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 →
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Romanian Defense2.b4 cxb4 3.a3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 …Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Flank Variation2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 …Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis Variation2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 …
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
Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Sicilian Defense ↗