20. Sveshnikov: the 11.c4 push

With 11.c4 White attacks the b5-pawn and wants to bring the a3-knight back into the game. Black trades with 11...bxc4 12.Nxc4, castles and puts the rook at once on the open b-file against the b2-pawn.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4 bxc4 12.Nxc4 O-O 13.Be2 Rb8

Move by move

1.e4 – White occupies the center with the king's pawn, controls d5 and f5 and frees the queen and the f1-bishop. This is the move we answer with the Sicilian.
1...c5 – The Sicilian Defense: Black controls d4 with a flank pawn instead of occupying the center. If White plays d4, Black will trade c5 for d4 and have two central pawns against one and the half-open c-file.
2.Nf3 – White develops the knight toward the center and prepares d2-d4 to open the game: it is the road to the Open Sicilian, the most ambitious try against us.
2...Nc6 – Black develops the knight toward the center and controls d4: it is the move order of the Accelerated Dragon, which postpones ...d6.
3.d4 – White opens the center: it offers the d-pawn for the c-pawn trade to develop the pieces quickly.
3...cxd4 – Black trades and opens the c-file. With the knight already on c6, after Nxd4 it will be able to choose between the Accelerated Dragon (...g6), the Taimanov (...e6) or the lines with ...Nf6 and ...e5.
4.Nxd4 – White recaptures with the knight, which dominates the center from d4. Now Black chooses the type of Sicilian.
4...Nf6 – Black develops the knight attacking e4: White must defend it with Nc3. Now Black can choose between ...e5 (Sveshnikov), ...e6 (Four Knights) or ...d6 (Classical).
5.Nc3 – White defends e4 with the natural development. It is the position from which the Sveshnikov and the Four Knights Variation arise.
5...e5 – The Sveshnikov: Black kicks the d4-knight away with tempo and takes space in the center. In exchange it accepts the hole on d5 and the backward d6-pawn, which it compensates with piece activity.
6.Ndb5 – The knight jumps to b5, the most active retreat: it threatens Nd6+, which would be an annoying check, and prepares Bg5 and Nd5 to conquer d5.
6...d6 – Black takes the d6 square away from the b5-knight. The d6-pawn will be backward, but it is well defended and controls c5 and e5.
7.Bg5 – White pins the f6-knight, which defends d5: the plan is Bxf6 and Nd5 to get a dominant knight in the center.
7...a6 – Black kicks the b5-knight away: the capture Nxd6+ would cost a piece after ...Bxd6, so the knight will have to retreat to a3, on the edge. It also prepares ...b5.
8.Na3 – The knight retreats to a3: it is the only square that doesn't lose material (Nxd6+ would cost a piece). From here it can return to the game via c4 or c2.
8...b5 – Black takes the c4 square away from the a3-knight and threatens ...b4, which would attack the c3-knight and win control of d5.
9.Nd5 – White occupies d5 before ...b4 kicks the c3-knight away. Now the f6-knight is attacked twice and pinned to the queen.
9...Be7 – Black removes the pin and develops the bishop. If Bxf6, it will recapture with the bishop, avoiding the structure with ...gxf6.
10.Bxf6 – White trades the bishop to eliminate the knight that controls d5: now the d5-knight can no longer be traded by a black minor piece.
10...Bxf6 – Black recaptures with the bishop, which on f6 is a little passive but can go to g5 to trade with White's dark-squared bishop or become active.
11.c4 – White attacks the b5-pawn at once to open the queenside and free the a3-knight. It is an alternative to 11.c3.
11...bxc4 – Black trades: after the recapture the b-file opens for the rook. The alternative ...b4 closes the queenside and kicks the a3-knight to the edge.
12.Nxc4 – The a3-knight finally returns to the game: from c4 it attacks d6 and the b6 square.
12...O-O – Black castles and puts the king safe: now it can think about the b-file and about ...Be6.
13.Be2 – The bishop develops and prepares short castling. From e2 it can go to g4 to trade the bishop that controls d5.
13...Rb8 – The rook occupies the open b-file and attacks the b2-pawn, defended only by the c4-knight. Black prepares ...Be6 and ...Bg5.

How to exploit the position

A balanced position: White has active knights on d5 and c4, Black has the b-file, the bishop pair and the ...f5 push.

Develop with ...Be6: it contests the d5-knight and attacks the c4-knight.
Bring the f6-bishop to g5 to trade it or keep it active, and use the d4 square for the c6-knight.
Prepare ...f5 as in the main line to attack e4.
With ...a5 and ...Rb4 you can increase the pressure on e4 and c4 from the fourth rank.

Master tips

The open b-file

After ...bxc4 and Nxc4 the b-file is Black's strong point.