Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Moscow Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code B51, part of the Sicilian Defense family. It goes 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. c3 Nf6 6. Re1 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. d4 Bxe4 9. Bg5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c5. After 17 moves it is Black to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... d6 – Black plays the pawn to d6
3. Bb5+ – White plays the bishop to b5, giving check
3... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
4. O-O – White castles kingside
4... Bd7 – Black plays the bishop to d7
5. c3 – White plays the pawn to c3
5... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
6. Re1 – White plays the rook to e1
6... a6 – Black plays the pawn to a6
The line goes on for 5 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
About the Sicilian Defense
Black answers 1.e4 with 1...c5, fighting for the d4 square from the side. The game becomes unbalanced and sharp, with chances for both sides.
After d4 and ...cxd4, Black trades a side pawn for White's centre pawn and gets an extra centre pawn.
Black uses the half-open c-file: a rook on c8 and pressure on c3 and c2.
Kings often castle on opposite sides, so both players race to attack; every tempo counts.
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