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Variation to crush the Sicillian on author's board!

Want to crush the Sicillian? Click here!

OpeningChessAnalysisTacticsStrategy
Sicillian is the best defense for black after 1.e4! It starts with 1.c5 and I want to show you a super solid way to crush it!

Our variation is 1.e4 c5 2.c3 and idea is simple, we fight for the strong center

https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/8wic6DCW

And now let's start watching a lot of different variants!
Variation 1 - 2.d6 Black plays like against the normal 2.Nf3 but it isn't the greatest move and after 3.d4 we have much better position because of super strong center and easy development of all pieces. 3.Nf6 4.Bd3 we defend everything 4.g6 - black wants to attack d4 pawn with bishop 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.h3 - not allowing Bg4 with some future pressure on d4 pawn.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/BVHMZnrY

Variation 2 - 2.g6 White has better position here 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 we have super strong center 4.d5 5.e5 grabbing space and limiting the activity of black's bishop 5.Nc6 6.Bb5 pinning the knight and not allowing pressure of d4 pawn 6.Bg7 7.Nf3 Nh6 - Black wants to go Nf5 and create pressure on our d4 pawn 8.0-0 0-0 9.h3 not allowing Bg4 ideas 9.f6 attacking the center 10.Nc3 fxe5 11.dxe5 e6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.b3 And we have very good position and black doesn't have a lot of activity.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/xwF0TqTt

Variation 3 - 2.Nc6 And pressure on d4 can't stop us from pushing d4 pawn! 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 Black can't allow white to have that super strong center 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 (If Bg4 here we just attack queen with Nc3) 6.e5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 Now we have a very strong bishop pair 9.e4 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.dxd5 - White has comfortable advantage.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/vKKEONcQ

Variation 4 - 2.e5 Black wants to prevent d4 because if d4 - they can move exd4 cxd4 cxd4 Qxd4 Nc6, let's go back to our main variation. 3. Nf3 Nc6 we are making very natural moves 4.Bc4 and bishop can't be chased and we will attack f7 here 4.Qc7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qb3 and we attack 6.d6 7.cxd4 exd4 8.0-0 and now we have very active position and we have ideas like Na3 and Nb4 or Ng5 8.Bg4 9.Na3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 and our development is much better.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/P4QfsYLY

Variation 5 - 2.e5 #2 2.e5 3.Nf3 developing knight and attacking e5 pawn Nc6 4.Bc4 Nf6 preparing d5 and attacking our pawn 5.Ng5 immediately creating pressure on f7 pawn 5.d5 6.exd5 7.Qh5 - more pressure on f7! 7.g6 8.Qf3 Qxg5 9.Bxd5 Nd8 10.0-0 we have have 2 huge threats - d4 and Re1 10.Qf5 11.Re1 Bg7 12.d4
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/3X2ZMFUw

Variation 6 - 2.d5 with Nf6
2.d5 Challenging set-up against Alapin 3.exd5 the only good move 3.Nf6 black wants to take d5 pawn with knight 4.Qa4 (c4 e6 and it is hard to tell who has better position) 4.Bd7 5.Qb3 defending the pawn. Also here after (c4 b5!! with a lot of compensation) 5.g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 we are pawn up and we have very good position
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/YZyDrBDq

Variation 7 - 2.d5 with 4.Nc6#1 2.d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Time to start controlling the center Nc6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 better than pawn takes because black can take knight on b1 7.Nxd4 cxd4 - White has a good position and great development
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/0rQvcgOU

Variation 8 - 2.d5 with Nc6 #2
2.d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 Here the best move is dxc5 6. dxc5 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1 e5 8. b4 Maintaining the extra pawn (e4 isn't scaring because of h3 and g4 later) 8.a5 9. b5 Nd8 10. c6 bxc6 11. h3 Trying to claim bishop pair 11.Bxf3+ 12. gxf3 Bc5 13. Kc2 Bxf2 14. Nd2 Nf6 15. bxc6 White has very active and good position
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/6FJgriZr

Variation 9 - 2.d5 with 4.Nf6 and 5.Nc6 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 Protecting the queen 5. Nf3 The main line Nc6 6. dxc5 Qxc5 7. Na3 Threatening to jump on b5! e5 8. Nb5 We jump on b5! 8.Qe7 If white gets Qa4 and 0-0-0 then black gets crushed 9. Be3 a6 10. Qa4 Bf5 11. O-O-O We have super strong attack.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/W0eWLWy9

