Sicilian Defense (3. d4 cxd4)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4
The Sicilian Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B50, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4. White is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 85,121 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 4. Nxd4 (89% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.19 (Stockfish, depth 56; best line 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5)
- ECO
- B50
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/3p4/8/3pP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 9,380 | |
| 1500-1999 | 46,117 | |
| 2000+ | 29,624 | |
| All | 85,121 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Nxd4 | 75,608 (89%) | |
| 4. Qxd4 Chekhover Variation | 5,754 (7%) | |
| 4. c3 Modern Variations, Tartakower | 2,520 (3%) | |
| 4. Bc4 | 711 (1%) | |
| 4. Bb5+ | 227 (0%) | |
| 4. Ng5 | 200 (0%) | |
| 4. e5 | 21 (0%) | |
| 4. Bd3 | 20 (0%) |
Master games
1,926 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 14%, Black 42%). The strongest:
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2795) – GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2667) 1-0 · 2nd 3-0 Thu 1st Jan 2026 · 2026-01-01
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2793) – GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2646) 0-1 · 2nd 3-0 Thu 23rd Apr 2026 · 2026-04-23
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2831) – GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2607) 1-0 · Titled Tue 22nd Oct Early · 2024-10-22
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2831) – GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2607) 1-0 · Titled Tue 15th Oct Late · 2024-10-15
- GM So, W. (2770) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2627) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-08
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Kostik_Mostik (2890) – Nana_jede_cevape (2910) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM cutemouse83 (2908) – IM AngelitoRT (2883) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2867) – barteljaap-jan (2910) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (2… d6 3. d4) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation B53 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Tartakower B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3
- Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Accelerated Dragon B54 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line B54 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- 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
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.