Learn the Rossolimo & Moscow

B30-B31, B51-B52 · a repertoire for white · 6 chapters · 29 annotated lines

"Meet the Sicilian with an early Bb5 and sidestep a lifetime of Open Sicilian theory."

The Rossolimo (3.Bb5 vs 2...Nc6) and the Moscow (3.Bb5+ vs 2...d6) are the modern club and elite antidote to the Sicilian: instead of memorizing endless Najdorf and Dragon theory, you develop a bishop, trade it for a knight, and play a rich middlegame where you understand the plans and your opponent doesn't. Carlsen, Nakamura and Caruana all lean on these lines precisely because they steer the game onto strategic rails — doubled c-pawns to target, a healthier structure, dark squares to occupy — while keeping the theoretical burden tiny. This course gives you one consistent, engine-checked repertoire against every Sicilian move order, with every plan explained so you know what you are doing on move 20, not just move 6.

What's inside

• Chapter 1: The Rossolimo Main Line — 3...g6
  Lines: The Doubled-Pawn Tabiya & the Bh6 Trade, The King's-Indian Setup with ...Nd7, The ...bxc6 Recapture — e5 and the Knight Chase
• Chapter 2: The Doubled c-pawns — 3...e6 and 3...d6
  Lines: 3...e6 — The Nbd2-c4 Squeeze, 3...d6 — Bxc6+ and the Same Machine, The Developed ...d5 Break — e5 and the Light-Square Bind, 3...e6 with ...dxc6 — The h4-h5 Knight Hunt
• Chapter 3: 3...Nf6 and Quiet Tries
  Lines: 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 Nd4 — The 5.e5 Push, 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 — The Closed Set-up, 4...g6 — Transposing, and the ...c4 Strike, 4...Nd4 5.e5 Ng4 — Winning a Pawn by Force
• Chapter 4: The Moscow Variation — 3...Bd7
  Lines: 3.Bb5+ Bd7 — The c3/d4 Centre, 3...Bd7 — Black Fianchettoes, 3...Bd7 with ...e5 — Boleslavsky Without the Bishop
• Chapter 5: The Moscow Sidelines — 3...Nd7 & 3...Nc6
  Lines: 3...Nd7 — 4.d4 and the Maroczy Bind, 3...Nc6 — Transposing to the Rossolimo, 3...Nd7 — 5...Nf6 and the Bc4 Retreat
• Chapter 6: Rossolimo Rare Third Moves — 3...e5, 3...a6, 3...Nd4 & 3...Qb6
  Lines: 3...a6 — Take, Restrain, then b4!, 3...e5 — The Doubled-Pawn Clamp with Nc4, 3...Nd4 — Trade, c3, and the d5 Wedge, 3...Qb6 — Punishing the Early Queen

Free sample: the main line, move by move

• 1. e4 — The king's pawn opening — you invite the Sicilian precisely so you can meet it your way.
• 1... c5 — The Sicilian: Black fights for the centre without symmetry.
• 2. Nf3 — Natural development, and the move that makes the whole system tick — it prepares Bb5 next.
• 2... Nc6 — Black develops the queenside knight, the invitation to the Rossolimo proper.
• 3. Bb5 — The Rossolimo. Instead of 3.d4 and a theoretical Open Sicilian, you pin nothing but eye an exchange on c6 that damages Black's structure.
• 3... g6 — Black heads for a Dragon-style fianchetto, putting the bishop on the long diagonal.
• 4. Bxc6 — The critical decision — you trade the bishop for the knight now, before Black can castle and untangle.
• 4... dxc6 — The main recapture: Black opens the d-file and the queen's diagonal, accepting doubled c-pawns for the bishop pair.
• 5. d3 — A modest but important move: it locks the centre, gives the c1-bishop a route to e3, and takes the sting out of Black's fianchettoed bishop.
• 5... Bg7 — Black completes the fianchetto; the bishop glares down the long diagonal at your queenside.
• 6. h3 — Prophylaxis. You rule out ...Bg4 and ...Ng4 forever and make luft for the king before castling.
• 6... Nf6 — Black develops and eyes the e4 pawn, which you defend next.
• 7. Nc3 — Developing and defending e4. The knight heads for the classic d5/e2 manoeuvres later.
• 7... O-O — Black tucks the king away.
• 8. Be3 — The bishop takes aim at c5 and prepares the key idea: Qd2 followed by Bh6.
• 8... b6 — Black shores up c5 and prepares to develop the light-squared bishop to b7 or a6.
• 9. Qd2 — Connecting the plan: the queen supports Be3 and prepares Bh6 to swap off Black's powerful dark-squared bishop.
• 9... e5 — Black grabs central space and restrains your d3-d4 break, but the move slightly loosens the dark squares around the king.
• 10. O-O — You castle, in no hurry — the structure is stable and your plan is on the queenside and the dark squares.
• 10... Qe7 — Black connects the rooks and overprotects e5.
• 11. Bh6 — The point. You offer the trade of dark-squared bishops; whichever way Black plays it, Black's best defender of the weakened dark squares disappears.
• 11... Bb7 — Black develops the last piece and lets you take, keeping the tension elsewhere.
• 12. Bxg7 — Removing the fianchetto bishop.
• 12... Kxg7 — Black recaptures with the king; the dark squares f6, h6 and g5 are now permanently tender.
• 13. Nh2 — Rerouting toward g4, where the knight hits f6 and e5 and probes the soft dark squares. White's structure is superior and the plan runs itself.

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