Sicilian Defense

The main line

The Sicilian Defense is reached by 1. e4 c5 (ECO B20). It's one of 381 named lines under this opening in the book.

Named variations (86)

The most common 30 of 86 named variations:

• Dragon Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 (B54)
• Najdorf Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 (B90)
• Closed — 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 (B23)
• O'Kelly Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 (B28)
• Richter-Rauzer Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 (B60)
• Scheveningen Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 (B80)
• Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted — 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 (B21)
• Kan Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 (B41)
• Alapin Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. c3 (B22)
• Accelerated Dragon — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 (B32)
• Taimanov Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 (B44)
• Lasker-Pelikan Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 (B33)
• Wing Gambit — 1. e4 c5 2. b4 (B20)
• Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 (B30)
• Modern Variations — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 (B50)
• Moscow Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ (B51)
• Smith-Morra Gambit Declined — 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 e5 (B21)
• Classical Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 (B56)
• Sozin Attack — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bc4 (B86)
• Nimzowitsch Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 (B29)
• Delayed Alapin Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 (B40)
• Four Knights Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 (B45)
• French Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 (B40)
• Open — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 (B32)
• McDonnell Attack — 1. e4 c5 2. f4 (B21)
• Pin Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 (B40)
• Boleslavsky Variation — 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 e5 (B58)
• Czerniak Attack — 1. e4 c5 2. b3 (B20)
• Myers Attack — 1. e4 c5 2. a4 (B20)
• Smith-Morra Gambit — 1. e4 c5 2. d4 (B21)

Analyze the Sicilian Defense

Play through this opening on the free analysis board, or review one of your own gamesto see how accurately you handled it — every move classified, with the engine's best line on each mistake.

← Back to all chess openings. New to opening study? See move classifications and the glossary.