Sicilian vs the Anti-Sicilians — defence for Black

Most 1.e4 players avoid the Open Sicilian. Here is a calm, reliable answer to every popular sideline after 1...c5. 8 lines for Black: Alapin 2...d5, Alapin 2...Nf6, Closed Sicilian, Grand Prix with Bb5, Rossolimo with ...e6, Moscow 3.Bb5+, Smith-Morra accepted, King's Indian Attack set-up.

Popularity rank #2 of 64 · Free defence · against 1.e4 c5 sidelines

Most sidelines leave Black with the c5 pawn against White's e4, so d4 is the square both sides fight over. In the Alapin you often reach an isolated d-pawn for one side; in the closed lines the centre stays locked and play moves to the wings.

Watch out: Sidelines are designed to catch you on autopilot. Name the system White is using before you make your fourth move.

Endgame
0 1200 Upgrade
New · Pocket BoardsTiny boards. Real mates.4×4 to 6×6 puzzles and The Climb: endless steps, a chest every 25. Endgame Kids · ages 6–12Chess for kids30 short lessons, big boards, friendly hints. No chat.

See the line. Feel the snap.

Play. Get graded.
Drill the move you missed until you don't miss it.

Endgame is a chess training game. Climb a puzzle path world by world, replay the 60 games every strong player knows, spar with bots on the clock, and let the engine turn your blunders into tomorrow's drills.

No sign-up. Your progress is saved on this device.

♚New shelfChampion's Top 10Ten landmark games, from age 13 to world-title clinchers. First three free — replay or guess his moves.→

Sparring partners

Play a bot →

Openings & defences

All of Learn →

64 Stockfish-checked traps in three style packs. Spring each one, then learn to dodge it.

The Path

Five worlds from 0 to 2000+. Short levels of hand-picked puzzles, 1–3 stars, XP, a daily streak and a boss at the end of every world.

60 Classics

The Immortal, the Opera Game, Deep Blue, Kasparov's Immortal and ten landmarks from the modern world champion. Replay with an eval bar or play the winner's moves and get scored.

Rated tactics

Thousands of real positions from the open Lichess database, served at your level, filtered by motif. Plus a daily puzzle.

Bots on the clock

Eight sparring partners with their own personalities, from "hangs everything" to full-strength engine. Bullet to rapid, or pass-and-play with a friend.

Game review

Every move gets a label — from Brilliant and Only move down to Blunder — plus accuracy for both sides, an estimated game rating and the key moments. Your own mistakes land in a drill queue. Import from Lichess or Chess.com.

Learn

Coach-inspired training paths by rating band, an opening repertoire trainer, a trap lab and board-vision speed drills.

A chess trainer that remembers what you missed

Most games between club players are decided by a short tactic — a fork you didn't see, a pin you walked into, a back rank you forgot to air out. Endgame closes the loop: learn the pattern on the Path, use it against a bot, get graded, and drill the miss until it sticks.

Want to read up first? Short guides: forks, pins, back-rank mates.