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Sicilian (B89)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Bc4 Nc6
7 Be3

Number of games in database: 2235
Years covered: 1938 to 2023
Overall record:
   White wins 39.2%
   Black wins 32.9%
   Draws 27.9%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Dragoljub Velimirovic  38 games
Nick de Firmian  28 games
John Nunn  20 games
Dmitry Gurevich  23 games
Alexander Veingold  22 games
Enrico Paoli  20 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
W A Brown vs R Kneebone, 1985
A Ostapenko vs Yartsev, 1969
A Sokolov vs Salov, 1983
Fischer vs Geller, 1967
A Rubezov vs G Borisenko, 1960
N Padevsky vs Botvinnik, 1956
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 page 1 of 90; games 1-25 of 2,235  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. A Chistiakov vs M Yudovich Sr.  0-150193818th Ch MoscowB89 Sicilian
2. Tartakower vs Szabados  1-0421947VeniceB89 Sicilian
3. Tartakower vs M Radulescu  ½-½431948BudapestB89 Sicilian
4. Tartakower vs Barcza  0-1581948BudapestB89 Sicilian
5. Tartakower vs Pachman  ½-½411949SouthseaB89 Sicilian
6. J Penrose vs H Israel  0-1171949British ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
7. Geller vs I Vatnikov 1-0171950URS-ch sf KievB89 Sicilian
8. Estrin vs Aronin  ½-½311950URS-ch sf GorkyB89 Sicilian
9. Rossolimo vs L Marini  ½-½211950Mar del PlataB89 Sicilian
10. J Vesely vs J Sajtar  ½-½221953Czechoslovak ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
11. J Sefc vs J Jezek  1-0381953Czechoslovak ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
12. G Miliani vs M Napolitano  0-1361954Italian ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
13. U Elbekov vs Y Krutikhin  ½-½371955URS-ch qf StalinabadB89 Sicilian
14. M Mukhitdinov vs I Birbrager  1-0581955URS-ch qf StalinabadB89 Sicilian
15. R McLellan vs K M Colby 1-031195556th US OpenB89 Sicilian
16. R Cross vs Z Kovacs  1-028195556th US OpenB89 Sicilian
17. R Cross vs Evans  0-141195556th US OpenB89 Sicilian
18. N Sorokin vs A Cherepkov  1-04619554th Soviet Team-ch finalB89 Sicilian
19. P Romanovsky vs Shamkovich 1-0381956URS-ch sf KharkivB89 Sicilian
20. N Padevsky vs Botvinnik 0-1251956Alekhine MemorialB89 Sicilian
21. P Puig Pulido vs R Toran Albero  ½-½491957ESP-chB89 Sicilian
22. T Rakic vs B Djurasevic  1-0291957Yugoslav ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
23. R Bogdanovic vs A Bradvarevic  0-1361957Yugoslav ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
24. J Kostro vs Z Doda  1-0411957Polish ChampionshipB89 Sicilian
25. M Mukhitdinov vs D Abakarov  ½-½401958Ch URS (Team) (II Group)B89 Sicilian
 page 1 of 90; games 1-25 of 2,235  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-01-04  russep: Isn't this the velimirovic attack against the classical scilian?
Aug-02-04  BiLL RobeRTiE: Scores would indicate otherwise, I suppose. ;) I have a question about this opening, too! After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 Be7 8. Be3 0-0 9. Qe2 a6 10. 0-0-0 Qc7 11. g4 Nxd4, why does White so often play 12. Rxd4 (instead of 12. Bxd4)? Reducing the rook's mobility seems pretty illogical, especially when White's other choice puts his QB on what looks to me like its optimal square. Thanks!
Aug-02-04  PinkPanther: <russep>
Yes, it is.
Aug-02-04  russep: how come this site doesn't give it the proper name then?
Aug-02-04  Dick Brain: <russep> I think we need a few more moves until it becomes definitely a Velimirovic attack since it could still transpose into other versions of the Sozin. Wait at least until White castles queenside.
Aug-02-04  OneBadDog: I love the Velimirovic Attack. This is an honorable openining, unlike the Caro-Kann.
Aug-02-04  PinkPanther: <russep>
You're really supposed to play Qe2 before it's officially called the Velimirovic Attack, but whatever.
Aug-02-04  Dick Brain: <BiLL RobeRTiE> 12. Bxd4?! will lose the g-pawn after ...e5 although it will give White an open line against the black king. After 12. Rxd4 e5?! white can gain time with 13. Rc4 attacking the Queen. To avoid this decision, White sometimes plays 11. Rg1 instead of 11. g4.

You are right in principle that having a Bishop(rather than a Rook) on d4 pointed against the Black king would be a terrifying threat that would have to be dealt directly by black and not ignored.

Still, there is an intersting attacking possibility for such a rook on d4: sometimes White will sacrifice a pawn by playing e5!? which allows the rook a path to h4 and opens a jumping square on e4 for a knight. Very scary for Black. See Bronstein's and Velimirovic's games in my collection of Velimirovic attack games.

Aug-02-04  BiLL RobeRTiE: <Dick Brain> Thanks a lot! :)
Aug-03-04  OneBadDog: What is the soundest response to the Velimirovic, the lines where black castles or the lines where black delys castling?
Aug-07-04  Dick Brain: I prefer castling. If you don't you'll soon see a knight sac -> Nf5! in order to open up the d5 square for the other knight. Very scary. Actually, that can happen if you are castled as well, and there it's only about half as scary even though it might be equally strong.
Apr-11-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  WTHarvey: Here are 20 traps and zaps from Sicilian (B89) miniatures: http://www.wtharvey.com/b89.html What's the best move?

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