Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3/2...e6/3. d4/3...cxd4/4. Nxd4/4...Nc6/5. Nb5/5...d6

Szén variation B45 Szén variation 5...d6 Black prevents White's knight coming in to d6. White can then follow with 6. c4 or 6. Bf4. 6. Bf4 acts to provoke 6...e5, weakening the d5 square and leading the game into a Kalashnikov-style Sicilian, with Black's pawns on e5 and d6. After 6...e5 the bishop falls back to 7. Be3. Then Black typically looks to kick White's misplaced knight, 7...a6, or develop while attacking White's e4 pawn, 7...Nf6. 6. c4 is more common: White sets up the Maroczy bind structure to control d5. Black can play 6...a6 to kick White's knight, or 6...Nf6 followed by 7...a6: the idea being to first induce N1c3, then White's other knight has no choice but to retreat to the passive a3 square when kicked. White will have moved the same knight four times in the opening: in exchange they hope that their pawns on e4 and c4 will restrict Black's space and so make their development harder. Theory table References See also Sicilian Defence The Sicilian Taimanov Pavlidis Antonios Quality Chess UK 2019 978 1 78483-058 8 Glasgow