Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation

ECO B51-B52intermediate

The Moscow Variation is White's way of avoiding the entire Open Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+, checking immediately instead of playing d4. The main line runs 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6, when White builds a small, safe centre with d4 in one go and plays a slower positional game. It is the sister line of the Rossolimo, and together they let a White player face the Sicilian without ever learning the Najdorf or the Dragon.

Train as White Train as Black Explore all variations

Main line

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 7.d4 cxd4

Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.

Move by move

The first 12 moves of the main line, explained one at a time. Every move of every variation is annotated like this inside the trainer — this page shows the opening moves so you can judge the explanations before signing up.

1.e4 Here we go! The pawn marches up to e4, a light square right in the middle. Grabbing the center early is a super friendly way to start a game and give your pieces room to come out.
1...c5 Black plays c5, advancing the pawn two squares from its starting square. This is the Sicilian Defense, a standard response that indirectly challenges White's center.
2.Nf3 White moves their knight from g1 to f3. This is a good developing move that helps get your pieces into the game.
2...d6 Black advances the pawn from d7 to d6. This supports the c5 pawn and controls the e5 square, preparing for the development of the king's bishop.
3.Bb5+ White moves their bishop from f1 to b5. This is a great developing move that puts the black king in check right away!
3...Bd7 Black moves their bishop from c8 to d7. This is a good developing move, getting a piece into the game from its starting spot.
4.Bxd7+ Your bishop captures their bishop on d7 and delivers check, forcing their king to move and preventing castling.
4...Qxd7 Black moves their queen from its starting spot to d7. This is a great move! It takes a bishop and also gets your queen into the game, which is called developing.
5.O-O White moves the king from e1 to g1. This is called castling. It's a good move because it gets your king to a safer spot and develops your rook.
5...Nc6 Black moves their knight from b8 to c6. This is a good developing move, bringing a piece into the game and closer to the middle.
6.c3 White moves the pawn from c2 to c3. This solid move supports the important d4 square, preparing to establish and challenge for central control with a future advance of the d-pawn.
6...Nf6 Black moves their knight from g8 to f6. This is a good developing move that helps bring a piece into the game.

Open the full annotated variation tree — free account

Win rates by rating

Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.

Rating	Games	White wins	Draws	Black wins	Position after
400-600	109	48.6%	4.6%	46.8%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6
600-800	31	41.9%	3.2%	54.8%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6
800-1000	30	50%	3.3%	46.7%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
1000-1200	80	56.2%	5%	38.8%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6
1200-1400	191	44%	6.3%	49.7%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
1400-1600	565	54.2%	4.6%	41.2%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
1600-1800	100	45%	4%	51%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
1800-2000	220	51.8%	5%	43.2%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
2000-2200	384	47.9%	7.6%	44.5%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
2200-2400	305	50.5%	8.9%	40.7%	1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6

Most played continuations (1400-1600 rating)

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6:

Re1 — played 60.9% of the time (White wins 55.8%, draws 4.7%, Black wins 39.5%)
d3 — played 20.5% of the time (White wins 46.5%, draws 6.9%, Black wins 46.5%)
d4 — played 14.3% of the time (White wins 56.8%, draws 2.5%, Black wins 40.7%)

Related openings

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Moscow and the Rossolimo?

Which black move they answer. The Rossolimo is 3.Bb5 against 2...Nc6; the Moscow is 3.Bb5+ against 2...d6. The ideas are the same — trade or provoke, avoid the Open Sicilian, and play a structure-based game — but the resulting positions differ because Black's pawn on d6 changes which squares matter.

Is trading the light-squared bishop good for White?

It is a concession that buys something. White gives up the bishop pair to leave Black with a slightly awkward queen on d7 and a structure where ...d5 is hard to achieve. Modern practice regards the resulting positions as roughly equal but very pleasant to play with White, because the plans are simple and Black's usual Sicilian counterplay never gets going.

How should Black meet 3.Bb5+?

The two main answers are 3...Bd7, as here, and 3...Nd7, keeping more pieces on at the cost of a slightly passive knight. Both are fully sound. The practical point for Black is to accept that this will be a manoeuvring game rather than a Najdorf brawl, and to aim for the freeing break ...d5 or ...e5 at the right moment.