Body: <p>What are the key ideas behind each mainline open Sicilian as black? I am normally an e4 player as white, so I am fairly well acquainted with the types of positions that come out of the Sicilian. I am looking to change my black opening repertoire to include the Sicilian but want to better understand black's ideas for each.</p>
  
  <p>I know that as a (very) rough summary, the main ideas are a Queenside counter attack, looking to find the right opportunity to create a d5 pawn break, and to utilise a minority attack on the Queenside. However, I'm struggling to understand more specific ideas.</p>
  
  <p>What are the main ideas after</p>
  
  <pre><code>1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here, I know it often leads into a Najdorf and occasionally a Dragon, but don't fully understand the ideas as Black. I am ignoring 3. Bb5+, as play is fairly straight forward with less tactical ideas.</p>
  
  <pre><code>1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For me, 9 times out of 10 it leads to a Sveshnikov. Again, apart from wanting to create a d5 pawn break, I don't see the main goal as Black.</p>
  
  <pre><code>1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Unfortunately, there are very few people at my level who play this version of the sicilian (relative to the other more popular ones), so I have very little idea of what do. As white, I generally just go by general principles that are present in 2...d6 and 2...Nc6. However, as Black I have very little idea of the goal in this line. It seems to be similar to a Najdorf, without black having the option of e6, or e5 as their e-pawn move.</p>
  
  <p>LEVEL: I am looking for a scientific/objective answer as to Black's ideas in the sicilian, but if there is a personal/playstyle reason for not learning it, I was about 1800-1900 rated. I stopped playing for a while and am now about 1600-1700. I never really looked at openings in the past, winning most of my games in an endgame battle, but I am bored and looking to try something new and exciting :)</p>
  
  <p>Thanks to any replies.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-08-26T03:01:44.827Z
Comments.Text: You're asking a big topic. There're many many ideas in each of the lines you quote. Furthermore, the lines you quote can transpose to each other. Fundamentally, Black gets an open c-file where black can setup some counter-play. White could launch some kind-of king-side attack and central dominance. Black can also challenge white by a well-timed ...d5 pawn push.
Comments.UserDisplayName: SmallChess
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-08-26T13:30:21.717Z
Comments.Text: I agree that this is a very big topic. I heartily recommend the book _Fundamental Chess Openings_ by van der Sterren for questions like these. It has a very nice survey of all common openings that has just the right amount of detail for these kinds of questions. It may seem silly to buy a whole book for this one question, but it will answer all your similar questions in the future too.
Comments.UserDisplayName: dfan
Tags: <opening><sicilian-defense>
Title: Ideas behind each sicilian?
ThreadText: # Ideas behind each sicilian?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-26)
  
  What are the key ideas behind each mainline open Sicilian as black? I am normally an e4 player as white, so I am fairly well acquainted with the types of positions that come out of the Sicilian. I am looking to change my black opening repertoire to include the Sicilian but want to better understand black's ideas for each.
  I know that as a (very) rough summary, the main ideas are a Queenside counter attack, looking to find the right opportunity to create a d5 pawn break, and to utilise a minority attack on the Queenside. However, I'm struggling to understand more specific ideas.
  What are the main ideas after
  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
  
  Here, I know it often leads into a Najdorf and occasionally a Dragon, but don't fully understand the ideas as Black. I am ignoring 3. Bb5+, as play is fairly straight forward with less tactical ideas.
  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
  
  For me, 9 times out of 10 it leads to a Sveshnikov. Again, apart from wanting to create a d5 pawn break, I don't see the main goal as Black.
  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
  
  Unfortunately, there are very few people at my level who play this version of the sicilian (relative to the other more popular ones), so I have very little idea of what do. As white, I generally just go by general principles that are present in 2...d6 and 2...Nc6. However, as Black I have very little idea of the goal in this line. It seems to be similar to a Najdorf, without black having the option of e6, or e5 as their e-pawn move.
  LEVEL: I am looking for a scientific/objective answer as to Black's ideas in the sicilian, but if there is a personal/playstyle reason for not learning it, I was about 1800-1900 rated. I stopped playing for a while and am now about 1600-1700. I never really looked at openings in the past, winning most of my games in an endgame battle, but I am bored and looking to try something new and exciting :)
  Thanks to any replies.
  
  **Tags:** opening, sicilian-defense
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: You're asking a big topic. There're many many ideas in each of the lines you quote. Furthermore, the lines you quote can transpose to each other. Fundamentally, Black gets an open c-file where black can setup some counter-play. White could launch some kind-of king-side attack and central dominance. Black can also challenge white by a well-timed ...d5 pawn push.  
  > **username_2**: I agree that this is a very big topic. I heartily recommend the book _Fundamental Chess Openings_ by van der Sterren for questions like these. It has a very nice survey of all common openings that has just the right amount of detail for these kinds of questions. It may seem silly to buy a whole book for this one question, but it will answer all your similar questions in the future too.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 0 answers
  
  