Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Rauzer Attack

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1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3Nc66.Bg5e67.Qd2Be78.O-O-OO-O9.f4Nxd4

Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Rauzer Attack2.9k games · White to move

MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation2.9k53%

10%

Famous games in this line979 master games

Carlsen, M.. (2847) – Radjabov, T.. (2765)2021½–½ Topalov, Veselin (2801) – Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2693)20061–0 Carlsen, Magnus (2775) – Alekseev, Evgeny (2708)2008½–½ Karpov, Anatoly (2780) – Kamsky, Gata (2695)1994½–½ Svidler, Peter (2690) – Anand, Viswanathan (2770)1998½–½ Shirov, Alexei (2690) – Anand, Viswanathan (2765)1997½–½ Shirov, Alexei (2740) – Kamsky, Gata (2695)1994½–½ Polgar, Judit (2658) – Anand, Viswanathan (2769)2000½–½

Family: Sicilian Defense
Category: Semi-Open
First move: 1.e4
ECO: B65
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 O-O 9. f4 Nxd4

Aggressive

★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation Explore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →

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Nearby lines in the family

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line5…a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 …Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Browne Variation5…a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 …Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Goteborg Variation5…a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 …

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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