Variation 10 - 2.d5 with 4.Nf6 and 5.Bg4
2.d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Nbd2 We have Bc4 plans and we this is a very interesting move Nc6 7. dxc5 We are clearing the center to gain some tempos 7.Qxc5 8. h3 Bh5 9. Qa4 Typical move to get out of the pin and move Bb5 or Nb3 later 9.e6 10. Nb3 Qd5 11. Be2 Be7 12. O-O we have a very comfortable advantage .
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/a6ooJM1E

Variation 11 - 2.d5 with 4.Nf6 and 5.e6 #1
2.d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Na3 We have Bc4 and Nb5 ideas. a bit later 6.Qd8 Preventing attacks on the queen 7. Nc4 Nc6 8. Be3 Nd5 9. Bd3 Be7 We don't care about Nxe3 because it can make our center stronger 10. dxc5 Nxe3 11. Nxe3 Bxc5 12. Qe2 Our plan is 0-0-0, and push g4 h4 if white makes 0-0 move and like that a bit later, we have very comfortable position.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/06vdS03b

Variation 12 - 2.d5 with 4.Nf6 and 5.e6 #2
2.d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Na3 Nc6 7. Be3 Threatening to take on c5 cxd4 8. Nb5 The main move 8.Qd8 9. Nbxd4 Nd5 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Bd2 With c5 and Bc3 Qc2 and Bd3 ideas later, this can be a great set-up.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/Jn4M1vVf

Variation 13 - 2.Nf6 with 4.e6
2.Nf6 3. e5 Other moves are passive Nd5 4. Nf3 We are planning to move d4 or Bc4 later 4.e6 A solid line where black wants to break the center with d6 later 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 We have Qe2 idea a bit later Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 our plan is bring our queen to e4, rook to d1 and at the right time, go Bd3 and threaten checkmate. 9.Nc6 10. Qe4 Bd7 11. Bb3 We have very comfortable and good position.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/kxxHiZI8

Variation 14 - 2.Nf6 with 4.d6 #1
2.Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 d6 White has a lot of ideas here 5. exd6 e6 Our idea here will be to play against light-squared bishop 6. g3 Bxd6 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. O-O O-O 9. d4 cxd4 Here we have Qe2 Rd1 plans here and we have very good development 10. Nxd4 Our bishop gets active 10.Bd7 11. c4 Gaining more space 11.Nde7 12. Nb3 Be5 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. Na3 a6 15. c5 We have control of dark squares and very comfortable position.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/A2AWT6cR

Variation 15 - 2.Nf6 with 4.d6 #2
1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 d6 5. exd6 e6 6. g3 Bxd6 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. O-O O-O 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Our queen gets very active Qc7 12. c4 Attacking knight and now our knight has c3 square Nb6 13. Nc3 Nxc4 14. Rd1 Strong pawn sacrifice and we have a great compensation because our pieces are very active now
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/mhfYKNQP

Variation 16 - 2.Nf6 with 4. Nc6 #1
2.Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Attacking f7! 5.Nb6 6. Bb3 c4 7. Bc2 Qc7 8. O-O Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. Re1 Qc7 11. a4 We have very active position and we have strong compensation for the pawn we sacrificed and also last move a4 is a strategical idea to move a5 later and attack b6 knight. 11.e6 12. Na3 Bxa3 13. Rxa3 a5 14. Qh5 We have 2 bishops, active queen and all pieces and a very strong attack.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/Win9DNl2

Variation 17 - 2.Nf6 with 4.Nc6 #2
2.Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. O-O Be6 9. Bxe6 Qxe6 10. a4 Grabbing space and planning to attack b6 knight 10.Qd7 Retreating from dangerous e-file 11. a5 Nd5 12. a6 Grabbing more space
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/BN9Kjmxd

Variation 18 - 2.Nf6 with 4.Nc6 #3
2.Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. O-O c4 Very interesting line 9. Bc2 We have b3 and Na3 plans here 9.g6 10. Na3 Bg7 11. b3 cxb3 12. axb3 O-O 13. d4 We have very comfortable position and our plan is to have stronger center, that is why Nc4 can be a good move here and after Nxc4 the position is great because a lot of pawns are controlling the center.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/HjSVn8fb

Variation 19 - 2.Nf6 with 4.Nc6
2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. O-O c4 9. Bc2 Bg4 Black wants to threaten Ne5 10. h3 Bh5 11. Re1 Not allowing Ne5 O-O-O 12. b3 Typical move Qf6 13. Na3 Attacking c4 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Qxf3 15. gxf3 cxb3 16. axb3 We have super active position and a lot of open files.
https://lichess.org/study/vP4FBQGm/5kAiPsuI