Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation, Kantscher Line
20/20
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3Nc66.Bg5e67.Qd2Be78.O-O-ONxd49.Qxd4a610.f4b5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation, Kantscher Line1.2k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
37%42747%
23%26456%
14%15962%
6.5%7561%
4.7%5456%
4.4%5150%
2.8%3252%
1.5%1750%
1.5%1768%
1.4%1675%
Famous games in this line581 master games
Carlsen, M. (2830) – Nakamura, Hi (2795)Kasparov, Garry (2825) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2740)Kasparov, Garry (2775) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2775)Anand, Viswanathan (2769) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2758)Karjakin, Sergey (2727) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2781)Leko, Peter (2751) – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2725)Shirov, Alexei (2690) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2775)Svidler, Peter (2713) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2751)Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Kramnik, Vladimir · Svidler, Peter
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- 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 8. O-O-O Nxd4 9. Qxd4 a6 10. f4 b5
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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.
Study this opening