B47 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, Ponomariov Gambit
15/15
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nc65.Nc3Qc76.Ndb5Qb87.Be3a68.Bb6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, Ponomariov Gambit4.1k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
96%3.9k42%
2.8%11419%
0.4%1619%
0.1%60%
0.1%520%
0.1%413%
0.1%30%
0%250%
0%10%
0%10%
Famous games in this line113 master games
Popov, Ivan (2632) – Gagunashvili, Merab (2601)Ponomariov, Ruslan (2616) – Al Modiahki, Mohamad (2553)Popov, Ivan1 (2656) – Reshetnikov, Alexey (2497)Herrera, Irisberto (2465) – Korneev, Oleg (2615)Kornev, Alexei (2582) – Geller, Jakov (2490)Kurnosov, Igor (2500) – Ivanisevic, Ivan (2569)Cao, Sang (2488) – Markus, Robert (2579)Fontaine, Robert (2529) – Ilincic, Zlatko (2535)Heroes of this opening Ponomariov, Ruslan · Popov, Ivan1 · Korneev, Oleg · Geller, Jakov
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B47
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8. Bb6
Gambit
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From the archives
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.
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