Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3/2...g6/3. d4

White plays 3. d4, the classic Open Sicilian move, to open up the centre while opening lines for their bishop and queen to develop. White is playing to maximise their activity.

This gives White pawns on both d4 and e4 controlling great tracts in the middle of the board, so the main move is 3...cxd4 to break up White's powerful two-pawn centre, and after White recaptures, Black will have a central pawn majority and use of the half-open c-file. White can then retake the pawn with either 4. Nxd4, the conventional Open Sicilian move, or 4. Qxd4, which is an effective sideline against the Hyperaccelerated Dragon.

3...Bg7!? is a sideline for Black, which transposes into the Pterodactyl defence (usually reached by an early ...c5 in the Modern defence). 4. dxc5 Qa4+ lets Black recover the pawn.

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4

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• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.