Theoria
8765432abcdefgh1

Sicilian Defense

Moscow Variation, Sokolsky Variation

B52positionalsolid

  1. 1.e4c5
  2. 2.Nf3d6
  3. 3.Bb5+Bd7
  4. 4.Bxd7+Qxd7
  5. 5.c4
1,569 games49%43%

Sicilian line where White follows the bishop trade on d7 with 5. c4, adopting a Maróczy Bind setup; a roughly balanced positional game.

Train it in Theoria

About the Sokolsky Variation

After the light-squared bishops are exchanged, 5. c4 places White's pawns on c4 and e4 in a Maróczy Bind, clamping d5 and restricting Black's freeing breaks rather than opening the center with d4. The usual reply is 5...Nc6, contesting d5 and d4, while 5...Nf6 and 5...g6 are less frequent. Results are fairly even and the engine judges the position roughly balanced.

Popular continuations