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Sicilian Defense · As White · updated November 2026

Play against the Sicilian like Aleksandr Usov

A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 96 of Aleksandr Usov's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Aleksandr Usov chose most often. Where Aleksandr Usov has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Aleksandr Usov or Chess.com.

  • Aleksandr Usov was #46 in Chess.com blitz in November 2026 (3,207) and scored 73% against opponents averaging 2,924 in these games.
  • You play Aleksandr Usov's own move in 34 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Train lines

Learn a new line move by move. Lines due for review go to your daily review first.

Next: line 1

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#46

Chess.com

Rating

3,207

as of 8 Nov 2026

Games

96

in this opening

Score

73%

in these games

Opponents

2,924

average rating

Based on 96 games, Jun 2024–Sep 2026

More about Aleksandr Usov

Use arrow keys to navigate the board. Press Enter to select a piece, then use arrow keys and Enter to move. Press Escape to cancel a move.
Line 1 after 17 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qd3 g6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Bg4 10.O-O

    Next

  2. Line 2 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be2 Nf6 8.Nd5

    New

  3. Line 3 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 Nc6 4.Bb2 Nf6 5.e5 Nd5 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.dxc3

    New

  4. Line 4 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 a6 4.Bb2

    New

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.O-O

    New

  6. Line 6 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Bg4 10.O-O Nd7 11.Bg5

    New

  7. Line 7 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O

    New

  8. Line 8 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 e5 7.Nc3

    New

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qd3 d6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Bg4 10.O-O

    New

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.O-O Bd7 5.Re1

    New

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qd3 g6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Nd7 10.O-O Nc5 11.Qc2 Bg4 12.Bf4

    New

  12. Line 12 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qd3 g6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Nd7 10.O-O Nc5 11.Qc2 e6 12.Ne3

    New

Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.

Aleksandr Usov's main line against the Sicilian, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qd3 g6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Bg4 10.O-O.

  1. 2.Nf3 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 2.Nf3 in 80 games, scoring 79%.
  2. 2…d6 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 2…d6. At top level, this comes up about 53% of the time.
  3. 3.d4 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 3.d4 in 41 games, scoring 78%.
  4. 3…cxd4 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 3…cxd4. At top level, this comes up about 50% of the time.
  5. 4.Qxd4 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 4.Qxd4 in 38 games, scoring 79%.
  6. 4…Nf6 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 4…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 25% of the time.
  7. 5.Nc3 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 5.Nc3 in 17 games, scoring 85%.
  8. 5…Nc6 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 5…Nc6. At top level, this comes up about 22% of the time.
  9. 6.Qd3 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 6.Qd3 in 15 games, scoring 87%.
  10. 6…g6 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 6…g6. At top level, this comes up about 18% of the time.
  11. 7.Nd5 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 7.Nd5 in 12 games, scoring 83%.
  12. 7…Bg7 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 7…Bg7.
  13. 8.c3 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 8.c3 in 12 games, scoring 83%.
  14. 8…O-O Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 8…O-O. At top level, this comes up about 16% of the time.
  15. 9.Be2 Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 9.Be2 in 11 games, scoring 82%.
  16. 9…Bg4 Reply · Aleksandr Usov's games A common reply here is 9…Bg4. At top level, this comes up about 6% of the time.
  17. 10.O-O Your move · Aleksandr Usov's games Aleksandr Usov played 10.O-O in 4 games, scoring 75%.

Questions about this course

How does Aleksandr Usov play against the Sicilian?
After 1.e4 c5, Aleksandr Usov's most common line is 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qd3 g6 7.Nd5 Bg7 8.c3 O-O 9.Be2 Bg4 10.O-O. At top level it comes up about 6% of the time.
Is this Aleksandr Usov's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Aleksandr Usov's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Sicilian course based on?
96 of Aleksandr Usov's Chess.com blitz games in the Sicilian Defense as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,924. Aleksandr Usov scored 73% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
12 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
Who is Aleksandr Usov?
IM Aleksandr Usov was ranked number 46 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,207 when this course was built.

More openings to play like Aleksandr Usov

Play against the Sicilian like other top players