Skip to main content

Sicilian Defense · As White · updated October 2026

Play against the Sicilian like Daniil Dubov

A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 207 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 #39 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,210) and scored 72% against opponents averaging 3,004 in these games.
  • You play Daniil Dubov's own move in 28 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#39

Chess.com

Rating

3,210

Games

207

in this opening

Score

72%

in these games

Opponents

3,004

average rating

More about Daniil Dubov

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 7 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4

  2. Line 2 · 7% 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

  3. Line 3 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7.exd6

  4. Line 4 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 Nbd7 7.Be2 e6 8.O-O

  6. Line 6 · 5% 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

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd3 e5 7.Nf5

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2

  9. Line 9 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4

  10. Line 10 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d6 5.d4

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Ng5 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.d4 cxd4 8.O-O

  12. Line 12 · 4% 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

  13. Line 13 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 g6 3.Bc4 Bg7 4.c3

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.

  1. 2.Nf3 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 2.Nf3 in 189 games, scoring 71%.
  2. 2…Nc6 Reply · Daniil Dubov's games A common reply here is 2…Nc6. At top level, this comes up about 23% of the time.
  3. 3.c3 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 3.c3 in 14 games, scoring 71%.
  4. 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.
  5. 4.exd5 Your move · Daniil Dubov's games Daniil Dubov played 4.exd5 in 5 games, scoring 50%.
  6. 4…Qxd5 Reply · Daniil Dubov's games A common reply here is 4…Qxd5.
  7. 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?
207 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 72% 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 39 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,210 when this course was built.