Sicilian Defence, Sveshnikov Variation
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| Moves | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | B33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Evgeny Sveshnikov | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Open Sicilian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym | Lasker–Pelikan Variation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Sveshnikov Variation, also known as the Lasker–Pelikan Variation, is a variation of the Sicilian Defence that begins with the moves:
The move 5...e5 kicks White's knight from d4, but leaves Black with a backwards d-pawn and a weakness on d5, but affords dynamic potential for Black, who gets a central foothold and gains time on White's knight, which often ends up driven to the edge of the board. Though some lines still give Black trouble, it has been established as a first-rate defence.
The Sveshnikov Variation was pioneered by its namesake Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko in the 1970s. Before this, it only saw occasional play: Emanuel Lasker played it once in his world championship match against Carl Schlechter, and Jorge Pelikan played it a few times in the 1950s, but Sveshnikov's treatment of the variation was the key to its revitalization. Today, it is extremely popular among grandmasters and amateurs alike. Top players who have used this variation include Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik, Veselin Topalov, and many others.