Sicilian Defense (1… c5 2. Nf3)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
The Sicilian Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B27, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3. Black is to move. 13 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 632,068 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nc6 (45% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.20 (Stockfish, depth 58; best line 2… Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Bxc6)
- ECO
- B27
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 1 2- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 133,967 | |
| 1500-1999 | 357,129 | |
| 2000+ | 140,972 | |
| All | 632,068 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… Nc6 Old Sicilian | 282,652 (45%) | |
| 2… d6 Modern Variations | 175,881 (28%) | |
| 2… e6 French Variation | 112,202 (18%) | |
| 2… g6 Hyperaccelerated Dragon (2. Nf3 g6) | 30,367 (5%) | |
| 2… a6 O'Kelly Variation | 15,970 (3%) | |
| 2… Nf6 Nimzowitsch Variation | 5,566 (1%) | |
| 2… d5 | 3,134 (0%) | |
| 2… b6 Katalimov Variation | 2,289 (0%) |
Master games
257 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 52%, draw 17%, Black 31%). The strongest:
- GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (2701) – GM Anton Korobov (2690) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-ESP Rapid 2021 · 2021-10-09
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2612) – GM Hans Moke Niemann (2725) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 · 2026-02-03
- GM David Paravyan (2620) – GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2686) 1/2-1/2 · Chess.com RCC Wk20 Swiss · 2022-07-09
- GM Yangyi Yu (2721) – GM Rodrigo Vasquez Schroeder (2470) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com SpeedChess Q1Sw · 2023-08-21
- GM Aleksei Pridorozhni (2571) – GM Dmitry Kokarev (2616) 1/2-1/2 · Vladimir Dvorkovich Rapid · 2018-01-14
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Nana_jede_cevape (2880) – GM gmbrewchess (2990) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Nana_jede_cevape (2891) – GM gmbrewchess (2975) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2901) – GM Dr_Tiger (2955) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) 1. e4 c5
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Brussels Gambit B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 f5
- Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 h6
- Sicilian Defense: French Variation B40 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
- Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (2. Nf3 g6) B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6
- Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e5
- Sicilian Defense: Katalimov Variation B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 b6
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
- Sicilian Defense: Mongoose Variation B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Qa5
- Sicilian Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation B29 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
- Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian B30 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
- Sicilian Defense: Polish Gambit B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 b5
- Sicilian Defense: Quinteros Variation B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Qc7
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
- Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.