The Sicilian Defense

Sicilian Support Points

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Recently, I played a few practice games with a friend of mine who is a strong Master. One of these games highlights important considerations Black must make when advancing his center pawns in the Sicilian Defense. The game began with 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5?! This was a very interesting move this early in the game that has some big ramifications for both player’s plans. The beginning player might be tempted to respond to this threat on his knight by playing 5. NxN ? However, this would be a huge mistake. Black could simply retake with …b7xN and white would be down a tempo. Instead white should see the excellent new support point that has become available on d5. Note how that if white can post a minor piece on d5, black has no pawn moves that can force the white piece to a less threatening square. Recognizing this I immediately began my plan and played 5. Nb3. Black responded with the natural developing move 5…Nf6. And with the response 6. Bg5 my plan begins to take shape. I want to trade my dark squared bishop for my opponent’s knight so that I will have three possible minor pieces that I can use to try and control the d5 square compared with his two. The game continued, 6…Be7 7. BxN BxB 8. Nc3.

Let’s pause and look here at some considerations for both sides. Black has the bishop pair, but it is unclear how he will be able to activate his dark squared bishop, which is now blocked in by his pawn on e5. White’s pressure on the d5 file is also preventing Black from breaking open the center with the d5 pawn push. White will want to continue developing such that he can post a knight on the strong d5 square. If white can secure a knight in the center on the fifth rank in this position, it will be a stronger advantage than Black’s bishop pair. The key take away from this game is that when playing open Sicilian Defense positions always be mindful of the space left behind. If you want to make pawn advances, first consider what room you leave behind for your opponent to penetrate your camp.