The Sicilian Wing Gambit for White – the whole course to read – Learning studio

Starting position after 1.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.a3

The Wing Gambit strikes against the Sicilian before Black can settle: after 2.b4 cxb4 White deflects the c-pawn from the centre, and in the Marshall Variation 3.a3 offers a second pawn at once. If Black takes it too, White gets open lines and fast development; if he declines, White usually wins the pawn back with axb4 and builds a broad centre with c3 and d4. Stockfish sees Black slightly ahead in all the main lines, by a quarter to a third of a pawn – so the gambit is no refutation of the Sicilian but a surprise weapon for players who would rather attack than learn theory. The course is small: only 147 games reach the starting position, so the lines are short. Black's main roads are 3...d5 with the early queen sortie, 3...bxa3 (the gambit accepted), 3...e6 and 3...e5.

The ideas

White trades the b-pawn for time: the c-pawn leaves the centre, and d4 comes without resistance.
Against the early queen after 3...d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 White gains tempi with Nf3 and later c3.
With axb4 White wins the pawn back, and the bishop on b4 is driven away by c3.
After the gambit accepted the knight stands actively on a3; White plays d4 and develops quickly.

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Chapter 1: 3…d5

Line 1: 3…d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 e5 6.axb4 Bxb4 7.c3 e4 8.cxb4 exf3 9.Qxf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Ne7 11.b5 O-O 12.Bg2 Nd7 13.Nc3 Rd8 14.O-O Ne5 15.b6

3…d5: The most common counter: Black strikes at the centre at once. Stockfish rates 3...d5 (-0.34) as the best reply, just ahead of 3...e5 (-0.31) and 3...Nf6 (-0.3) – all three give Black a small edge.
4.exd5: You take. Stockfish is quite sure here: 4.exd5 (-0.33) is clearly better than 4.e5 (-0.65), which after 4...Nc6 5.axb4 Nxe5 costs a pawn without gaining time.
4…Qxd5: Almost always Black recaptures with the queen. She is central, but becomes a target for your development.
5.Nf3: Develop before you worry about the pawn. Stockfish prefers 5.Nf3 (-0.21) to the immediate 5.d4 (-0.35): after 5.d4 e5 the centre opens, and after the queen exchange White has nothing for the pawn.
5…e5: Black builds a centre and covers b4 indirectly. Stockfish would have preferred 5...e6 slightly – 5...e5 gives away 0.13 pawns and loosens d5.
6.axb4: Now you win the pawn back. Stockfish rates 6.axb4 at -0.14, just ahead of 6.Bb2 (-0.19): with the pawn on b4 you open the a-file for your rook.
6…Bxb4: Black recaptures with the bishop and keeps an eye on the extra pawn – but the bishop on b4 is unprotected.
7.c3: You chase the bishop with tempo. Stockfish sees 7.c3 (-0.1) clearly ahead of 7.Na3 (-0.39); its line shows 7...e4 8.cxb4 exf3 9.Qxf3 with a queen exchange and level play.
7…e4: Here the games of the collection end – from now on Stockfish plays on alone for both sides, up to White's 15th move. Black attacks the knight on f3 at once with 7...e4.
8.cxb4: You take the bishop. Stockfish chooses 8.cxb4 (-0.1) clearly ahead of 8.Qa4 (-0.34).
8…exf3: Black takes the knight on f3 – in return the pawn falls, and the queens come off.
9.Qxf3: Watch out: recapture with the queen! 9.Qxf3 (-0.14) against 9.gxf3 (-1.0) – after the pawn move your king is open and Black's queen stays active.
9…Qxf3: Black trades queens – in the endgame your bishop pair and the open files for the rooks count.
10.gxf3: Only this move: 10.gxf3 (-0.25) – everything else loses. An endgame without queens arises.
10…Ne7: The knight goes to e7 and on to g6 or c6 – Black covers d5.
11.b5: The b-pawn gains space on the queenside. Stockfish chooses 11.b5 (-0.1) ahead of 11.Bb2 (-0.24).
11…O-O: Black castles – his king is safe in the endgame, but you have active pieces.
12.Bg2: The bishop goes to g2 onto the long diagonal – it presses on b7 and d5.
12…Nd7: The knight goes to d7 and on to e5 – it stands strongly there.
13.Nc3: The knight comes to c3 and covers e4 and d5.
13…Rd8: The rook goes to d8 onto the open d-file against d2.
14.O-O: You castle short – your king is safe, and the rook on f1 can go to the half-open files on the queenside.
14…Ne5: The knight reaches e5 and attacks f3 – a level endgame. Stockfish: level (-0.05).
15.b6: The line ends with White's 15th move. Stockfish sees the position as almost level (-0.08): White has space on the queenside with the pawn on b6, Black the better pawns on the kingside.

