Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Bird Variation

16/16
1.e4c52.Nf3Nc63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3e56.Ndb5d67.Bg5a68.Na3Be6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Bird Variation53k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
34%18k49%
23%12k59%
15%7.7k54%
13%7.1k49%
6.1%3.2k49%
3.6%1.9k47%
1.9%1.0k46%
1.2%62545%
1%51857%
0.2%11343%
Famous games in this line880 master games
Vachier Lagrave, M. (2763) – Mamedyarov, S. (2762)20210–1Grischuk, A. (2747) – Gelfand, B. (2734)2016½–½Harikrishna, P. (2752) – Radjabov, T. (2722)2016½–½Leko, P. (2693) – Mamedov, Rau (2688)2016½–½Kryvoruchko, Y. (2693) – Iturrizaga, E. (2650)20161–0Kamsky, Gata (2695) – Polgar, Judit (2630)19940–1Georgiev, Kiril (2610) – Shirov, Alexei (2710)19921–0Karpov, Anatoly (2720) – Nunn, John DM (2590)19821–0
Heroes of this opening Mamedyarov, S. · Kryvoruchko, Y. · Polgar, Judit · Georgiev, Kiril
Family
Sicilian Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B33
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 Be6
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit2…e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 …Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Traditional Line2…d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Larsen Defense2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 …
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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