Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3/2...d6/3. d4/3...cxd4/4. Nxd4/4...Nf6/5. Nc3

Open Sicilian
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black kingh8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black kingd7 black kinge7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black pawne6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 white knighte4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 white knightd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 black kinge2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 black kingc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 black kingh1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3

Open Sicilian

edit

Time has come for Black to make an important strategic choice.

They may keep on developing their forces by playing 5...Nc6.
They can choose to strengthen their pawn structure and to reinforce their control of the center with 5...e6.
They can also start to take the control of the queen-side with 5...a6.
They may decide to put a deadly bishop in g7 and play 5...g6.

These are the four main variations. Another more aggressive option is 5...e5, less popular than the previous moves.

Theory table

edit

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3

5 6 7 8
Najdorf variation ...
a6
+/=
Sicilian Scheveningen ...
e6
+/=
Dragon variation ...
g6
Be3
Bg7
f3
O-O
Qd2
Nc6
+/-
Classical variation ...
Nc6
Bg5
e6
Qd2
Be7
O-O-O
O-O
+/-
Venice attack ...
e5
Bb5+
Nbd7
Nf5
a6
+/-

When contributing to this Wikibook, please follow the Conventions for organization.

References

edit