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Sicilian Defense · As White · updated October 2026

Play against the Sicilian like Alireza Firouzja

A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 227 of Alireza Firouzja's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Alireza Firouzja chose most often. Where Alireza Firouzja 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 Alireza Firouzja or Chess.com.

  • Alireza Firouzja was #11 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,284) and scored 76% against opponents averaging 3,038 in these games.
  • You play Alireza Firouzja's own move in 36 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#11

Chess.com

Rating

3,284

Games

227

in this opening

Score

76%

in these games

Opponents

3,038

average rating

More about Alireza Firouzja

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 21 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 14% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Bb3 e6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.O-O-O Nc5 11.f3 Qc7 12.Kb1

  2. Line 2 · 11% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.b3

  3. Line 3 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Nbd7 9.O-O-O Qc7 10.Bd3

  4. Line 4 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Qc7 5.O-O Nd4 6.Re1

  5. Line 5 · 7% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6 7.Be3

  6. Line 6 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3

  7. Line 7 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nb5 Qa5+ 8.N5c3 d6 9.Be2 Qb4 10.Qd2 Nf6 11.a3 Qa5 12.h3

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3

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

Alireza Firouzja's main line against the Sicilian, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Bb3 e6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.O-O-O Nc5 11.f3 Qc7 12.Kb1.

  1. 2.Nf3 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 2.Nf3 in 212 games, scoring 76%.
  2. 2…d6 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 2…d6. At top level, this comes up about 36% of the time.
  3. 3.d4 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 3.d4 in 54 games, scoring 81%.
  4. 3…cxd4 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 3…cxd4. At top level, this comes up about 36% of the time.
  5. 4.Nxd4 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 4.Nxd4 in 53 games, scoring 80%.
  6. 4…Nf6 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 4…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 35% of the time.
  7. 5.Nc3 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 5.Nc3 in 50 games, scoring 79%.
  8. 5…a6 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 5…a6. At top level, this comes up about 28% of the time.
  9. 6.Bg5 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 6.Bg5 in 12 games, scoring 79%.
  10. 6…Nbd7 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 6…Nbd7. At top level, this comes up about 16% of the time.
  11. 7.Bc4 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 7.Bc4 in 7 games, scoring 71%.
  12. 7…Qb6 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 7…Qb6. At top level, this comes up about 14% of the time.
  13. 8.Bb3 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 8.Bb3 in 6 games, scoring 67%.
  14. 8…e6 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 8…e6.
  15. 9.Qd2 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 9.Qd2 in 5 games, scoring 80%.
  16. 9…Be7 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 9…Be7.
  17. 10.O-O-O Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 10.O-O-O in 5 games, scoring 80%.
  18. 10…Nc5 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 10…Nc5.
  19. 11.f3 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 11.f3 in 3 games, scoring 100%.
  20. 11…Qc7 Reply · Alireza Firouzja's games A common reply here is 11…Qc7.
  21. 12.Kb1 Your move · Alireza Firouzja's games Alireza Firouzja played 12.Kb1 in 3 games, scoring 100%.

Questions about this course

How does Alireza Firouzja play against the Sicilian?
After 1.e4 c5, Alireza Firouzja's most common line is 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Bb3 e6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.O-O-O Nc5 11.f3 Qc7 12.Kb1. At top level it comes up about 14% of the time.
Is this Alireza Firouzja's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Alireza Firouzja's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Sicilian course based on?
227 of Alireza Firouzja's Chess.com blitz games in the Sicilian Defense as White, against opponents with an average rating of 3,038. Alireza Firouzja scored 76% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
8 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 Alireza Firouzja?
GM Alireza Firouzja was ranked number 11 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,284 when this course was built.