2...Nf6: main line with 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3
Black attacks e4 with the knight. White gains space with e5, rebuilds the centre and with Bc4-b5 puts pressure on the c6-knight.
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bb5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bd7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.Nc3 e6 12.O-O Be7
Move by move
- 1.e4 – White occupies the centre and opens diagonals for the queen and the f1-bishop.
- 1...c5 – The Sicilian Defence: Black controls d4 with a flank pawn and creates an imbalance.
- 2.c3 – The Alapin: White prepares d4 so that he can recapture with the c3-pawn and keep two pawns in the centre.
- 2...Nf6 – Black attacks e4 at once: White cannot defend it with Nc3, so he advances.
- 3.e5 – The pawn advances with tempo and takes f6 away from the knight: White gains space.
- 3...Nd5 – The knight centralises on d5, where it cannot be chased by c4 since the pawn is on c3.
- 4.d4 – White builds the e5-d4 centre: if Black exchanges, White wants to recapture with the c3-pawn.
- 4...cxd4 – Black exchanges at once to make the e5-pawn harder to defend.
- 5.Nf3 – White develops before recapturing: Nf3 defends e5 and prepares cxd4 with a pawn centre.
- 5...Nc6 – Black develops, defending d4 and attacking the e5-pawn.
- 6.cxd4 – White recaptures and obtains the d4-e5 centre, with c3 free for the knight.
- 6...d6 – Black attacks the head of the chain on e5 so as not to concede White permanent space.
- 7.Bc4 – The bishop attacks the d5-knight and develops with tempo, also aiming at f7.
- 7...Nb6 – The knight retreats to b6, attacking the c4-bishop.
- 8.Bb5 – The bishop pins the c6-knight, one of the defenders against e5 and d4: the pressure stays on.
- 8...dxe5 – Black takes on e5, aiming to leave White with an isolated d4-pawn.
- 9.Nxe5 – The knight recaptures on e5 and increases the pressure on the pinned c6-knight.
- 9...Bd7 – Black defends c6 a second time and prepares to break the pin.
- 10.Nxd7 – White trades knight for bishop: he removes a defender and keeps the bishop pair.
- 10...Qxd7 – The queen recaptures and defends c6; Black no longer has immediate pin problems.
- 11.Nc3 – White completes development: the isolated d4-pawn is offset by the bishop pair and active pieces.
- 11...e6 – Black opens the f8-bishop and controls d5, the blockading square in front of the isolated pawn.
- 12.O-O – White castles before seeking the initiative in the centre.
- 12...Be7 – Black develops his last minor piece and prepares to castle short.
How to exploit the position
White has an isolated d4-pawn but the bishop pair and full development, while Black’s king is still on e8.
- The d4-d5 push: after ...exd5 the e-file opens against the e7-bishop and the black king still in the centre (Re1).
- Qg4 or Qf3 attack g7 and b7, exploiting the fact that Black has not castled yet.
- The c1-bishop goes to f4 or e3 and the rooks to d1 and c1: the half-open c-file pressures the c6-knight.
- Black wants ...O-O, ...Rfd8 and ...Nd5 to blockade d4: against ...a6 decide whether to take on c6 or retreat to d3.
Master tips
The e5-pawn
Early on the e5-pawn takes f6 away from Black and gives White space: defend it with Nf3 and pieces, not with f4.
The bishop pair
After Nxd7 White has two bishops against bishop and knight: open the game to make them count.