Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6

With 3. c3 White avoids the Open Sicilian. Instead of exchanging the d-pawn for Black's c-pawn, White prepares d4 so that a later recapture with the c-pawn keeps two pawns in the center. Compared with the immediate 2. c3, both sides have already committed a piece of their setup. White has developed the king's knight, and Black has played ...e6. That pawn move matters here, because it backs up an early ...d5 and gives the position a French-like flavor. Black is to move and has three main replies.

The most popular, chosen in about a third of games, is 3...d5. It strikes at e4 before White can play d4. The exchange 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Nf6 leads to the main Delayed Alapin position, where the c3-pawn stops White from gaining time on the queen with Nc3. White can instead gain space with 4. e5. After 4...Nc6 5. d4 the game becomes an Advance French. Black's 4...d4 is considered the more testing reply, because it uses the pawn on c5 to hit back at once. A known line runs 4...d4 5. cxd4 cxd4 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Qxd4 Bxf3. Here Black gives up a pawn and is regarded as having excellent compensation.

The move 3...Nf6 attacks e4 at once. It transposes into lines of the ordinary Alapin Variation, with ...e6 already played. The second most common choice is 3...Nc6, a flexible developing move that delays deciding the central pawn structure. In online games White scores somewhat better after 3...Nc6 than after 3...d5 or 3...Nf6.

The engine's three preferred replies, ...d5, ...Nf6 and ...Nc6, are also the three moves played most often. It rates the position as roughly balanced. Overall results in a large online sample are nearly even, with White slightly ahead and very few draws. Because so many continuations transpose into the Alapin, the French Advance or the main Delayed Alapin, much of the play depends on which neighboring opening each player is more comfortable in.