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Sicilian Defense · As White · updated October 2026

Play against the Sicilian like Sergei Zhigalko

A repertoire against the Sicilian built from 324 of Sergei Zhigalko's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Sergei Zhigalko chose most often. Where Sergei Zhigalko 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 Sergei Zhigalko or Chess.com.

  • Sergei Zhigalko was #44 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,204) and scored 72% against opponents averaging 2,837 in these games.
  • You play Sergei Zhigalko'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

#44

Chess.com

Rating

3,204

Games

324

in this opening

Score

72%

in these games

Opponents

2,837

average rating

More about Sergei Zhigalko

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 17 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Bg5 e6 9.O-O-O Be7 10.Rhe1

  2. Line 2 · 8% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.O-O-O Be7 10.Rhe1 O-O 11.Kb1

  3. Line 3 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 d5 7.exd6

  4. Line 4 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.Qd3

  5. Line 5 · 6% at top level

    2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 c4 7.Bc2

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

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

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.e5 d4 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.O-O Nge7 7.Re1 Ng6 8.g3

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 a6 3.c3

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 g6 3.c3

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 a6 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.c4 e5 8.Qd3 Ne7 9.O-O Ng6 10.Nc3

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

Sergei Zhigalko's main line against the Sicilian, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Bg5 e6 9.O-O-O Be7 10.Rhe1.

  1. 2.Nf3 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 2.Nf3 in 245 games, scoring 72%.
  2. 2…d6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 2…d6. At top level, this comes up about 46% of the time.
  3. 3.d4 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 3.d4 in 104 games, scoring 70%.
  4. 3…cxd4 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 3…cxd4. At top level, this comes up about 45% of the time.
  5. 4.Qxd4 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 4.Qxd4 in 101 games, scoring 70%.
  6. 4…Nf6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 4…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 14% of the time.
  7. 5.Nc3 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 5.Nc3 in 31 games, scoring 71%.
  8. 5…Nc6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 5…Nc6. At top level, this comes up about 10% of the time.
  9. 6.Bb5 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 6.Bb5 in 23 games, scoring 63%.
  10. 6…Bd7 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 6…Bd7. At top level, this comes up about 10% of the time.
  11. 7.Bxc6 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 7.Bxc6 in 22 games, scoring 61%.
  12. 7…Bxc6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 7…Bxc6.
  13. 8.Bg5 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 8.Bg5 in 23 games, scoring 83%.
  14. 8…e6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 8…e6. At top level, this comes up about 8% of the time.
  15. 9.O-O-O Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 9.O-O-O in 21 games, scoring 81%.
  16. 9…Be7 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 9…Be7.
  17. 10.Rhe1 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 10.Rhe1 in 20 games, scoring 80%.

Questions about this course

How does Sergei Zhigalko play against the Sicilian?
After 1.e4 c5, Sergei Zhigalko's most common line is 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Bg5 e6 9.O-O-O Be7 10.Rhe1. At top level it comes up about 8% of the time.
Is this Sergei Zhigalko's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Sergei Zhigalko's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Sicilian course based on?
324 of Sergei Zhigalko's Chess.com blitz games in the Sicilian Defense as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,837. Sergei Zhigalko scored 72% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
11 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 Sergei Zhigalko?
GM Sergei Zhigalko was ranked number 44 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,204 when this course was built.