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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3

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Open Sicilian
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black kingd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black pawnd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 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
ECO code: B27-B99
Parent: Sicilian Defence

Open Sicilian

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2. Nf3

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White's move 2. Nf3 increased their control of the d4 square, enabling them to play d4 next move. Black cannot hope to resist White's plan any further, and should go about their own development.

2...d6 is the most popular move, controlling e5 for a potential advance of the e-pawn and letting the queen's bishop out, while also holding down the c-pawn should White go down a different path.

2...e6 is an older, though still popular move freeing the king's bishop, although d6 will often follow soon.

2...Nc6 is the most traditional move, and still played often today. It reserves options in the centre and keeps an eye on d4, as does 2...g6 (the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon) with ...Bg7 to follow, and 2...a6 (the O'Kelly Variation) which can restrain some of White's longer-term plans and provide the springboard for a b5 advance, though it neglects the centre.

There are many slightly different Sicilians with similar plans for Black, in which various combinations of these moves may turn up in almost any order.

The one significant departure from the main lines is 2...Nf6, evoking Alekhine's Defence by attacking the e-pawn to tempt it forward.

Theory table

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

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3

2 3 4 5
Open Sicilian with 2...d6 ...
d6
d4
cxd4
Nxd4
Nf6
Nc3
e6
+/=
Open Sicilian with 2...e6 ...
e6
d4
cxd4
Nxd4
a6
Bd3
Nf6
+/=
Open Sicilian with 2...Nc6 ...
Nc6
d4
cxd4
Nxd4
Nf6
Nc3
e5
=
O'Kelly Variation ...
a6
c3
d5
exd5
Qxd5
d4
e6
+/=
Hyper-Accelerated Dragon ...
g6
d4
cxd4
Qxd4
Nf6
Bb5
Nc6
=
Nimzowitsch Variation ...
Nf6
e5
Nd5
Nc3
e6
Nxd5
exd5
+/-
Katalimov Variation ...
b6
d4
cxd4
Nxd4
Bb7
Nc3
d6
+/-

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References

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  • Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.