Sicilian Kalashnikov and Four Knights: free opening course
Two ways for Black to meet the Open Sicilian after 2...Nc6. In the Kalashnikov Black plays 4...e5 at once and breaks with the f-pawn. In the Four Knights Black plays 4...Nf6 and 5...e6 and pins the c3 knight with ...Bb4. You also learn the traps that win material early.
Key ideas
- In the Kalashnikov, 4...e5 kicks the knight at once. Against 5.Nb5 cover the d6 square with ...d6.
- Develop the g8 knight to e7, not f6, when the f-pawn needs to stay free for the f5 break.
- Against the a3 knight, keep it out of play with ...b5. Then it has no good way back to c4.
- In the Four Knights, ...Bb4 is the key move. It pins the c3 knight and puts pressure on e4.
- Watch for loose pieces. A knight left on d4 or a bishop left on g5 can be lost at once.
The 6 variations in the course
- Kalashnikov: 6.c4 Be7: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 … — White grabs space with 6.c4. Black develops with ...Be7, sends the knight to a3 with ...a6 and breaks with ...f5. Black's pieces become active, and the game is balanced.
- Kalashnikov: 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 … — White develops the knight to c3. Black chases the b5 knight and takes space with ...b5. Against 8.Nd5 the g8 knight goes to e7, not f6. Then the c6 knight jumps into d4.
- Kalashnikov: 5.Nxc6 bxc6: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bc4 Nf6 … — White trades knights on move five. Black takes toward the centre, and after 7.O-O takes the e4 pawn. White wins it back with Re1 and Rxe5, and Black castles with two good bishops.
- Four Knights: 6.Ndb5 Bb4: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Ndb5 Bb4 … — White's knight heads for d6. Black pins the c3 knight with ...Bb4, gives the bishop for the knight and strikes with ...d5. Black gets an isolated pawn but active pieces.
- Four Knights: 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 … — White trades knights and chases the f6 knight with e5. Black jumps to d5, hits e5 with the queen and stops White from castling short. The game gets sharp.
- Four Knights: 6.Be3 Bb4: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be3 Bb4 … — White develops the bishop to e3. Black pins the c3 knight with ...Bb4 and then plays ...e5 to kick the d4 knight. After the trade on c6 Black castles and strikes with ...d5.
Traps you will learn (3)
- 5.Nc3?? exd4: the hanging knight — After 4...e5 the d4 knight is attacked. Developing with 5.Nc3 looks natural, but it does nothing for the knight. Black simply takes it.
- 6.Bg5 Bb4 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5? Qa5 — In the Four Knights the push 8.e5 looks strong. But the queen jumps to a5, hits the g5 bishop and keeps the pin on the c3 knight. Black wins material.
- 6.Ndb5 d5? 7.exd5 exd5 8.Bf4 — A warning for Black. Against 6.Ndb5 the push ...d5 looks active, but it leaves c7 and d6 weak. After 8.Bf4 the knight threatens to jump into c7 with a fork.
How the opening courses work
Each course teaches an opening in a few main variations. For every move you read why it is played, which other moves are good, and which tempting moves are mistakes and why. Each course also shows the traps of the opening: the ones you can set and the ones to avoid.
After a lesson you play the moves yourself in a drill. The lines you learn go into your review, which brings them back when you are about to forget them (spaced repetition). 30 line courses add many short lines per opening, a few new ones a day, and every named opening, more than 3,800 lines, has a lesson of its own.
Questions and answers
Is the Sicilian Kalashnikov and Four Knights course free?
Yes. The Sicilian Kalashnikov and Four Knights course on chessGM is free, with all 6 variations, 3 traps, the drills and the review. There is no paid plan that unlocks more.
Who is the Sicilian Kalashnikov and Four Knights course for?
It is a course at advanced level for Black, written for players rated around 1800.
How do I practise this opening?
After each lesson, play the moves yourself in the drill. The lines you learn go into your review, which brings them back when you are about to forget them, and you can try the opening in games against the bots.