Chess opening · ECO B32
Sicilian Defense: Open
After 2...Nc6, the move 3.d4 offers to open the position right away. The normal reply is 3...cxd4, and White takes back with the knight. White then has more central space and quicker development, while Black has two center pawns to White's one. What Black plays on move four decides which Sicilian system the game becomes.
- Rank by weighted share
- #35 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4
- 3. d4White strikes at c5 and claims the center. If Black ignores it, d5 would drive the c6 knight away, so the usual answer is 3...cxd4, after which the knight on f3 recaptures and lands on a central square.
Why the queen cannot take back
In many openings White recaptures on d4 with the queen. Here that drops the queen at once: after 3...cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nxd4, the c6 knight simply takes it. White recaptures with the knight instead, or offers a pawn with 4.c3 in the style of the Smith-Morra Gambit.
After 4.c3, Black can take a second time on c3. White then has a lead in development and open files in return for the pawn.
Move four picks the system
After 4.Nxd4, each of Black's main moves points toward a different structure. 4...g6 is the Accelerated Dragon, with the bishop heading for g7. 4...e6 leads to Taimanov-type positions, with the queen often going to c7.
4...Nf6 attacks e4, and White usually defends it with 5.Nc3. From there 5...e5 is the Sveshnikov, which drives the d4 knight away at once, while 5...d6 heads for the Classical Sicilian.
4...e5 right away is the Kalashnikov. The knight has to move, and after 5.Nb5 d6 Black has a fixed pawn pair on d6 and e5.
Top replies by rating
cxd4 has the largest share in every band shown, and from 1400 up the other replies barely register.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | cxd4 79% | d6 14% | e6 7% |
| 1200–1399 | cxd4 75% | e6 10% | d6 5% |
| 1400–1599 | cxd4 91% | e6 5% | d6 2% |
| 1600–1799 | cxd4 97% | e6 2% | d6 1% |
| 1800–1999 | cxd4 98% | e6 2% | d5 0% |
Questions
What if Black does not take on d4?
White can push d5 to chase the knight from c6, or capture on c5. Holding the tension costs Black time and space, which is why the capture is the standard reply.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.