.1%250%
0%10%
0%1100%
Famous games in this line178 master games
Short, Nigel D (2677) – Ye, Jiangchuan (2670)20000–1Spassky, Boris V (2630) – Hort, Vlastimil (2620)19781–0Balashov, Yuri S (2581) – Kharlov, Andrei (2639)2001½–½Spassky, Boris V (2630) – Timman, Jan H (2585)1978½–½Short, Nigel D (2663) – Zhu, Chen (2505)20021–0Larino Nieto, D. (2495) – Iturrizaga, E. (2664)2017½–½Starostits, Ilmars (2480) – Krasenkow, Michal (2620)2008½–½Stripunsky, Alexander (2550) – Georgiev, Vladimir (2517)2005½–½
Heroes of this opening Ye, Jiangchuan · Spassky, Boris V · Short, Nigel D
Family
Sicilian Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B25
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nh3 Nge7
FianchettoSharp
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Romanian DefenseB20 2.b4 cxb4 3.a3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 …Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Flank VariationB87 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 …Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis VariationB42 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 …
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.

Study this opening
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