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Sicilian (B40)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6

Number of games in database: 12384
Years covered: 1843 to 2023
Overall record:
   White wins 34.9%
   Black wins 32.5%
   Draws 32.6%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Michele Godena  57 games
Vadim Zvjaginsev  50 games
Sergei Rublevsky  48 games
Pia Cramling  66 games
Pavel Tregubov  54 games
Srdjan Sale  54 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Wei Yi vs L Bruzon Batista, 2015
Kasparov vs G West, 1977
Morphy vs Paulsen, 1857
R Domenech vs Flohr, 1935
Yates vs Alekhine, 1921
Westerinen vs Tal, 1973
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 page 1 of 496; games 1-25 of 12,384 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Saint-Amant vs Staunton 1-0601843Staunton - Saint-Amant Casual SeriesB40 Sicilian
2. C Stanley vs E Rousseau ½-½481845Rousseau - StanleyB40 Sicilian
3. Zeist vs Amsterdam  0-1481847UnknownB40 Sicilian
4. C F Smith vs H Buckle 0-1291849Ries' Divan TournamentB40 Sicilian
5. Mohishunder vs Cochrane 0-1381850CalcuttaB40 Sicilian
6. London vs Amsterdam  ½-½371850correspondenceB40 Sicilian
7. Szen vs H Kennedy 1-0451851LondonB40 Sicilian
8. Loewenthal vs Staunton 1-0391851Casual gameB40 Sicilian
9. E Lowe vs F Deacon 0-1281851Deacon - LoweB40 Sicilian
10. E Lowe vs F Deacon 1-0371851Deacon - LoweB40 Sicilian
11. Anderssen vs Staunton 1-0331851LondonB40 Sicilian
12. D Urusov vs Shumov 1-0251853St Petersburg mB40 Sicilian
13. Falkbeer vs T Barnes 1-0311856McDonnell Chess Club-fB40 Sicilian
14. Mohishunder vs Cochrane  1-0491856CalcuttaB40 Sicilian
15. New York vs Philadelphia 0-1411856CorrB40 Sicilian
16. H Hughes vs Beck  1-0231857MatchB40 Sicilian
17. B Raphael vs H Kennicott 1-05418571st American Chess Congress, New YorkB40 Sicilian
18. Paulsen vs A Hawes 1-0311857Blindfold simul, 5bB40 Sicilian
19. B Raphael vs Paulsen 0-12518571st American Chess Congress, New YorkB40 Sicilian
20. Morphy vs Paulsen 1-03618571st American Chess Congress, New YorkB40 Sicilian
21. Morphy vs Paulsen ½-½3618571st American Chess Congress, New YorkB40 Sicilian
22. Morphy vs Paulsen 1-06418571st American Chess Congress, New YorkB40 Sicilian
23. Morphy vs Paulsen 1-02618571st American Chess Congress, New YorkB40 Sicilian
24. F Healey vs C Kenny 0-1371858MatchB40 Sicilian
25. D S Roberts vs S Franklin  ½-½381858(T1) San FranciscoB40 Sicilian
 page 1 of 496; games 1-25 of 12,384 
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jan-08-05  azaris: <drukenknight> The same position can be reached through Wing Gambit proper (1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. d4 d5 4. e5 Nc6 5. Nf3), which Alekhine was already playing at the time:

[Event "Sombor sim"]
[Site "Sombor"]
[Date "1930.10.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Konjovic,N"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B20"]

1.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.d4 d5 4.e5 Nc6 5.a3 Qb6 6.Be3 Bf5 7.Nf3 e6 8.a4 Rc8 9.Be2 Nge7 10.Nbd2 Na5 11.Bb5+ Nec6 12.0-0 a6 13.Bd3 Bxd3 14.cxd3 Be7 15.h4 h6 16.h5 f5 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Ne5 Ne7 19.Qg4 b3 20.Rab1 Rf8 21.Rfe1 Kd8 22.Bf4 Nf5 23.Qg6 Qxd4 24.Nf7+ Kd7 25.Be5 Bxe5 26.Nxe5+ Ke7 27.Nxb3 Nxb3 28.Rxb3 b5 29.axb5 Rc2 30.Nc6+ Rxc6 31.bxc6 1-0

Since the Keres Variation has already been taken, I'd call this line the Alekhine-Keres Variation of the Wing Gambit.

Jan-08-05  drukenknight: oh I see. Kere's played it in response to ...e6 while alek. started it a move earlier w/o regard to blacks central pawns. I was looking at early ...e6 var. because I was starting out as French. Lots of transpositions here..
Jan-08-05  Valiantangel: Alek,played b4 to get strong central play,it is slightly different from ur keres-sicilian(whatever u wanna call it)in respect to the light black bishop.In kere-variation it is enclosed while in Alek game his opponent developed it outside.Alex opponent had a good game until he blew it with 16...f5. on the 24th move he missed Rxf7.

I feel this variations like many others r playable only if u r really well prepared!

Apr-20-05  Knight13: I play this kind of Sicilian.I would play like this: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bd3 Qc7 7. O-O Nf6 8. Kh1 a4(to prevent the eventually b5) and so on. I like to play this kind of sicilian.
Apr-20-05  BiLL RobeRTiE: Are you fluent in English?
Apr-21-05  BiLL RobeRTiE: I mean, sorry, but you write like my AP Statistics teacher's 4 year-old son.
Apr-21-05  Milo: Oh, snap! I'll have to remember that line, Bill. ;)

You can read K13's bio if you want. I'd say his English is pretty good. Better than my Chinese, at least. The content of his posts often confuses (amuses) me, but that's for other reasons... and I've really no right to criticize.

