Sicilian Defense · As White · updated November 2026
Play against the Sicilian like Daniil Dubov
A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 209 of Daniil Dubov's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Daniil Dubov chose most often. Where Daniil Dubov 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 Daniil Dubov or Chess.com.
- Daniil Dubov was #28 in Chess.com blitz in November 2026 (3,242) and scored 73% against opponents averaging 3,004 in these games.
- You play Daniil Dubov's own move in 29 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.
Free · first 5 lines need no account
Blitz rank
#28
Chess.com
Rating
3,242
as of 9 Nov 2026
Games
209
in this opening
Score
73%
in these games
Opponents
3,004
average rating
Based on 209 games, Apr–Nov 2026
Lines to learn
- Next
Line 1 · 8% at top level
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4
- New
Line 2 · 6% at top level
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 g6 7.Bg5 Bg7 8.O-O-O O-O 9.f4
- New
Line 3 · 6% at top level
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4
- New
Line 4 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.d3
- New
Line 5 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 d5 6.exd5 exd5 7.d4
- New
Line 6 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4
- New
Line 7 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d6 5.d4
- New
Line 8 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Nc6 9.h3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4
- New
Line 9 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 g6 3.Bc4 Bg7 4.c3
- New
Line 10 · 4% at top level
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5
- New
Line 11 · 4% at top level
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 Nbd7 7.Be2 e6 8.g4
- New
Line 12 · 4% at top level
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 Nbd7 7.Be2 g6 8.Bg5 Bg7 9.O-O-O O-O 10.Qe3
- New
Line 13 · 4% at top level
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 e5 7.Nf5
Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.
Daniil Dubov's main line against the Sicilian, move by move
The most common line at top level: 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4.
- 2.Nf3 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 2.Nf3 in 194 games, scoring 72%.
- 2…Nc6 Reply · Daniil Dubov's games A common reply here is 2…Nc6. At top level, this comes up about 24% of the time.
- 3.c3 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 3.c3 in 14 games, scoring 71%.
- 3…d5 Reply · Daniil Dubov's games A common reply here is 3…d5. At top level, this comes up about 8% of the time.
- 4.exd5 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 4.exd5 in 5 games, scoring 50%.
- 4…Qxd5 Reply · Daniil Dubov's games A common reply here is 4…Qxd5.
- 5.d4 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 5.d4 in 5 games, scoring 50%.
Questions about this course
- How does Daniil Dubov play against the Sicilian?
- After 1.e4 c5, Daniil Dubov's most common line is 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4. At top level it comes up about 8% of the time.
- Is this Daniil Dubov's course?
- No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Daniil Dubov's public Chess.com blitz games.
- What is this Sicilian course based on?
- 209 of Daniil Dubov's Chess.com blitz games in the Sicilian Defense as White, against opponents with an average rating of 3,004. Daniil Dubov scored 73% in them.
- How many lines does the course have?
- 13 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 Daniil Dubov?
- GM Daniil Dubov was ranked number 28 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,242 when this course was built.