Chapter 2: 3…bxa3

Line 2: 3…bxa3 4.Nxa3 d6 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bd3 e5 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.O-O Be7 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 O-O 11.d5 a6 12.Be3 Nbd7 13.Nc4 g6 14.Rfb1 Qc7 15.g3

3…bxa3: Black takes the second pawn too – the Carlsbad Variation. Stockfish does not find it wrong, but 3...d5 slightly more accurate.
4.Nxa3: The knight enters with tempo and eyes b5. Stockfish sees 4.d4 (-0.27) and 4.Nxa3 (-0.28) practically level – the players usually recapture at once.
4…d6: Black secures e5 and prepares his development.
5.d4: The broad centre is your compensation for the two pawns. There are hardly any games here; Stockfish chooses 5.d4 (-0.32) over 5.g3 (-0.46) and plans Bd3, Ne2 and short castling.
5…Nf6: Here the games of the collection end – from now on Stockfish plays on alone for both sides, up to White's 15th move. Black develops; for the pawn you have time and open lines on the queenside.
6.Bd3: Stockfish chooses 6.Bd3 (-0.18) clearly ahead of 6.Bb5 (-0.54).
6…e5: 6...e5 builds a centre and takes d4 from your knight.
7.Nf3: The knight goes to f3 and attacks e5 – you keep developing.
7…Bg4: The bishop pins your knight on f3, which covers d4.
8.O-O: You castle short – your king is safe, and the rook on f1 can go to the half-open files on the queenside.
8…Be7: The bishop goes to e7 and prepares castling.
9.h3: 9.h3 asks the bishop on g4 whether it trades – then you have the bishop pair.
9…Bxf3: Black trades on f3 and gives you the bishop pair.
10.Qxf3: Recapture with the queen: 10.Qxf3 (-0.06) – 10.Bb5 (-0.54) gives away almost half a pawn. White now has the bishop pair.
10…O-O: Black castles and brings the king to safety.
11.d5: 11.d5 gains space and takes c6 from the knight on b8.
11…a6: 11...a6 prevents knight to b5 and prepares b5.
12.Be3: The bishop goes to e3 and covers c5 and d4.
12…Nbd7: The knight goes to d7 and on to c5.
13.Nc4: The knight jumps to c4 and eyes b6 and d6 – the square is your outpost.
13…g6: 13...g6 gives the king air and prepares f5.
14.Rfb1: The rook goes to b1 onto the half-open b-file against b7.
14…Qc7: The queen goes to c7 and covers b7 – Black stands slightly better. Stockfish: level (-0.20).
15.g3: The line ends with White's 15th move. Black has the extra pawn, White the bishop pair and pressure on the b-file – Stockfish sees Black only slightly ahead (-0.22).

Chapter 3: 3…e6

Line 3: 3…e6 4.axb4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 6.d4 d6 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.f4 e5 9.Ne2 Bh4 10.Ng3 Nf6 11.d5 exf4 12.dxc6 fxg3 13.Qf3 Bg4 14.Qf4 gxh2 15.g3

