Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Central Exchange
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4
The Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Central Exchange is a chess opening classified as ECO B22, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 479 times by this move order. White won 58%, 6% were drawn and Black won 36%. The most popular continuation is 7. Be2 (53% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.24 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 7. Nc3 Bxf3 8. gxf3 Qxd4 9. Qxd4 Nxd4)
- ECO
- B22
- Moves
- 12 plies
- FEN
r3kbnr/pp2pppp/2n5/3q4/3P2b1/5N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 3 7- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 16 | |
| 1500-1999 | 293 | |
| 2000+ | 170 | |
| All | 479 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7. Be2 | 252 (53%) | |
| 7. Nc3 | 204 (43%) | |
| 7. Be3 | 22 (5%) | |
| 7. Nbd2 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
178 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 57%, draw 15%, Black 28%). The strongest:
- GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2532) – GM Vladimir Zakhartsov (2525) 0-1 · chess.com SpeedChess Q2Sw · 2023-08-23
- GM Gregory Kaidanov (2587) – FM Alan Pichot (2300) 1-0 · 7th Americas Continental 2012 · 2012-10-15
- IM Leonid Nozdrachev (2354) – IM Arsen Kukhmazov (2458) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 11th May · 2021-05-11
- IM Pablo Glavina (2387) – IM Jonathan Alonso Moyano (2406) 1-0 · TCh-ESP Div 1 2015 · 2015-08-08
- FM Jorge Alberto Ramirez Garcia (2287) – IM Lazaro Lorenzo De La Riva (2421) 0-1 · Sant Boi Closed 2014 · 2014-06-13
Highest-rated Lichess games
- OliviaRodrigoFanboy (2587) – AaronGT24 (2419) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Arrroww (2463) – naukarus (2401) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 300 + 0s
- cklovne (2422) – elregresodelaestaka (2422) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 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, Endgame Variation B22 · 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Nc3 Bxf3 8. gxf3 Qxd4 9. Qxd4 Nxd4
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.