Sicilian Defense: Snyder and Queen Fianchetto Variation

Sicilian Defense: Snyder Variation, Queen Fianchetto Variation

Definition

The Snyder Variation, Queen Fianchetto Variation, is an off-beat reply to the Sicilian Defense that starts with 1. e4 c5 2. b3. By placing the pawn on b3 White prepares the “double-fianchetto” battery Bb2–Qb2 on the long a1–h8 diagonal. The line is named after the American correspondence and over-the-board master Robert (Bob) Snyder, who used it extensively during the 1980s. The queen’s unusual development behind the fianchettoed bishop gives the sub-variation its descriptive tag “Queen Fianchetto.”

Typical Move Order

The most common sequence runs:

1. e4  c5
2. b3  Nc6  (…d6 or …e6 are also frequent)
3. Bb2  d6
4. f4  Nf6
5. Nc3  g6
6. Nf3  Bg7
7. Qe2  O-O
8. O-O-O

After 4.f4 White stakes more central space and hints at an eventual e4-e5 break, while Black usually adopts a Scheveningen-type set-up with …d6, …e6, …Nf6 and …g6.

Strategic Themes

• Long diagonal pressure: The bishop on b2 and queen on b2 (or sometimes a1) point straight at Black’s kingside, often creating tactical motifs against g7 and e5.
• Flexible centre: White keeps the d-pawn at home for a while; after f4 the typical pawn chain is e4–f4–g3 (if g2-g3 is played), leaving options for both e4-e5 and d2-d4 breaks.
• Unbalanced pawn structure: Because White delays d2-d4, the position differs sharply from mainstream Open Sicilian theory, forcing Black to think for himself from an early stage.
• Early castling choice: White frequently castles queenside, generating opposite-wing attacks, whereas Black tends to castle short.
• Endgame nuance: If queens come off, the long-diagonal battery disappears, so White should judge exchanges carefully—trading queens too early can leave him with a slightly passive bishop on b2.

Historical Notes

Bob Snyder introduced 2.b3 to surprise prepared Sicilian specialists in U.S. open tournaments and correspondence play. Although the variation has never been a staple at elite level, several grandmasters—among them Hikaru Nakamura in online blitz and Péter Lékó in rapid exhibitions—have experimented with it to steer the game out of book. Its ECO code is usually given as B20, the catch-all category for Sicilians without an early 3.d4.

Illustrative Game

Informal training game, 2022 (8 + 8 blitz)

Highlights:

• White achieves the dream battery 6.Bb2 and 7.Qe2–8.O-O-O, pointing everything at Black’s king.
• The thematic pawn break 13.fxe5! opens lines before Black finishes development.
• Although material remains level for a long time, Black’s weakened dark squares eventually decide the game.

Theory Snapshot

Opening engines currently evaluate the starting position after 2.b3 as roughly equal (≈ 0.20), but practical results favor White in faster time controls because of the surprise factor and unfamiliar middlegame structures. A concise modern tabiya looks like this:

1. e4 c5 2. b3 Nc6 3. Bb2 d6 4. f4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Qe2 O-O 8. O-O-O

• If 8…Bg4, White can respond 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nd4 11.Qf2 with ideas of g2-g4 and g4-g5.
• If 8…e5, 9.fxe5 dxe5 10.Qe1 keeps the pressure; Black must beware of sacrifices on e5 and g6.

Practical Tips

• Do not rush d2-d4; coordinating the bishop-queen battery first is more important.
• Watch out for …Nxe4 tactics—make sure the e4-pawn is protected before launching kingside pawns.
• When Black plays an early …a6 and …b5, the retreat Bf1/Bd3 often keeps the bishop alive for the long term.
• Opposite-side castling means tempo is king; consider h2-h4 and g2-g4 pawn storms immediately after castling.

Trivia & Anecdotes

• Bob Snyder once claimed he scored “over 80 %” with 2.b3 in hundreds of correspondence games, many ending before move 15 thanks to prepared traps.
• Because the variation flies under the theoretical radar, database engines have at times mislabeled it as “Nimzo-Larsen Attack reversed,” though the pawn structure is distinct.
• Online blitz stars often transpose into the line with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.b3 to keep their Najdorf-loving opponents guessing.
• Some club players humorously call the queen-bishop battery the “laser cannon” because, once on the long diagonal, it cannot be blocked by a single pawn move.