Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6
5/5
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.c3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e64.7M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
35%1.7M51%
25%1.2M47%
15%717k47%
14%672k52%
3.1%145k47%
1.5%72k47%
1.5%69k47%
1.1%51k49%
1.1%50k46%
0.7%31k46%
Famous games in this line9.1k master games
Vachier Lagrave, M. (2789) – Caruana, F. (2816)Nakamura, Hi (2816) – Caruana, F. (2789)Wang Hao (2762) – Caruana, F.. (2842)Carlsen, M. (2832) – Firouzja, Alireza (2767)Aronian, L. (2745) – Carlsen, M. (2853)Aronian, Levon (2767) – Caruana, Fabiano (2828)Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2789) – Caruana, F. (2804)Nakamura, Hi (2804) – Erigaisi, Arjun (2782)Heroes of this opening Caruana, Fabiano
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B40
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation3…d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Nf6Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation3…Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 Nc6
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