As Black

Sicilian Defence

The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening for Black that starts with 1.e4 c5.

The most combative answer to 1.e4: ...c5 fights for d4 from the flank and creates unbalanced positions.

Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero

Basic · Elo 400 – 600

Train this level

  1. Bowdler Attack · 2...e6 3.Qf3

    1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Qf3 Nc6 4.Nh3 Nf6

  2. Open

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7

  3. Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nf3 Nf6

  4. 3...e6 4.Bc4

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bc4 a6 5.d3 b5

  5. 2...Nc6 3.Bc4

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 e6 4.Nc3 a6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7

  6. Bowdler Attack · 3...a6 4.O-O

    1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.O-O b5 5.Be2 Bb7

  7. 3...e6 4.Bb5

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bb5 Nge7 5.O-O a6

  8. Bowdler Attack · 3...a6 4.Nc3

    1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.Nc3 b5 5.Bd3 Bb7

Intermediate · Elo 1000 – 1200

Train this level

  1. Open · 5...bxc6 6.Nc3

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Nc3 Nf6

  2. 3...e6 4.d4

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nxc6 bxc6

  3. Open · 5...bxc6 6.Bc4

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 O-O

  4. Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Sveshnikov Variation, Chelyabinsk Variation

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5 Nf6 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Bg5

  5. Bowdler Attack · 3...a6 4.d4

    1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.d4 b5 5.Be2 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb7

  6. Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4

  7. 3...e6 4.O-O

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 e6 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d5 6.exd5 exd5

  8. Bowdler Attack · 3...a6 4.O-O

    1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.O-O b5 5.Be2 Bb7 6.d3 Nc6

  9. Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 O-O

Advanced · Elo 1600 – 1800

Train this level

  1. Open · 4...e5 5.Nxc6

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Nc3 Bb4

  2. Open · 5...d6 6.c4

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 a6 7.N5c3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 Be6

  3. Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Sveshnikov Variation, Chelyabinsk Variation

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 Nf6 8.Bg5 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Bg5 12.Nc2 Ne7 13.Nce3 O-O

  4. Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack · 3...g6 4.Bxc6

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7

  5. 3...e6 4.c3

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 e6 4.c3 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5 Nf6 7.O-O Bd6

  6. Grand Prix Attack

    1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.O-O Nxb5 7.Nxb5 a6

  7. Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack · 4...Bg7 5.Re1

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.c3 O-O 7.d4 d5 8.e5 Ne4

  8. 3...e6 4.O-O

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 e6 4.O-O Nf6 5.Re1 Be7 6.c3 O-O

  9. Closed

    1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3 Nd4

  10. Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack · 4...Bg7 5.c3

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 O-O 7.d4 d5

Frequently asked questions

Is the Sicilian Defence good for beginners?

Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo 400 – 600), Intermediate (Elo 1000 – 1200), Advanced (Elo 1600 – 1800). It suits players who like attacks, gambits and open positions.

How many lines of the Sicilian Defence do you need to learn?

OpeningCraft teaches 27, in blocks of 5. They come from real Lichess games at each rating band, and the traps and opponent mistakes most common at your level come first.

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