Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Taimanov Line

8/8
1.e4c52.Nf3a63.d4cxd44.Nxd4e5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Taimanov Line385k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
46%176k47%
29%112k52%
21%81k48%
2.1%8.0k28%
1.7%6.6k52%
0.1%25632%
0%13733%
0%13225%
0%11924%
0%9428%
Famous games in this line56 master games
Cao, Sang (2501)Varga, Zoltan (2541)1999½–½Noble, Mark F (2497)Mokrys, Christian-Peter (2513)20070–1Stany, G. (2399)Bogner, S. (2602)20140–1Gaponenko, Inna (2448)Kalinitschew, Sergey (2517)20040–1Meijers, Viesturs (2472)Kuijf, Marinus (2455)20001–0Medina, W. (2377)Zhao, Yuanhe (2501)20240–1Kupreichik, Viktor D (2505)Batsanin, Dmitry (2370)19980–1Gorovykh, Eduard (2325)Turov, Maxim (2527)20051–0
Heroes of this opening Mokrys, Christian-Peter · Bogner, S. · Kalinitschew, Sergey · Meijers, Viesturs
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B28
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
Keep exploring
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