The Alapin Variation or c3 Sicilian is used by players who want to avoid the Sicilian main lines. When you play against a chess player who most likely knows the Sicilian Defense very well and has a lot of theoretical knowledge about this opening, you could switch to the Alapin variation to escape his well prepared opening lines.
1. e4 c5
2. c3
Alapin Variation – Amateur Chess Opening for White
White wants to set up a classical pawn centre with 3.d4, Black should counter immediately in the centre by 2…Nf6 or 2…d5.
First Main line is 2…d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3, now Black can choose 5…e6 or 5…Bg4. Usually White gets an isolated pawn on d4.
Second main line is 2…Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3, when Black has a choice between 5…e6 and 5…Nc6.
Replay Chess Games of the Alapin Variation
Flip Board: Press F-Key (or click e7 or d2 on top) Select a game: Click on grey bar
How Chess Grandmaster Igor Smirnov developed his chess teaching system.