Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Moscow Gambit

17/17
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.Bb5+Nc64.O-OBd75.c3Nf66.Re1a67.Bxc6Bxc68.d4Bxe49.Bg5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Moscow Gambit499 games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
30%15045%
22%11128%
14%7047%
12%6157%
8.8%4431%
7.4%3755%
3.4%1718%
1%520%
0.4%250%
0.2%10%
Famous games in this line377 master games
Dubov, Daniil (2702) – Vachier Lagrave, M.. (2784)20210–1Ivanchuk, Vassily (2699) – Topalov, Veselin (2743)20030–1Svidler, Peter (2688) – Topalov, Veselin (2745)20020–1Fedorchuk, Sergey A (2652) – Moiseenko, Alexander (2702)2012½–½Narayanan, SL. (2662) – Xiong, Jeffery (2685)2022½–½Li, Chao B (2656) – Bu, Xiangzhi (2662)20111–0Lagarde, Max (2615) – Warmerdam, Max (2676)2024½–½Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan (2579) – Motylev, Alexander (2710)2010½–½
Heroes of this opening Topalov, Veselin · Vachier Lagrave, M.. · Li, Chao B
Family
Sicilian Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B51
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. c3 Nf6 6. Re1 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. d4 Bxe4 9. Bg5
Gambit
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Fischer Variation2…Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Main Line3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 …Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 …
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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