Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense (4… Nc6 5. Nf3)
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3
The Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B22, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,140 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 5… Bg4 (55% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.11 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 5… Nf6 6. Be3 Bg4 7. dxc5 e6 8. Qxd5)
- ECO
- B22
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1b1kbnr/pp2pppp/2n5/2pq4/3P4/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 18 | |
| 1500-1999 | 511 | |
| 2000+ | 611 | |
| All | 1,140 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Bg4 | 623 (55%) | |
| 5… Bf5 | 168 (15%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 154 (14%) | |
| 5… cxd4 | 94 (8%) | |
| 5… e5 | 50 (4%) | |
| 5… e6 | 32 (3%) | |
| 5… g6 | 16 (1%) | |
| 5… Qe4+ | 1 (0%) |
Master games
2,970 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 24%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2770) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2789) 0-1 · Magnus Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2021-03-15
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2762) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2721) 0-1 · Saint Louis Blitz 2024 · 2024-08-15
- GM Rauf Mamedov (2645) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2734) 1/2-1/2 · World Rapid 2025 · 2025-12-27
- GM Sergei Zhigalko (2661) – GM Anton Korobov (2715) 1/2-1/2 · Sberbank GM Rapid · 2013-06-07
- GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2650) – GM Nihal Sarin (2723) 0-1 · Titled Tue 26th May 2026 · 2026-05-26
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- SackOnTheKing930 (2739) – Johnizard (2721) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- RoryMcCann (2732) – Johnizard (2660) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- RoryMcCann (2669) – FM Crew12 (2715) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense (3. exd5 Qxd5) 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack B22 · 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2
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.