Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. a3/2...Nc6/3. b4

Mengarini Variation
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/2n5/2p5/1P2P3/P7/2PP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b
Moves: 1. e4 c5 2. a3 Nc6 3. b4
Parent: Sicilian Defense
Synonym(s): Van Duijn’s Variation

Mengarini Variation

Black can accept the gambit with 3...cxb4 but the best move is the drawish 3...Nf6.

3...cxb4 used to be the main line and is still often seen at amateur levels. The most common continuation is

4. axb4 Nxb4

5. d4 d5

6. c3 Nc6

7. exd5 Qxd5

8. Na3!

Now, Black needs to be precise: The natural moves 8...Nf6, 8...e5, and 8...e6 blunder 9. Nb5.

Theory table

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

1. e4 c5 2. a3 Nc6 3. b4

	3	4	5	6	7	8
Declined	... Nf6	b5 Nd4	c3 Ne6	e5 Nd5	=
Accepted	... cxb4	axb4 Nxb4	d4 d5	c3 Nc6	exd5 Qxd5	Na3	=/∞