Sicilian Defense: Open Pelikan and Sveshnikov Chelyabinsk
Sicilian Defense – Open Pelikan
Definition
The Pelikan is a branch of the Open Sicilian that begins with the move-sequence:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5
Black immediately strikes at the knight on d4 and occupies the center with …e5. The name “Pelikan” (sometimes “Pelikan–Lasker”) comes from the Czech master Jiří Pelikán, who analysed the idea in the 1950s. In modern usage the variation quickly transposes to or overlaps with the Sveshnikov, but the historical Pelikan usually featured the setup …Be7/…Be6 without an early …a6–b5.
Typical Continuation
- 6. Ndb5 d6
- 7. Bg5 Be6 (Pelikan’s original move order)
By delaying or omitting …a6, Black keeps maximum flexibility; the bishop on e6 shields the d5-square while eyeing c4.
Strategic Themes
- Control of d5 – The move …e5 concedes the d5-outpost to White’s pieces. Black must therefore be ready to contest or tactically undermine a knight on d5.
- Structural Imbalance – Black accepts a backward d-pawn on an open file in return for dynamic piece play and a spatial foothold on the kingside.
- Minor-Piece Activity – Black’s knights often leap to b4, d4, or e5; meanwhile the light-squared bishop goes to e6, sometimes g4, pressuring c4 and f3.
Historical Notes
In the late 1970s, Soviet analysis (led by Evgeny Sveshnikov) introduced the modern line 7…a6 8.Na3 b5, adding a queenside pawn storm to the Pelikan framework. As this approach became the main line, the original “Pelikan” became a narrower sub-variation, still viable but less common at top level.
Illustrative Example
Kasparov – Shirov, Linares 1994:
Kasparov exploited the weak dark squares (d5, f5) yet Shirov’s dynamic counter-play yielded a razor-sharp struggle, illustrating the double-edged nature of the variation.
Interesting Facts
- Because the line appears after 5…e5, grandmasters sometimes jokingly call it “the most positional Sicilian” – a nod to its central occupation despite its tactical reputation.
- The Pelikan was one of the first Sicilians examined with computer assistance: Jiří Pelikán used an early mainframe at the University of Buenos Aires in the 1960s to check tactical lines.
Sicilian Defense – Sveshnikov (Chelyabinsk) Variation
Definition
The Sveshnikov, or Chelyabinsk Variation, is the modern mainstream successor to the Pelikan. It follows the same opening moves through 5…e5, then continues:
6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5
These pawn thrusts on the queenside (…a6 and …b5) mark the key difference from the classical Pelikan. The variation is named after GM Evgeny Sveshnikov, who deeply explored it in the 1970s, and after the industrial city of Chelyabinsk, where a group of Soviet analysts refined its theory.
Strategic Ideas
- Kingside vs. Queenside Race – Black expands on the queenside while White seeks pressure on the central dark squares, especially d5 and f5.
- Backward d-pawn – Black’s pawn on d6 can become a long-term weakness, but in exchange Black gains piece activity, particularly along the c- and e-files.
- Outpost vs. Tactics – White’s knight often lodges on d5; Black counters with …b4, …Nd4, and exchange sacrifices on f3 or d5.
- King Safety – Both sides usually castle kingside; however, the half-open g-file and pressure against e4/e5 create attacking chances for either player.
Typical Theory Branches
- 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 – The “main main line,” leading to positions where Black’s doubled f-pawns give him open files and central control.
- 9. Nd5 (Be2 or Bxf6 later) – A more positional approach aiming for the pure outpost.
- 9. Nab1 – The ultra-solid retreat championed by Kramnik, intending c3 and Nc2 to reinforce d5.
Notable Games
- Anand – Carlsen, World Championship 2014 (Game 6) – Carlsen used the Sveshnikov to neutralize Anand’s initiative and eventually converted a rook ending.
- Caruana – Carlsen, World Championship 2018 – The line appeared in multiple games (1, 3, 5, 9), showcasing its robustness at the very highest level.
- Topalov – Kramnik, Dortmund 2001 – Kramnik’s novelty 13…f5! reshaped theoretical evaluations.
Historical Significance
During the 1970s the Soviet school considered 5…e5 dubious because it weakened d5. Sveshnikov’s analysis overturned this verdict, proving that active piece play and pawn breaks compensate. His 1974 USSR Championship games shocked colleagues and opened a new era in Sicilian theory. Chelyabinsk teammates (Gufeld, Timoshchenko, Lutikov) contributed countless hours, leading to the affectionate nickname “the Chelyabinsk lab.” By the 1990s the Sveshnikov was a staple of Kasparov’s and Kramnik’s repertoires, and it remains prominent today.
Sample Position
Here, Black threatens …f5 and …d5 to break open the center. White must decide whether to maintain the d5-knight or exchange on f6, each choice leading to rich complications.
Curiosities & Anecdotes
- Grandmaster John Nunn once joked that after 5…e5 “Black’s lights have gone out,” only to admit in later editions of his book that “the generator was quickly repaired by Sveshnikov.”
- Sveshnikov named one of his cats “Najdorf” and the other “Pelikan,” but said he would have named a third “Chelyabinsk” if he had enough room.
- The variation’s popularity spiked on online servers after Carlsen–Caruana 2018, producing a measurable bump on rating graphs: .