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Sicilian Defense · As White · updated October 2026

Play against the Sicilian like Maxim Matlakov

A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 78 of Maxim Matlakov's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Maxim Matlakov chose most often. Where Maxim Matlakov 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 Maxim Matlakov or Chess.com.

  • Maxim Matlakov was #50 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,191) and scored 76% against opponents averaging 2,815 in these games.
  • You play Maxim Matlakov's own move in 15 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#50

Chess.com

Rating

3,191

Games

78

in this opening

Score

76%

in these games

Opponents

2,815

average rating

More about Maxim Matlakov

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 13 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Re1 e6 8.d4

  2. Line 2 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 6.c3 g6 7.Re1

  3. Line 3 · 7% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.e5 Nc6 5.d4

  4. Line 4 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.O-O Ngf6 6.Re1

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7.exd6 Bxd6 8.Bd3 O-O 9.O-O

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.d3 e5 6.a3 Nge7 7.b4 cxb4 8.axb4

  8. Line 8 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nf6 6.Re1 Nc6 7.c3 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.a3 Be7 12.Nbd2 Nxd2 13.Bxd2 O-O 14.Rc1

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Re1 Bc6 8.d4 Bxe4 9.Bg5

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Re1 g6 8.d4

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

Maxim Matlakov's main line against the Sicilian, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Re1 e6 8.d4.

  1. 2.Nf3 Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 2.Nf3 in 70 games, scoring 74%.
  2. 2…d6 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 2…d6. At top level, this comes up about 54% of the time.
  3. 3.Bb5+ Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 3.Bb5+ in 17 games, scoring 68%.
  4. 3…Nd7 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 3…Nd7. At top level, this comes up about 29% of the time.
  5. 4.O-O Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 4.O-O in 8 games, scoring 88%.
  6. 4…a6 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 4…a6. At top level, this comes up about 25% of the time.
  7. 5.Bxd7+ Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 5.Bxd7+ in 6 games, scoring 83%.
  8. 5…Bxd7 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 5…Bxd7.
  9. 6.c3 Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 6.c3 in 6 games, scoring 83%.
  10. 6…Nf6 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 6…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 17% of the time.
  11. 7.Re1 Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 7.Re1 in 4 games, scoring 75%.
  12. 7…e6 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 7…e6. At top level, this comes up about 8% of the time.
  13. 8.d4 Your move · Top-50 players Maxim Matlakov has too few games here, so this is the other top players' most played move.

Questions about this course

How does Maxim Matlakov play against the Sicilian?
After 1.e4 c5, Maxim Matlakov's most common line is 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Re1 e6 8.d4. At top level it comes up about 8% of the time.
Is this Maxim Matlakov's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Maxim Matlakov's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Sicilian course based on?
78 of Maxim Matlakov's Chess.com blitz games in the Sicilian Defense as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,815. Maxim Matlakov scored 76% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
10 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 Maxim Matlakov?
GM Maxim Matlakov was ranked number 50 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,191 when this course was built.