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

Open Sicilian
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) rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b
Moves: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
ECO code: B27-B99
Parent: Sicilian Defence

Open Sicilian

2. Nf3

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

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	+/-

References

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

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.