Key ideas
- The English Attack, 6.Be3 followed by f3, Qd2, g4 and long castling, is White's most direct plan. After 6...e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 the kings usually end up on opposite wings and both sides race their pawns at the enemy king.
- 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 is the sharpest main line. Black chooses between 7...Be7 with ...Qc7 and ...Nbd7, the Poisoned Pawn 7...Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2, which grabs a pawn at the cost of time, and the Polugaevsky 7...b5.
- Calmer choices are 6.Be2 (the Opocensky) and 6.h3 (the Adams Attack). Against 6.Be2, the reply 6...e5 7.Nb3 Be7 gives Black a backward d-pawn but control of d4 and quick development, and the game turns on who controls the d5 square.
- Black's queenside play follows a familiar pattern: ...b5, ...Bb7, ...Nbd7-c5 and pressure down the c-file. The exchange sacrifice ...Rxc3, ruining the pawns in front of a king castled long, is a recurring idea.
Plans for White
In the English Attack, castle long and push g4-g5 to drive away the f6 knight, then h4-h5. In positions with ...e5, aim pieces at d5: a white knight there that cannot be exchanged usually dominates the game.
Plans for Black
Decide on the centre first. ...e5 claims space and makes d5 the critical square, while ...e6 builds a more compact Scheveningen-style wall. In both, counter on the queenside with ...b5-b4 and do not castle into a pawn storm that is already under way.
For the wider picture, see the Sicilian Defense guide.