Semi-Open · a defense for Black

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

7/7
1.e4c52.Nf3a63.d4cxd44.Qxd4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Zagorovsky Line84k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
67%57k53%
9.3%7.8k54%
9.2%7.8k55%
7.3%6.1k53%
3.4%2.9k54%
1.7%1.4k38%
1.1%92256%
0.3%29149%
0.1%11646%
0.1%10218%
Famous games in this line4 master games
Polgar, Judit (2595)Polgar, Zsuzsa (2560)19931–0Rakhmatullaev, Almas (2425)Faizulaev, A. (2354)20240–1Gajsin, Evgenij (2448)Andre, Wolfgang (2226)20061–0Mamatov, Melis (2225)Ushenina, A. (2423)20180–1
Heroes of this opening Polgar, Judit · Faizulaev, A. · Gajsin, Evgenij · Ushenina, A.
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B28
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
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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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