Against the Sicilian

• At a glance

  Against the Sicilian

  53 games, 76.4%: against 1…c5, Nemsko always plays the Open Sicilian. Sveshnikov, Kalashnikov or Najdorf, he takes the main lines, and Stockfish approves his choices.

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

• The big idea

  Your games: 53× · you score 76%

  Against 1…c5, Nemsko does not look for an anti-Sicilian: 2.Nf3, 3.d4 and the recapture on d4 with the knight.

• The big idea

  Your games: 14× · you score 79%

  He accepts the deal of the Open Sicilian: White takes the lead in development and space, Black keeps two central pawns against one and the c-file.

• The big idea

  Your games: 14× · you score 79%

  53 games, 76.4% in this family. The dossier shows no recurring move that Stockfish disputes: in the lines that come back, his moves are among the engine's top three choices.

• The big idea

  Your games: 14× · you score 79%

  So the course corrects nothing; it explains his plans.

• The big idea

  Your games: 6× · you score 75%

  The thread of the course: the d5 square, which comes back in every line with …e5; the Sveshnikov and the return of the a3 knight; the Maroczy Bind against 4…e5; the Najdorf with 6.Be3, 7.Nb3 and 8.h3.

• Principle

  Open with 3.d4

  Your games: 27× · you score 83%

  3.d4 trades the d-pawn for the c-pawn. White keeps e4, opens the d-file and takes the lead in development.

• Principle

  The d5 square first

  Your games: 11× · you score 73%

  As soon as Black plays …e5, no black pawn controls d5 anymore. Nemsko puts a knight there as early as move nine in the Sveshnikov.

• Principle

  Remove the guard of d5

  Your games: 11× · you score 73%

  Bg5 then Bxf6 trade off the f6 knight, the black piece that watches d5 best.

• Principle

  Bring the a3 knight back

  Your games: 11× · you score 73%

  After …b5, the a3 knight is out of play. c3 opens the c2 square for it, and the c2-e3 route brings it back near d5.

• Principle

  Hold d5 with pawns

  Your games: 4× · you score 75%

  Against 4…e5, 6.c4 sets up the Maroczy Bind: with c4 and e4, d5 is held by two pawns, and the …d5 break no longer exists.

• Imbalance

  The backward d6 pawn

  Your games: 12× · you score 71%

  In the Sveshnikov, the Kalashnikov and the Najdorf with …e5, the d6 pawn will never again be supported by a pawn. The d5 square in front of it belongs to White.

• Imbalance

  Development against structure

  Your games: 14× · you score 79%

  White has the lead in development and space. Black has an extra central pawn and the half-open c-file: time is on Black's side if White does nothing.

• Imbalance

  The a3 knight

  Your games: 11× · you score 73%

  In the Sveshnikov, the knight that gained a tempo on d6 ends up on a3, on the rim. Until it comes back via c2, White plays with one piece fewer in the center.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • Main lines that Stockfish approves move after move.
  • A concrete target in every line with …e5: the d5 square.
  • The lead in development forces Black to react quickly.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • A lot of theory: the Sveshnikov runs to move fifteen.
  • The Sveshnikov knight on a3 stays out of play for a long time.
  • Against the Najdorf with 6…e5, 4 games for 25%: the game is decided after the opening.
• 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: Against the Sicilian

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