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Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein (B29)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6

Number of games in database: 2439
Years covered: 1911 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 42.0%
   Black wins 26.8%
   Draws 31.2%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Alexey Suetin  9 games
Vlastimil Jansa  8 games
Fred Dewhirst Yates  8 games
Aleksandr Rakhmanov  66 games
Petr Bazant Sr  57 games
Eduard Mnatsakanian  30 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Keres vs W Winter, 1935
H Seidman vs Santasiere, 1939
I Kopylov vs S Korolev, 1981
Euwe vs Rubinstein, 1921
Reti vs Rubinstein, 1920
Spielmann vs A Nimzowitsch, 1911
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 page 1 of 98; games 1-25 of 2,439  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Spielmann vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1461911San SebastianB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
2. J Perlis vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1411911KarlsbadB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
3. Schlechter vs A Nimzowitsch ½-½791912San SebastianB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
4. Alapin vs Rubinstein 1-0281912Vilnius All-Russian MastersB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
5. Reti vs Rubinstein 0-1481920GothenburgB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
6. Spielmann vs Rubinstein 0-1521920GothenburgB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
7. T Gruber vs Gruenfeld  1-0341921ViennaB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
8. Euwe vs Rubinstein 0-1331921The HagueB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
9. G Marco vs Tartakower 0-1511921The HagueB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
10. Yates vs Rubinstein 0-1591921The HagueB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
11. Maroczy vs Tartakower ½-½411921The HagueB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
12. H Price vs Kostic 0-1361921HastingsB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
13. J O'Hanlon vs Kostic  0-1231921HastingsB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
14. J Blake vs Kostic  ½-½111922Weston-super-MareB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
15. D Marotti vs H Atkins 0-1291922LondonB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
16. Alekhine vs D Saunders 0-1321923Simul, 37bB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
17. N Grigoriev vs M Kliatskin  1-02919245th Ch MoscowB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
18. D LeDain vs J W Moncur  1-0701924Canadian ChampionshipB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
19. J Balogh vs Maroczy  1-0331924GyorB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
20. R Michell vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1401925MarienbadB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
21. M Romi vs A G Conde ½-½621925Scarborough-AB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
22. M C Palmer vs H Steiner  1-0321925Western ChampionshipB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
23. Tartakower vs Colle  ½-½271926Ghent SK Jubilee TournamentB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
24. Spielmann vs Tartakower ½-½211926MeranoB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
25. Yates vs Tartakower 0-1621927KecskemetB29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
 page 1 of 98; games 1-25 of 2,439  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-16-03  ksadler: AgentRgent, and anyone else who plays the Alekhine, is transposing into this Sicilian line after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. Nf3 and then playing .. c5 an option. I suppose the only other option is 3. .. d6 hoping for 4. d4 going back into theory. Or is there a better alternative than either .. c5 or .. d6 to refute your opponents' move order. I've taken this up recently with good results, but that's probably due to me having at least a little theory behind me and my opponent's having none.
Jul-10-03  AgentRgent: Don't know how I missed this back in Feb...

But after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. Nf3 I always play 3...d6 since the Larsen Variation is one of my specialties in the Alekhine's. However I don't see any disadvantage to play c5 since it's generally a great move to play and you've avoided the dangers of the c5- four pawns attack.

Jul-10-03  ksadler: I play 3. .. d6 from time to time, but I enjoy the .. c5 and will stick with it. When I asked this question in February, I believe that it was after I tried to refute the 3. ♘f3 move by playing 3. .. ♘c6? which after 4. d4 d6 goes into a bad line for Black. So to answer my own question then probably only d6 and c5 are the moves?
Feb-08-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Resool Uut: The Sicilian line after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. Nf3 and then playing .. c5 is inferior after 4. gs. In my opinion the white game plays itself with much freedom. The black game shows few perspective. Resool Uut
Nov-27-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: This, has to be one of the strangest position I've seen chess Opening Explorer

Besides my own games, which often looks stranger than that. Regular member may not be able to access the link, due to the depth of the moves.

Nov-27-06  suenteus po 147: <WannaBe> You've played against this opening more than once ;)
Nov-27-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: <suenteus po 147> I try to forget my (numerous) losses to you. =(
Apr-15-07  Archives: <WannaBe: This, has to be one of the strangest position I've seen chess Opening Explorer

Besides my own games, which often looks stranger than that.>

Reminds me of a game I played ages ago when I first started playing chess.

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nf4 4.d4 Ne6 5. d5 Nc5 6.Be3 Ne4 7.Bd3 Nxf2 8.Bxf2


click for larger view

I was White.

It was against my flatmate, and the funny thing is, my other flatmate (who knew next to nothing about chess) came along and looked at the board and said something along the lines of, "Oh my god, how the hell did that happen"

Sep-29-11  Bengambit: Archives,i had that happened to me.I was trying, i believe it was the Lasker Opening,and i was nuts for trying that opening without studying it first.Lost my knight from the "Bell",first round knock-out.................
Dec-03-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day

Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 ♘f6


click for larger view

Dec-03-11  qqdos: Have a look at this 30-year-old landmark (B89) game F Rhine vs D Sprenkle, 1981 and see recent contributions by both participants! Also, what about this Yifan Hou vs M Romanko, 2010 as a response by a current World Champion when confronted with 2...Nf6. Gaining (or losing) time by the tame retreat 3.Ng1 shows a degree of respect (or indecision) about whether to advance her e-pawn. And how about Black's failure to punish White by snapping-off her e-pawn?

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