Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3/2...e6

French Sicilian B40 Sicilian defence → 2. Nf3 2...e6 · French Sicilian Black opens up the a3-f8 diagonal for their dark squared bishop, while also controlling the d5 square for a second time. This prepares to play ...d5 and recapture with a pawn, gaining further central control. Open the centre 3. d4 is the main move. This is the standard open Sicilian plan: 3...cxd4 4. Nxd4. The centre is open and both of White's bishops are ready to come into the game. Then Black has a choice of how to proceed: the main French Sicilians are the Kan, Paulsen, Taimanov, or four knights variations. 3. Nc3 is also possible. This postpones d4 while White waits for more information on which Sicilian Black will choose. Anti-Sicilians There is also a variety of "anti-Sicilians" (Sicilians that aren't the open Sicilian) available to White, avoiding the main line and aiming to exploit the fact that 2...e6 blocked Black's c8 bishop. Against 2...d6 or 2...Nc6, the main anti-Sicilian is 3. Bb5, but it is not so effective here following 2...e6. If White still wishes to avoid the open Sicilian, they might opt for one of the following instead. 3. c3 is the delayed Alapin Sicilian. The idea is to support playing d4 and keep the pawn there. While similar in character to the Alapin played on turn two (1. e4 c5 2. c3), playing c3 on the third move, after Black has committed a pawn to 2...e6, means Black has different options for how to proceed. 3. c4 is the Kramnik Sicilian, creating a "Maroczy bind" position where White contests the d5 square. 3. b3 is the Westerinen attack, preparing to fianchetto the bishop. 3. d3 may lead to a king's Indian-type position. White recognises that the position is a bit like a French defence (1. e4 e6), just where Black has already played ...c5 and hasn't gotten to ...d5 yet. White may start with 3. Qe2 or 3. g3 and reach the same set-up. History Carl Jaenisch (1813―1872) may have been the first one to give this the name "French". In his 19th century treatise on chess, he grouped together 1...c5 followed by 2...e6 (2...e6 was the main variation at the time) with 1...e6 as the "French Openings", writing, "Far from being 'irregular,' they afford a line of defence more secure than [1...e5], but the Kings being severally less exposed, the game becomes much more tedious."Jaenisch's chess preceptor: a new analysis of the openings of games de Jaenisch C. F. Longman & co. 1847 London https://archive.org/details/jaenischs-chess-preceptor Walker George (translation of Analyse nouvelle des ouvertures du jeu des échecs de Jaenisch C. F. Gartner 1842) Theory table 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. Qg4 g6 8. Qe2 d6 9. O-O Nd7 10. Nc3 Qc7 Kan variation 3. ... ... 4. ... Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. O-O-O Bb4 9. f3 Ne5 10. Nb3 b5 Taimanov variation 3. ... ... 4. ... Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g4 h6 7. h4 Nc6 8. Rg1 h5 9. gxh5 Nxh5 10. Bg5 Nf6 Scheveningen variation 3. ... ... 4. ... Qb6 5. Nb3 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nf6 Kveinis variation 3. ... ... 4. ... Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Nc3 Ne7 Paulsen-Basman defence 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 Delayed Alapin 3. c4 Nc6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be2 d5 6. exd5 exd5 7. d4 Be6 Kramnik variation References See also Sicilian Defence fi:Shakkiaapinen/Peli/1. e4/1...c5/2. Rf3/2...e6