Sicilian Defence, Chekhover Variation Sicilian Defence, Chekhover Variation The Sicilian Defence, Chekhover Variation (also sometimes called the Szily Variation or Hungarian Variation) is a chess opening named after Vitaly Chekhover, from the game Chekhover–Lisitsin, Leningrad 1938. It is defined by the moves: On move four White ignores the standard opening principle to not develop the queen too early in the game. Although the Chekhover Variation is somewhat rare at grandmaster level, it is not uncommon among amateurs. The "Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings" (ECO) assigns code B53 to this opening. Black's main response to the Chekhover Variation is 4... Nc6 immediately attacking White's queen, leading
Ruy Lopez e5 and placing the queen on the c-file which may later become open after ...cxd4. Other Black moves in this position are 11...Bb7 and 11...Nd7; the latter was adopted by Keres a few times in the 1960s. The Chigorin Variation has declined in popularity because Black must spend some time bringing his offside knight on a5 back into the game. The Chigorin is divided into four "ECO" classifications. In C96, Black or White deviate after 10.Bc2, and do not reach the classical main line position 10...c5 11.d4 Qc7. In C97, White proceeds from the diagram with 12.a4, 12.d5, 12.b4, or