Sicilian Defense
The most popular answer to 1.e4 among masters: Black fights for d4 with a side pawn and gets an unbalanced game with winning chances.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 (ECO B90)
Key ideas
- Trade your c-pawn for White's d-pawn to get a central majority.
- Play on the queenside with ...a6 and ...b5.
- The half-open c-file is your road to attack.
A trap to know
In the Najdorf, opposite-side castling means an attacking race: every tempo counts, so don't be slow with your counterattack.
Who is it for?
For fighting players who play to win with Black.