Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. d4/3...cxd4/4. Nxd4

Open Sicilian with 2...Nc6
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2n5/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b
Moves: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4

Open Sicilian with 2...Nc6

Here White is moving a piece that is already developed, so they are playing an opening move that does not help their development. They are capturing a pawn, however it is anticipated that Black can capture White's pawn when White played 3.d4. In return for neglecting development White is getting a centrally located knight, and Black neglected development when they made two moves with the same pawn.

A good point here is it is bad for Black to trade knights on d4, and it also bad for White to trade knights on c6. If Black plays 4. ... Nxd4 followed by 5. Qxd4 White will have better control of the center and Black cannot easily chase away the White queen because the Knight that was on b8 has been traded. Also if White plays 4.Nxc6 then black can play 5. ...bxc6 which will strengthen Black's center and prepares for the d7-d5 push.

Theory table

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4

	4	5	6	7
Main Line	... Nf6	Nc3 d6	Bg5 e6	Qd2 Be7	+=
Taimanov Variation	... e6	Nc3 Nf6	Ndb5 Bb4	a3 Bxc3+	+=
Kalashnikov Variation	... e5	Nb5 d6	N1c3 Nf6	Bg5 a6	+=
Accelerated Dragon	... g6	c4 Nf6	Nc3 d6	Be3 Ng4	+=
Nimzovich Variation	... d5	exd5 Qxd5	Be3 e6	Nc3 Bb4	+=
Flohr Variation	... Qc7	Nc3 e6	f4	+=
Godiva Variation	... Qb6	Nb3 Qb4+	Nc3 Nf6	Bd3 Ne5	a3 Qb6	Be3 Qd8	Be2 d6	f4 Neg4	Bd4 e5	fxe5 dxe5	Bb5+ Bd7	Bxd7+ Qxd7	Bc5 0-0-0	+=
	... a5	Nc3 e5	Ndb5 d6	Be3 Nf6	Be2 Be7	0-0 0-0	f4 b6	Qd2 +=

References

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.