Chekhover Variation

Instead of the knight recapture that defines the Open Sicilian, White takes back on d4 with the queen. An early queen sortie normally concedes tempi, but White argues that with the pawn already on d6, Black has few ways to harass the queen in the center. The most common reply, 4...Nc6, attacks it anyway, and White answers with the pin 5. Bb5. After 5...Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 e6 9. O-O-O Be7 10. Rhe1 O-O, White has given up the bishop pair for rapid development and central pressure, with the king castled long. Defending the knight with 5...Qd7 instead is the Zaitsev Defense.

4...Nf6 is the second most frequent choice, while 4...a6 rules out Bb5 so that ...Nc6 will gain a tempo. White can then meet it with 5. c4 Nc6 6. Qd2 or seek a queen trade with 5. Be3 Nc6 6. Qb6 Qxb6 7. Bxb6. The engine rates the position as roughly level, and online results are close to even. The line first appeared at the unofficial Olympiad in Munich in 1936 and takes its name from the Soviet player Vitaly Chekhover, who adopted it in 1938.