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Sicilian: Sveshnikov Variation

Black accepts a hole on d5 and a backward d-pawn in exchange for activity and space. Dynamic and deeply studied, a favourite of Carlsen.

Advanced · Sicilian Defence · 18 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

Sicilian: Sveshnikov Variation (B33). You play Black. Black accepts a hole on d5 and a backward d-pawn in exchange for activity and space. Dynamic and deeply studied, a favourite of Carlsen.

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.e4

White plays pawn to e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 46% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...c5

Black plays pawn to c5. It controls the centre (d4). It opens a line for the queen on d8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 45% of 1.8 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.Nf3

White plays knight to f3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 78% of 797k games.

Step 5

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...Nc6

Black plays knight to c6. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 27% of 634k games.

Step 6

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It attacks the pawn on c5. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 58% of 171k games.

Step 7

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...cxd4

Black plays pawn takes d4. It captures the pawn on d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It gains space. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 102k games.

Step 8

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.Nxd4

White plays knight takes d4. It captures the pawn on d4. It takes a centre square (d4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 99k games.

Step 9

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...Nf6

Black plays knight to f6. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). It attacks the pawn on e4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 51% of 102k games.

Step 10

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.Nc3

White plays knight to c3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 50k games.

Step 11

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...e5

Black plays pawn to e5. It takes a centre square (e5). It opens a line for the bishop on f8. It attacks the knight on d4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 51% of 53k games.

Step 12

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.Ndb5

White plays knight to b5. It controls the centre (d4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 97% of 27k games.

Step 13

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...d6

Black plays pawn to d6. It controls the centre (e5). It opens a line for the bishop on c8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 98% of 26k games.

Step 14

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7.Bg5

White plays bishop to g5. It develops the bishop into the game. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 82% of 26k games.

Step 15

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7...a6

Black plays pawn to a6. It attacks the knight on b5. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 25k games.

Step 16

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 8.Na3

White plays knight to a3. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 95% of 25k games.

Step 17

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 8...b5

Black plays pawn to b5. It offers a pawn (a gambit) to win time or the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 93% of 23k games.

Step 18

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the Sicilian: Sveshnikov Variation. Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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