Theoria
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Sicilian Defense

Richter-Rauzer Variation, Podebrady Variation

B62offbeatpositional

  1. 1.e4c5
  2. 2.Nf3Nc6
  3. 3.d4cxd4
  4. 4.Nxd4Nf6
  5. 5.Nc3d6
  6. 6.Bg5e6
  7. 7.Nb3
63 games54%40%

A rare Richter-Rauzer sideline in which White retreats the d4-knight with 7. Nb3 instead of playing the usual 7. Qd2, giving a quieter, positional game.

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About the Podebrady Variation

The Podebrady Variation replaces the standard 7. Qd2 of the Richter-Rauzer with the knight retreat 7. Nb3. White keeps the knight away from exchanges on d4 and leaves the queen's development open for now. Black almost always answers 7...Be7, with 7...a6 and 7...Bd7 as the alternatives. The line is seldom played, and the engine rates the position as balanced. White has scored well in the small sample of games.

Popular continuations