Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian Open Accelerated Dragon
Sicilian Defense
Definition
The Sicilian Defense arises after the moves 1. e4 c5. Black immediately challenges White’s central pawn from the flank, creating an asymmetrical position in which both sides have unbalanced pawn structures and long-term winning chances.
Usage in Play
- Popularity: The most frequently played reply to 1.e4 at master level. In modern databases it accounts for roughly 25 % of all games beginning with 1.e4.
- Imbalance: Black accepts a spatial concession on the kingside (delayed …e5 or …e6) in return for active piece play, a mobile queenside pawn majority, and rich counter-attacking chances.
- Branches: Over a dozen major sub-variations, including the Najdorf, Dragon, Accelerated Dragon, Sveshnikov, Scheveningen, Classical, and many more.
Strategic & Historical Significance
First analysed in the 16th century by Giulio Polerio and later championed by Italian masters of the Modenese school, the Sicilian became a mainstay of elite practice only in the 20th century. José Raúl Capablanca famously dismissed it as “unsound,” yet post-war greats such as Najdorf, Tal, Fischer, Kasparov, and Carlsen proved otherwise. Today it is considered one of the most theoretically sound and combative answers to 1.e4.
Illustrative Example
The diagram shows a typical Najdorf tabiya where Black has staked a claim on the dark squares while White enjoys a lead in development.
Interesting Facts
- Bobby Fischer, who often opened with 1.e4, declared: “The Sicilian Defence is the fighter’s opening.”
- The opening features in two famous “Game of the Century” candidates: Byrne – Fischer, 1956 (Najdorf) and Kasparov – Topalov, 1999 (Najdorf/English Attack).
- With computers, the ECO volume devoted to the Sicilian (B20–B99) is the largest of any single opening family.
Old Sicilian
Definition
The term Old Sicilian refers to the early reply 2…Nc6 (instead of the more modern 2…d6 or 2…e6) after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3. ECO codes B30–B39 cover the many branches that arise from this choice.
Usage in Play
- After 2…Nc6, White’s main move is 3.d4, entering an Open Sicilian. Alternatives such as 3.Bb5 (Rossolimo) or 3.d3 (Closed Sicilian) are also popular.
- The move …Nc6 exerts pressure on d4 and prepares …e5 in some lines, but it also blocks the c-pawn from advancing to …c5–c4 in certain endings.
Strategic & Historical Notes
Dubbed “old” because it predates innovations like the Najdorf and Scheveningen, the variation enjoyed prominence in the 19th century. Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker both used it, though it later fell out of favour until revived by players such as Nigel Short and Baadur Jobava.
Typical Plans for Black
- Break with …d5 in a single stroke (e.g., via the Kalashnikov setup …e5).
- Transposition to the Accelerated Dragon with …g6 and …Bg7.
- Classical development with …d6, …Nf6 and a Scheveningen-style centre.
Example Game
Tal – Keres, USSR Championship 1952 saw 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6, foreshadowing the Accelerated Dragon. Keres equalised comfortably and later won with a queenside pawn avalanche.
Trivia
Because 2…Nc6 keeps the a-pawn free, Black can occasionally generate the surprising thrust …a5–a4, a motif that almost never occurs in 2…d6 Sicilians.
Open Sicilian
Definition
The Open Sicilian arises when White plays the central break 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 against any Sicilian setup. The resulting position has open lines, active piece play, and pronounced structural imbalances.
Why Players Choose It
- Complexity: Leads to sharp, double-edged middlegames where both sides can fight for a win.
- Theoretical Depth: Offers a vast body of opening theory; ideal for well-prepared players.
- Initiative: White sacrifices a central pawn temporarily (the d-pawn) to accelerate development and seize open files.
Main Branches for White
- 5.Nc3 followed by Be3, Be2, or Bg5 (Najdorf / Scheveningen paths).
- 5.c4 (Maróczy Bind) against the Accelerated Dragon.
- 5.Bb5+ (Sveshnikov Rossolimo hybrid).
Illustrative Position
After nine moves of the Najdorf, both sides have castled, and the pawn structure already hints at opposite-wing attacks.
Historical & Practical Notes
Grandmasters from Paul Keres to Magnus Carlsen have used the Open Sicilian as their main weapon with White. Its depth is such that new ideas are still being unearthed annually by both humans and engines.
Fun Fact
In the 1990s Garry Kasparov scored an astounding 80 % with the Open Sicilian as White in classical games against fellow super-grandmasters—statistically one of the most successful stints ever recorded with a single opening system.
Accelerated Dragon Variation
Definition
The Accelerated Dragon is a variation of the Sicilian Defense that reaches the position 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6. Black fianchettoes the kingside bishop before playing …d6, “accelerating” development compared to the regular Dragon (which begins with 2…d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6).
Key Ideas for Black
- Early …d5 Break: By omitting …d6, Black retains the option of equalising quickly with …d5 under favourable circumstances.
- Minor-Piece Pressure: The bishop on g7 points directly at the central squares e5 and d4, harmonising with a knight on c6 and rook on c8.
- Flexibility: Black can choose between a solid Maroczy Bind structure (conceding space) or a dynamic counter-attack if White plays aggressively.
Plans for White
- Maroczy Bind: 5.c4 grips the d5-square and restricts Black’s break, often leading to a slow, strategic struggle.
- Open Sicilian Attacks: 5.Nc3 followed by Be3, Bc4, f3, Qd2, and long castling can transpose into motifs similar to the Yugoslav Attack, though Black keeps more counter-play because …d5 remains available in one move.
Historical Snapshot
First popularised by Italian master Ernesto Paoli in the 1930s, the line was later adopted by Bent Larsen and GMs such as Peter Heine Nielsen and Hikaru Nakamura. The Accelerated Dragon remains a cornerstone of many modern repertoires due to its mix of solidity and dynamism.
Model Game
Anand – Short, Wijk aan Zee 1998 reached the classic Maroczy structure:
Short eventually achieved the central break …d5, liquidated the centre, and held a comfortable draw against the future World Champion.
Interesting Tidbits
- Because Black omits …d6, the move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6!? also leads to Accelerated Dragon positions while side-stepping certain Rossolimo lines.
- Engine evaluations often fluctuate wildly in this variation: a single tempo (…d6 vs. …d5) can swing the assessment from equal to clearly better for one side.
- In blitz, Magnus Carlsen has employed the Accelerated Dragon as a surprise weapon, generating wins with Black against elite opposition.