Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack, Perenyi Gambit

17/17
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.Be3e67.g4e58.Nf5g69.g5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack, Perenyi Gambit1.4k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
61%86041%
28%39033%
6.8%9628%
3.2%4622%
0.6%928%
0.5%70%
0.2%367%
0.2%333%
0.1%20%
Famous games in this line284 master games
Leko, Peter (2753) – Anand, Viswanathan (2799)20081–0Shirov, Alexei (2726) – Anand, Viswanathan (2781)19990–1Polgar, Judit (2677) – Anand, Viswanathan (2781)19991–0Shirov, Alexei (2718) – Topalov, Veselin (2718)20011–0Shirov, Alexei (2746) – Svidler, Peter (2689)2000½–½Polgar, Judit (2735) – Kasimdzhanov, Rustam (2670)20051–0Shirov, Alexei (2751) – Van Wely, Loek (2646)20001–0Ivanchuk, Vassily (2711) – Van Wely, Loek (2679)20051–0
Heroes of this opening Polgar, Judit · Shirov, Alexei · Leko, Peter · Anand, Viswanathan
Family
Sicilian Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B90
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. g4 e5 8. Nf5 g6 9. g5
GambitAggressive
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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Moscow Gambit3.Bb5 Nc6 4.O-O Bd7 5.c3 Nf6 …Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Fischer Variation2…Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Main Line5…g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 O-O 8.Qd2 …
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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