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Sicilian Defense · As White · updated October 2026

Play against the Sicilian like Hans Niemann

A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 343 of Hans Niemann's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Hans Niemann chose most often. Where Hans Niemann 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 Hans Niemann or Chess.com.

  • Hans Niemann was #18 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,260) and scored 72% against opponents averaging 2,989 in these games.
  • You play Hans Niemann's own move in 40 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#18

Chess.com

Rating

3,260

Games

343

in this opening

Score

72%

in these games

Opponents

2,989

average rating

More about Hans Niemann

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 · 10% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 7.Bf1 b5 8.a4

  2. Line 2 · 7% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Ne4 f5 6.Nc3 Nb4 7.g3 N4c6 8.Bg2 Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Nb5

  3. Line 3 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.d4

  4. Line 4 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 Nc6 4.Bb2

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.O-O Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 7.c4

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 a6 4.Bb2

  7. Line 7 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3

  8. Line 8 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 b6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 7.Bf1 Be7 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6

  12. Line 12 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 g6 3.c3

  13. Line 13 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O Nd4 5.Nxd4 cxd4 6.c3 a6 7.Bd3 Bc5 8.b4

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

Hans Niemann'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.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 7.Bf1 b5 8.a4.

  1. 2.Nf3 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 2.Nf3 in 336 games, scoring 72%.
  2. 2…d6 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 2…d6. At top level, this comes up about 46% of the time.
  3. 3.Bb5+ Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 3.Bb5+ in 86 games, scoring 65%.
  4. 3…Nd7 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 3…Nd7. At top level, this comes up about 26% of the time.
  5. 4.O-O Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 4.O-O in 33 games, scoring 68%.
  6. 4…a6 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 4…a6. At top level, this comes up about 22% of the time.
  7. 5.Bd3 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 5.Bd3 in 22 games, scoring 66%.
  8. 5…Ngf6 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 5…Ngf6. At top level, this comes up about 21% of the time.
  9. 6.Re1 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 6.Re1 in 21 games, scoring 64%.
  10. 6…e6 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 6…e6. At top level, this comes up about 16% of the time.
  11. 7.Bf1 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 7.Bf1 in 15 games, scoring 60%.
  12. 7…b5 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 7…b5. At top level, this comes up about 10% of the time.
  13. 8.a4 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 8.a4 in 8 games, scoring 44%.

Questions about this course

How does Hans Niemann play against the Sicilian?
After 1.e4 c5, Hans Niemann's most common line is 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 7.Bf1 b5 8.a4. At top level it comes up about 10% of the time.
Is this Hans Niemann's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Hans Niemann's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Sicilian course based on?
343 of Hans Niemann's Chess.com blitz games in the Sicilian Defense as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,989. Hans Niemann 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 Hans Niemann?
GM Hans Niemann was ranked number 18 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,260 when this course was built.