3…e6: Black stays calm and wants to develop the bishop to b4.
4.axb4: You take the pawn back. Stockfish would slightly prefer 4.d4 (-0.2) to 4.axb4 (-0.33); the course follows the players, who almost always recapture – the difference is within the tolerance.
4…Bxb4: The bishop stands actively, but it is about to be attacked.
5.c3: A tempo against the bishop and preparation of d4. Stockfish chooses 5.c3 (-0.33) over 5.Nf3 (-0.41).
5…Be7: The bishop retreats; Black wants to stand firm with d6 and Nc6.
6.d4: The centre is yours. Stockfish rates 6.d4 at -0.21, clearly ahead of 6.Nf3 (-0.35); its line 6...d6 7.Bd3 7...Nc6 8.f4 shows the plan: space on the kingside.
6…d6: Black keeps e5 under control and waits.
7.Bd3: A move of Stockfish's, no game reached it: 7.Bd3 (-0.25) just ahead of 7.f4 (-0.29). The bishop aims at the kingside; f4 and e5 follow.
7…Nc6: Here the games of the collection end – from now on Stockfish plays on alone for both sides, up to White's 15th move. Black brings out the knight and prepares d5 or e5.
8.f4: White secures e5 with the f-pawn. Stockfish chooses 8.f4 (-0.22) ahead of 8.Ne2 (-0.34).
8…e5: 8...e5 attacks the centre.
9.Ne2: The knight goes to e2 and on to g3.
9…Bh4: The bishop gives check on h4 and weakens your kingside.
10.Ng3: The knight interposes on g3.
10…Nf6: The knight goes to f6 and attacks e4.
11.d5: 11.d5 attacks the knight on c6 and gains space.
11…exf4: Black takes on f4 and attacks the knight on g3.
12.dxc6: Now it gets sharp – every move counts here. 12.dxc6 (-0.18) is the only one: 12.Bxf4 (-2.41) loses.
12…fxg3: Black takes the knight on g3 – the position gets sharp.
13.Qf3: Again only one move: 13.Qf3 (-0.15), while 13.h3 (-4.27) loses.
13…Bg4: The bishop attacks your queen on f3.
14.Qf4: The queen steps aside to f4: 14.Qf4 (-0.12) – 14.Qe3 (-1.44) would be a serious mistake.
14…gxh2: Black takes h2 – you have play against the king, but less material. Stockfish: level (-0.14).
15.g3: The line ends with White's 15th move. 15.g3 (-0.14) attacks the bishop on h4, 15.Kf1 (-7.78) loses at once. Despite the chaos Stockfish sees the position as almost level – a line you must know exactly.

Chapter 4: 3…e5

Line 4: 3…e5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.Qe2 Be7 7.axb4 Bxb4 8.c3 Be7 9.d4 d6 10.O-O O-O 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.h3 Bd7 13.Ba3 Rfc8 14.Nbd2 Bf8 15.Ba2

3…e5: Black occupies the centre himself and leaves the pawn on b4.
4.Nf3: An attack on e5. Stockfish sees 4.Nf3 and 4.Bb2 (both -0.36) as equal; the knight is the more natural move.
4…Nc6: Black covers e5 and stays solid.
5.Bc4: The bishop aims at f7 – the players' move. Stockfish would slightly prefer 5.Bb2 (-0.35) to 5.Bb5 (-0.47), with Qb6 and Bd3 in its line; 5.Bc4 gives away 0.05 pawns and so stays well within the tolerance.
5…Nf6: Here the games of the collection end – from now on Stockfish plays on alone for both sides, up to White's 15th move. Black attacks e4.
6.Qe2: The queen guards e4. Stockfish chooses 6.Qe2 (-0.45) clearly ahead of 6.d3 (-0.65).
6…Be7: The bishop goes to e7 and prepares castling.
7.axb4: You take on b4 and win the gambit pawn back.
7…Bxb4: Black recaptures with the bishop and attacks a3.
8.c3: With tempo against the bishop: 8.c3 (-0.56) clearly ahead of 8.O-O (-0.89). White builds the centre with d4.
8…Be7: The bishop retreats to e7.
9.d4: 9.d4 builds the centre.
9…d6: 9...d6 supports e5.
10.O-O: The king first. 10.O-O (-0.44) is clearly ahead of 10.d5 (-0.74).
10…O-O: Black castles.
11.Rd1: The rook goes behind the d-pawn. Stockfish chooses 11.Rd1 (-0.41) clearly ahead of 11.h3 (-0.78).
11…Qc7: The queen goes to c7 and eyes c4.
12.h3: 12.h3 takes g4 from the bishop.
12…Bd7: The bishop goes to d7.
13.Ba3: The bishop goes to a3 onto the diagonal against d6 and f8.
13…Rfc8: The rook goes to c8 against your bishop on c4.
14.Nbd2: The knight goes to d2 and covers c4.
14…Bf8: The bishop goes to f8 – Black stands slightly better. Stockfish sees Black slightly ahead (-0.36).
15.Ba2: The line ends with White's 15th move. For the pawn White has the centre with c3 and d4 and the bishop on a3 – Stockfish sees Black slightly ahead (-0.19).