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
  
  