Sicilian Defense

1. 1

   Fight for d4 from the flank

   1.e4 c5

   Black does not mirror with 1...e5. The c-pawn controls d4 from the side, so when White plays d4 Black can trade a wing pawn for a centre pawn. That single trade is the whole opening: it gives Black the better long-term structure and gives White a head start in development.

2. 2

   The Open Sicilian trade

   1...c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4

   After ...cxd4 Nxd4 Black has two centre pawns (d6 and e7) against White's one. The c-file is half-open for a Black rook, aiming at c3 and c2. In return White is a tempo ahead, has more space and can throw f- and g-pawns at the Black king. Black's plan is slow; White's plan is fast.

3. 3

   5...a6: the little move that stops Bb5+ and Nb5

   3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6

   The Najdorf move. It looks slow, but it takes b5 away from White's bishop and knight, so Black can follow up with ...e5 (kicking the d4 knight) or ...e6 (the flexible Scheveningen wall) without a tempo-gaining check. Almost every Sicilian setup is a version of this decision: ...e5 or ...e6, and how to make it safe.

4. 4

   White's plan: castle long, push g4 and h4

   7...Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 O-O 10.O-O-O

   The English Attack, White's most popular modern setup. White castles queenside and then plays g4–g5 to chase the f6 knight and h4–h5 to open the h-file. Speed matters more than material: every tempo Black spends defending is a tempo White uses to bring another pawn forward.

5. 5

   Black's plan: the queenside pawn storm and the c-file

   12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 14.f4 a5

   Black attacks the king on c1 with pawns: ...b5–b4 chases the c3 knight, ...a5–a4 hits the b3 knight, and a rook comes to c8 aiming at c3. Exchange sacrifices on c3 are normal here. Whoever opens lines against the enemy king first wins, so neither side has time for a quiet move.

6. 6

   The d5 hole: Black's price for activity

   6...d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5

   The Sveshnikov. Black plays ...e5 early, which leaves d5 permanently weak: a White knight on d5 is the dream. Black accepts it because ...e5 gains time and space and Black will fight for d5 with ...Be6 and the ...f5 break. Sicilians are full of this bargain: a hole in exchange for activity.

7. 7

   Anti-Sicilians: refusing the trade

   1.e4 c5 2.c3

   White can avoid the Open Sicilian altogether. 2.c3 (Alapin) prepares d4 so that a pawn, not a knight, recaptures and White keeps a full centre. 2.Nc3 (Closed) and 3.Bb5 lines keep the structure blocked. Black gets an easier game than in the main lines, but needs a separate reply to each: passive play hands White a lasting space advantage.

These are the patterns worth knowing. For the full count, see the Sicilian Defense mistakes players make most often at each rating.

1. 1

   White: the f4–f5 and e4–e5 breaks (Scheveningen)

   7...O-O 8.f4 Nc6 9.Be3 Bd7 10.Qe1

   With both kings castled short, White's play is Qe1–g3, f4–f5 to hit e6, and e4–e5 to kick the f6 knight. Black answers with ...Nxd4, ...Bc6 on the long diagonal, ...Qc7 and ...b5. If White gets f5 and e5 in with pieces behind them, the Black king is in trouble; if Black gets ...d5 in first, the game is equal.

2. 2

   Black: the c-file and the exchange sacrifice on c3

   12.h4 h5 13.Kb1 Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4

   The rook lives on the c-file. Once it reaches c4 or c3, ...Rxc3 wrecks the pawn cover in front of White's king; the g7 bishop and the queen on a5 or b6 do the rest. Even a full exchange down, the dark squares around c3 and the open b-file give Black lasting play. This sacrifice is the Dragon and Najdorf player's main weapon.

3. 3

   Black: the ...d5 break equalises

   7.f3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.O-O-O d5

   In every Sicilian the freeing move is ...d5. If White skips Bc4 (which controls d5), Black plays it at once: the centre opens while White's king has just castled and the c3 knight is a target. The rule of thumb for both sides: if Black gets ...d5 in safely, Black is at least equal, so White's setup must always answer the question 'what happens after ...d5?'.

4. 4

   White: the Maróczy Bind (c4 + e4)

   6...Nf6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Be2 d6 9.O-O

   Against ...g6 and ...e6 Sicilians White can put pawns on c4 and e4 and simply forbid ...d5 and ...b5. Nothing happens fast: White plays Qd2, Rac1, f3 and b4 to gain space; Black trades on d4, puts the bishop on c6, brings a knight to c5 and prepares ...f5. Whoever gets bored first loses. This is the setup that convinced many Black players to prefer 2...d6.

5. 5

   Closed Sicilian: two attacks on opposite wings

   7...Nge7 8.O-O O-O 9.Be3 Nd4 10.Qd2

   With the centre closed, both sides attack where their pawns point. White plays f5, g4, Qh2 or Bh6 and brings a knight to g5 or h4. Black plays ...Rb8, ...b5–b4 to push the c3 knight away and then ...Qa5 or ...Nd4 to invade. The knight on d4 is Black's best piece; White often gives up the e3 bishop for it and accepts a slower game.