Portal:Chess/Selected article/42
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
|
|||||||||
The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
- 1.e4 c5
At the master level, the Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. One sixth (17%) of all games between grandmasters, and one quarter (25%) of the games in the Chess Informant database, begin with this opening. Grandmaster John Nunn notes that the reason for the Sicilian Defence’s popularity “is its combative nature; in many lines Black is playing not just for equality, but for the advantage. The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative, so Black has to take care not to fall victim to a quick attack.” The earliest recorded notes on the Sicilian Defence date back to the late 16th century by the Italian chess players Giulio Polerio and Gioachino Greco.
By advancing the c-pawn two squares, Black asserts control over the d4-square and begins the fight for the centre of the board. In that respect, the move is similar to 1…e5, the next most common response to 1.e4. Unlike 1...e5, however, 1...c5 breaks the symmetry of the position, which strongly influences both players' future actions. White, having pushed a kingside pawn, tends to hold the initiative on that side of the board. Moreover, 1...c5 does little for Black's development, unlike moves such as 1...e5, 1...g6, or 1...Nc6, which either develop a minor piece or prepare to do so. In many variations of the Sicilian Black makes a number of further pawn moves in the opening (for example, ...d6, ...e6, ...a6, and ...b5). Consequently, White often obtains a substantial lead in development and dangerous attacking chances.
