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B63 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation

14/14
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3Nc66.Bg5e67.Qd2Be7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation75k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
O-O-O75%56k58%
f47.7%5.8k53%
f37.4%5.6k56%
Bb52.1%1.6k52%
Nxc61.6%1.2k47%
Be21.5%1.1k52%
h41.3%97053%
Bc40.9%68152%
Nb30.7%52553%
Bxf60.5%35542%
Famous games in this line4.6k master games
Carlsen, M.. (2847)Radjabov, T.. (2765)2021½–½Kasparov, Garry (2775)Kramnik, Vladimir (2775)19961–0So, W. (2767)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2774)2019½–½Karjakin, Sergey (2752)Vachier Lagrave, M.. (2784)2020½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2725)Kasparov, Garry (2795)19950–1Ivanchuk, Vassily (2740)Anand, Viswanathan (2770)19980–1Karjakin, Sergey (2767)Wang, Hao (2743)20131–0Anand, Viswanathan (2735)Kramnik, Vladimir (2765)1996½–½
Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Anand, Viswanathan · Karjakin, Sergey
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No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.

Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B63
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
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