Most Sicilian players have their favorite system like the Najdorf, Dragon or Scheveningen. But often White deviates from mainstream play between moves 2 and 5 in order to take his opponent onto less explored and hopefully less prepared paths. We will be learning the basic concepts of all those less popular lines as well. The system with 3.Bb5+ has the advantage for White that it is quite simple to play and doesn’t require a great deal of theory knowledge. Play is usually more of a positional nature and the drawing rate is higher than in other sharper systems. We will now recommend a very solid system for Black that should be good enough for a draw even against stronger players. However, should you look for a win, we will also recommend some less explored alternatives along the way that will make matters much more complex.
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White has just played 3.Bb5+ following the opening moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6.

3…Nc6 is certainly playable here, but gives White more options than necessary. White could play an immediate 4.d4 and hope for a space advantage, or he could play 4.c4 with the idea of playing a maroczy-like position without the “bad” light squared bishop, or he could play 4.c3 with the idea of building a big pawn center with d2-d4 next and giving the b5-bishop a retreat square on c2. In the game Skriptschenko-Matnadse (1998), White reached a better position following 4.Bxc6+bxc6 5.0-0 e5 6.c3 Nf6 7.d4 Nxe4 8.Re1 Bf5 9.dxe5 d5. None of this is lethal to Black, but why not look for something that gives White fewer options?

3…Bd7 is a solid and direct way to meet the check. Now White has to make his first decision. The main alternative is 3…Nbd7, when White typically continues with 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Re1 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.d4. White would then have a space advantage in exchange for the bishop pair. Chances are about even in that line.

4.Bxd7+ exchanges bishops right away and is the most popular move. Clearly a retreat by the bishop would lose precious time. Should White play 4.a4, 4.Nc3, 4.Qe2, or even the obscure 4.c4 or 4.Na3, Black would play …a6 sooner or later.
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Again you are in check.

4…Nxd7 is as good as our solution move. The game Morozevic-Khalifman (1998) then continued with 5.0-0 Ngf6 6.d3 e6 7.Qe2 Be7. Now look for the other good way to recapture.

4…Qxd7 is a solid move that aims to use the b8-knight for other purposes. The only real alternative, 4…Nxd7, leads to somewhat more complex positions. The game Morozevic-Khalifman (1998) then continued with 5.0-0 Ngf6 6.d3 e6 7.Qe2 Be7. Following 4…Nxd7, White often plays d2-d4 as well and safely recaptures on d4 with the queen now that the knight has already moved to d7. Both captures on d7 are of equal merit.

5.0-0 continues with quick development. Black doesn’t have to fear 5.c4 or 5.d4, while 5.c3 will probably transpose to our line later. The game Shirov- Gelfand (2000) featured 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 g6 9.f3 Bg7 with equal chances.
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Now it is time for Black to find good squares for the three remaining minor pieces.

5…Nf6 is a good developing move that attacks White’s e4- pawn. However, the timing of this move is not ideal. After 6.e5!, Black has to deal with the unpleasant choice of moving the knight again or losing time after 6…dxe5 7.Nxe5 and 8.Re1. Try to prepare this move by making it less promising for White to advance the e- pawn.

5…Nc6 moves the knight to its best square. From c6, it eyes the key central squares d4 and e5 (just like the f3-knight does). Somewhat inferior alternatives are 5…e6 (which sometimes transposes to our line of play), 5…g6 (which gives White enough time to build a strong center with 6.c3 and 7.d4) and 5…Nf6 (which allows the bothersome 6.e5).

6.c3 shows that White will try to build a strong pawn center with d2-d4 next. Black would meet 6.d4 with …cxd4 and 6.c4 with 6…e6 7.d4 cxd4.
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Black will have to play very exact here to get equality.

6…g6 prepares to fianchetto the f8-bishop to g7. This is a fine idea. The only slight drawback is that White can meanwhile build a strong pawn center with 7.d4. Some players prefer attacking their opponent’s pawn centers. But in this challenge we will try to have equal pawn presence in the center.

6…Nf6 gets the other knight into action with gain of time. Note that it is safe to develop this knight to its ideal f6-square now that the other knight has taken the sting out of a possible e4-e5 pawn advance by White. Both 6…e6 and 6…g6 are not as accurate as White would be able to build a strong pawn center with 7.d4.

7.Re1 covers the e4-pawn and moves the rook onto its ideal place. White tried 7.Qe2 in Rozentalis-Epishin (1999), but Black obtained a fine position by playing like in our line.
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White will soon take action in the center.

7…e5 fights for control over the dark squares in the center. This is sometimes playable, but does not work out well in this position. Black’s bishop on f8 will be quite ineffective with all the center pawns stuck on its color. After 8.d4 with the idea of developing the b1-knight to c4 via a3, White will have a nice edge. Look for a more flexible setup.

7.0-0-0?! is a highly entertaining and risky move. While we like your optimism, White will have more options in the center after 8.d4 e6. You will also have to watch out for a White pawn storm against your king on the queenside, while it won’t be easy to generate an attack against White’s castled king on the kingside. Your move shows creativity, but we prefer a more solid approach here.

7…g6 prepares to fianchetto the f8-bishop to g7. This is a fine idea. The only slight drawback is that White can meanwhile build a strong pawn center with 8.d4. Some players prefer attacking their opponent’s pawn centers. But in this challenge we will try to have equal pawn presence in the center.

7…e6 prepares the development of the bishop and is the best move to counter White’s plans in the center. White would attain an edge in the center after both 7…g6 and 7…e5 by playing 8.d4.

