Sicilian Defense

• At a glance

  Sicilian Defense

  260 games, 86.5%: Hikaru's Sicilian, in four systems. No recurring move disputed by Stockfish, but one line, 3.Bb5, where he scores less than elsewhere.

  17 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  Your games: 663× · you score 86%

  Against 1.e4, Hikaru also plays 1…c5, and he doesn't stick to a single system: the Kan with 2…e6, the Dragadorf with 2…d6, the Kalashnikov with 2…Nc6.

• The big idea

  Your games: 6× · you score 67%

  What they share: flexible structures where Black picks a plan after seeing White's.

• The big idea

  Your games: 6× · you score 67%

  260 games, 86.5%, slightly below his score with Black.

• The big idea

  Your games: 16× · you score 62%

  The dossier flags no recurring move that Stockfish disputes: the lost points come mostly from the 2…Nc6 3.Bb5 line, where he scores less than elsewhere.

• The big idea

  Your games: 6× · you score 67%

  The thread of the course: in each system, a square or a diagonal to hold (b8-h2 for the Kan queen, e4 against the Maróczy, g4 against the English Attack, d5 in the Kalashnikov), and the move that holds it.

• Principle

  The queen on the castling diagonal

  Your games: 14× · you score 93%

  In the Kan, …a6 then …Qc7: the queen guards e5 and eyes h2, the diagonal of White's castled king.

• Principle

  Against the Maróczy, aim at e4

  Your games: 4× · you score 62%

  When White puts pawns on c4 and e4, the f6 knight and the b7 bishop aim at e4, the pawn that holds everything else.

• Principle

  Against the English Attack, slow down g4

  Your games: 13× · you score 92%

  After f3, Qd2 and queenside castling, White's g-pawn wants to chase the f6 knight. …h5 stops it.

• Principle

  Trade the bishop the structure hampers

  Your games: 5× · you score 100%

  With pawns on d6 and e6, the c8 bishop is the hampered one. Against 3.Bb5+, …Bd7 trades it.

• Principle

  The d5 hole is covered with pieces

  Your games: 11× · you score 68%

  In the Kalashnikov, …e5 gives up the d5 square. Black covers it with the e6 bishop and the f6 knight.

• Imbalance

  A central pawn for a c-pawn

  Your games: 55× · you score 88%

  After …cxd4, Black has two central pawns against one. In return, White is ahead in development and has the d-file.

• Imbalance

  Kings on opposite wings

  Your games: 6× · you score 67%

  Against the English Attack, White often castles queenside: each side attacks the other king with pawns.

• Imbalance

  Space against flexibility

  Your games: 4× · you score 62%

  Against the Maróczy, White has c4 and e4. Black, with a6, b6, d6 and e6, keeps the …b5 and …d5 breaks in reserve.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • Four systems, and the same logic: a square to hold.
  • Unbalanced positions where Black plays to win.
  • No recurring move that Stockfish disputes.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • Against 3.Bb5, the results drop clearly.
  • The Kalashnikov leaves a hole on d5 for the whole game.
  • Against the English Attack, every tempo counts.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 17: Sicilian Defense

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