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chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
, the Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation is a response to the
Sicilian Defence The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the following moves: :1. e4 c5 The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. The opening 1.d4 is a statistically more successful opening for Whi ...
characterised by the moves: :1. e4 c5 :2. c3 It is named after the Russian master Semyon Alapin (1856–1923). For many years, it was not held in high regard, since 2...d5 was thought to allow Black easy . Today, the Alapin is considered to be one of the most and respectable , and it is championed by grandmasters such as Evgeny Sveshnikov, Eduardas Rozentalis, Sergei Tiviakov, Duško Pavasovič, and Dražen Sermek. It has been played by World Champions Viswanathan Anand,
Garry Kasparov Garry Kimovich Kasparov (born Garik Kimovich Weinstein on 13 April 1963) is a Russian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion (1985–2000), political activist and writer. His peak FIDE chess Elo rating system, ra ...
,
Anatoly Karpov Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (, ; born May 23, 1951) is a Russian and former Soviet Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, former World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, ⁣and politician. He was the 12th World Chess Champion from 1975 ...
,
Veselin Topalov Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov (pronounced ; ; born 15 March 1975) is a Bulgarian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster and former FIDE World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion. Topalov became FIDE World Chess Champion by winning the FIDE ...
, and Vladimir Kramnik, and Deep Blue played the Alapin Variation against Kasparov in their 1996 match.
Magnus Carlsen Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster. Carlsen is a five-time World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, five-time World Rapid Chess Championship, World Rapid Chess Champio ...
played it in his championship tiebreaker against Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in the 2023 Fide World Cup. The Alapin is also seen in deferred form, particularly when Black chooses an unusual second move after 2.Nf3. For example, after 2.Nf3 a6 or 2.Nf3 Qc7, 3.c3 is often seen, since neither ...a6 nor ...Qc7 are particularly useful moves against the Alapin.


Main variations


2...Nf6

The main line in current practice is 2...Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 and can also arise if Black declines the
Smith–Morra Gambit In chess, the Smith–Morra Gambit (or simply Morra Gambit) is an Chess opening, opening gambit against the Sicilian Defence distinguished by the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5, c5 :2. b:Chess Open ...
(1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5). White has a number of options including 4.d4, 4.Nf3, 4.g3 and 4.Bc4.


2...d5

This is the main alternative to 2...Nf6 for Black. The usual continuation is 3.exd5 Qxd5, a line known as the Barmen Defense. 3.e5 may transpose to the Advance Variation of the
French Defence The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e6 This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5. Black usually plays ...c5 soon after, attacking White's and gaining on the . The French has a reputation for solidity ...
if Black responds with 3...e6, but Black can also develop his c8-bishop before playing e6. This leads to a favorable version of the French for Black, since the bishop is no longer hemmed in by the pawn chain. If White plays 3.exd5, 3...Nf6 is possible, but it is not clear whether Black receives sufficient compensation for the pawn. The main options revolve around: *4.d4 Nc6 and now 5.dxc5 or 5.Nf3 *4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 when after both 5...e6 and 5...Bg4 White can try a number of different moves.


2...e6

This is Black's most solid response, preparing 3...d5. It is closely related to the
French Defence The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e6 This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5. Black usually plays ...c5 soon after, attacking White's and gaining on the . The French has a reputation for solidity ...
, to which it often transposes. White can transpose to the Advance Variation of the
French Defence The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e6 This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5. Black usually plays ...c5 soon after, attacking White's and gaining on the . The French has a reputation for solidity ...
with 3.d4 d5 4.e5. Alternatively, White can transpose to a sort of Tarrasch French with 3.d4 d5 4.Nd2, or try to demonstrate a slight advantage with 3.d4 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Be3.


2...d6

This is a response. Black often offers a gambit with 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxc5 Nc6 (4...Nxe4?? 5.Qa4+) 5.cxd6 Nxe4. White can instead play , however, with 3.d4 Nf6 4.Bd3, occupying the and maintaining a advantage.


Other tries


2...e5

This move makes it hard for White to play d4, but seriously weakens the d5-square. Play usually continues 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4, with a solid for White.


See also

*
List of chess openings This is a list of chess openings, organised by the ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' (''ECO'') code classification system. The chess openings are categorised into five broad areas ("A" through "E"), with each of those broken up into one hundred ...
* List of chess openings named after people


Notes


References

*Rozentalis, Eduardas and Harley, Andrew, ''Play the 2.c3 Sicilian'' (UK: Gambit Publications 2002) *


Further reading

* * * *


External links


Chess openings Sicilian, Alapin (B22)An Interesting Idea in the Alapin Sicilian
{{Chess, state=collapsed Chess openings