8.d4 fights for space in the center.
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Now confrontation of the two sides in the center is starting.

8…Be7 gets the bishop off the back rank and gives you the option to castle kingside. But you haven’t taken an active approach against White’s play in the center. As a result, White could now get a nice space advantage by playing 9.d5 with gain of time and also misplace your c6-knight. Wait a little longer before developing the bishop.

8…d5 fights back in the center right away. You are certainly on the right path, but after 9.e5, White would still be able to attack your center with c3-c4 soon. Can you take away that option from White first?

8…cxd4 exchanges a pair of pawns on d4. While this may seem to help White at first glance, Black is actually working on giving White either an isolated or backwards pawn on d4. This pawn on d4 will be cut off from its queenside companion on b2. You will also see later in our main line that Black could not have played our line without exchanging these pawns on d4, since White would have otherwise been able to use the c3-pawn by pushing it to c4.

9.cxd4 maintains the pawn duo in the center. Clearly 9.Nxd4?! does not cause any problems for Black.
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White’s two center pawns are a rank more advanced than the Black counterpart on d6 and e6. This gives White a space advantage.

9…Be7 gets the bishop off the back rank and gives you the option to castle kingside. But you haven’t taken an active approach against White’s play in the center. As a result, White could now get a nice space advantage by playing 10.d5 with gain of time and misplace your c6-knight. Wait a little longer before developing this bishop.

9…e5? moves the e-pawn again and loses precious time. If you wanted it to go to e5, you should have moved it there in one swoop at move 7. Your move has the added drawbacks of weakening the d5-square and placing all your center pawns on the color of your bishop. White now has the promising options of 10.d5 and 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Nc3. Better look for another means to find counter play in the center.

9…d5 is the correct plan of action in the center. Now the Black center pawns are on the opposite color of the f8-bishop, which is advantageous for Black. Black also stopped the d4-d5 pawn advance and now attacks the e4-pawn.

10.e5 is probably White’s best option. Both 10.Nc3 dxe4 and 10.exd5 Nxd5 leave White with a vulnerable isolated pawn on d4.
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Now White’s center pawns on d4 and e5 are on the color of his remaining bishop and will thus restrict the bishop’s activity. The d4-pawn is also vulnerable, since it cannot be protected by another pawn anymore.

10…Ne4 moves the knight to the nice central outpost on e4. The only alternative worth considering is the surprising 10…Ng8, after which play will be more complicated than in our main line. We recommend that you explore this move should you need to win with Black. Positions after 10…Ne4 tend to be easier for White to draw than those with 10…Ng8. The main idea of 10…Ng8 is to move the knight via e7 and c8 to b6 and later to c4, especially if White plays the b2-pawn to b4. In some lines Black may also consider queenside castling.

11.Nbd2 immediately challenges Black’s central knight. If White plays 11.Nc3, then 11…Nxc3 12.bxc3 leaves White with a vulnerable c3-pawn and a weak c4-square (Black could soon play …Na5 and …Rc8). Had Black not exchanged pawns on d4 at move 8, White could now undermine the e4-knight by playing c3-c4.
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The position already has very clear features. The center is closed, while the open c-file will make it likely that all rooks get exchanged quickly.

11…Bb4? looks like a reasonable move as it appears to pin the d2-knight. But after 12.Nxe4!, Black will either lose a pawn to 12…dxe4 13.Rxe4 or two pieces for the rook following 12…Bxe1 13.Nd6+ and 14.Qxe1.

11….Nxd2 exchanges White’s knight. The only alternative to losing a pawn is 11…f5? However, after 12.exf6 Nxf6, the e6-pawn is very weak. After 13.Ng5 Nxd4 14.Nb3! Nxb3 15.Nxe6, White would have a decisive attack. Note that the attempt to pin White’s d2-knight with 12…Bb4? would be futile after 13.Nxe4! Bxe1? 14.Nd6+.

12.Bxd2 is the only reasonable recapture, since 12.Qxd2? allows 12…Bb4, while 12.Nxd2? loses a pawn to 12…Nxd4.
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The position is now quite balanced.

12…Be7 develops the bishop and prepares kingside castling. White often meets this with 13.Bg5 in order to trade off his inferior bishop right away (note that White’s center pawns restrict White’s bishop). The position then is quite drawish, e.g., Ehlvest-Wojtkiewicz (1992) continued with 13…0-0 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qd2 Qb4 16.Red1 Qxd2 17.Rxd2. Against 12…Be7, White has also played 13.Rc1 frequently. The game Spassky-Ribli (1989) continued with 13…0-0 14.Qb3 Rfc8 15.Rc2 Rc7 and a quick draw soon after. 
If Black wants to keep a few more pieces on the board and prevent 13.Bg5 in order to increase his winning chances, he has to try 12…h6. If White then plays for a direct kingside attack with 13.a3 Be7 14.Be3 0-0 15.Qd2, Black appears safe after 15…f5!, e.g., 16.Bxh6? gxh6 17.Qxh6 Rf7. White’s other attacking plan would be to play g4-g5, which is not without risk for White’s king. After e.g., 12…h6 13.Rc1 Be7 14.a3 0-0 15.g4 f5! 16.g5 f4, Black stands fine. There doesn’t seem to be an obvious problem with 12…h6, but it has not been popular.

This is probably due to a psychological aversion to weaken your kingside right before you plan to castle there. We do recommend that Black either plays 10…Ng8 or 12…h6 if he wants more complicated positions and avoid dull middle games with a high likelihood of a quick draw. The 3.Bb5+ check line does not promise White realistic chances for an edge out of the opening against natural play by Black.