Apr-21-05  Open Defence: aww c'mon i think his posts are quite cute .. its almost like the mouse is speaking :-)

Knight13 dont let anyone tell you different :-)

Apr-24-05  Rocafella: <BiLLRobeRTiE, Milo> You are very funny.. but very mean... I gotta admit that i nearly fell off my chair laughing when i saw <Are you fluent in englsih> LOL
Jun-02-05  ongyj: If 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 d5 I recommend transposing it into a French variation that you like. Personally I'll try to force it into a Tarrasch which Black suffers an isolated d pawn. Alternatively, 4.Nc3 is playable too.
Aug-19-05  jcmoral: Not sure if this belongs here but that's what the ECO code says. Game on queenalice.com:

[White "NN"]
[Black "jcm"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B40"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 a6 4. Bc4 Qc7 5. d3 Nc6 6. Ng5 Nf6 7. h3 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. Be3 h6 10. Nf3 Bd6 11. a4 b4 12. Ne2 a5 13. c3 Ne5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. d4 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Nxe4 17. O-O Bd6 18. Rc1 Ng5 19. cxb4 Qb8 20. b5 Nxh3+ 21. gxh3 Bh2# 0-1

Aug-19-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: nice control of the long diag. and horsie sac.
Aug-20-05  jcmoral: Yeah, if 21. Kh1 then 21... Bxg2+ 22. Kxg2 Qb7+ 23. Kxh3 Qf3+ 24. Kh4 g5# 17. 0-0? I think he should've exchanged Bishops here. 20. b5?? allowing 20. Nxh3!
Aug-20-05  jcmoral: Hmm... missed 24. Ng3
Nov-07-05  azaris: Here's a fun research project. I'm looking for instructive games in the following line:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 with 5.Bg2 and castles to follow. Fischer played this KIA-type setup a few times.

You can see examples in Game Collection: New Ideas in the Sicilian Defense. Basically it seems if White can anchor a pawn on e5 he gets a big advantage, but there are alternative plans if Black plays an early d6 since he will thus condemn himself to a passive defense.

Nov-07-05  Swapmeet: <azaris> My favorite setup to play against 2...e6. White gets a pretty decent game if black plays correctly, but I notice more often than not black is caught by surprise and doesn't modify the usual sicilian setup (in which an early d5 is usually not a good idea).
Apr-01-06  drukenknight: Sure Honza's spanish was stupendous but you will laugh your ass off at this miniature sicilian with poison pawns on both sides...

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 e6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 Bb4 (Anderssen and allies played this back in 1862)

6. Bd2 (this is based on that Keres var. of the Winawer French, I will try to find example of that,there is a real good one)

6... Bxc3
7. Bxc3 Nxe4 (better to drop pawns vs. sicilian players and let them get creative)

8. Qg4 Nxc3
9. Qxg7 Rf8
10. bxc3 Qa5
11. Nb3 (there is a game in chesslab database that got this far)

11... Qa4 (the novelty)
12. Bd3 b6
13. O-O Bb7
14. Nd4 Na6
15. Bb5 Qa3
16. Nxe6 Bc6
17. Nxf8 Bxb5
18. Qe5+ Qe7
19. Qxb5 and 1-0 funny huh?

Oct-29-07  droosan: Can anyone tell me why no one plays 3. e5 after
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 e6
?

There must be something wrong with it since no one plays it, but I can't find anything. It seems a pretty obvious move but there are there are only 4 games in the database with it, and although white doesn't win any of them they don't look like the disaster is in the opening.

There must be a trap I am not seeing.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Oct-30-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: I don't think there's a trap, it's just that moving that pawn again over extends it. (I think)

And also, white gives up a developing move by moving the e-pawn twice. My Shredder recognizes 3. e5, it is in its opening book.

Oct-30-07  droosan: Thanks for responding.

Maybe you're right about moving the pawn twice. A friend of mine plays it against me, and although that forward pawn can be annoying, I do seem to get good counter play, I guess because I get to develop another piece.

I figured that if there was over extension it would mean black getting a pawn. But I haven't been able to get it. But I think maybe you're right the cost is just slow development for white. In my last game as black, I didn't get a pawn and that white e pawn was a worry to the end of the game. But I was able to get both my rooks onto the C file without much trouble and eventually won the game.

Jan-02-09  refutor: one problem i've noticed i've had in the sicilian is what to do with the d-pawn. if i play the najdorf, i end up with a backwards d-pawn that turns up weak and if i play the kan (or the taimanov or one of the transpositions) then i have to fight to get ...d6 or ..d5 in and sometimes i end up with my opponent coming down the d-file at me. anyone else have this problem?
Mar-03-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day : Sicilian Defense,Pin Variation
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.♘xd4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 ♗b4
Mar-03-11  rapidcitychess: The Pin opening is so much of a "coffee-house opening" I can't help feeling sorry for my opponent after he plays it.
Mar-20-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day

Sicilian, Pin Variation
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.♘xd4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 ♗b4


click for larger view

Oct-08-13  Kikoman:

<Opening of the Day>

Sicilian, Pin Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4


click for larger view

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