Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2
The Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack is a chess opening classified as ECO B22, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 3 times by this move order. White won 33%, 0% were drawn and Black won 67%. The most popular continuation is 8… Nge7 (33% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.13 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 8… Nxd4 9. Bd2 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Nxf3+ 11. Bxf3)
- ECO
- B22
- Moves
- 15 plies
- FEN
r1b1k1nr/pp3ppp/2n5/3qp3/1b1P4/2N2N2/PP2BPPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 3 8- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 2 | |
| 2000+ | 1 | |
| All | 3 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8… Nge7 | 1 (33%) | |
| 8… e4 | 1 (33%) | |
| 8… exd4 | 1 (33%) |
Master games
11 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 37%, Black 27%). The strongest:
- FM Dmitry Rozhko (2311) – IM Vadim Moiseenko (2543) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-RUS Rapid 2017 · 2017-10-03
- IM Nikolai Vlassov (2299) – GM Cem Kaan Gokerkan (2512) 0-1 · Titled Tue 18th Jun Late · 2024-06-18
- GM Milosz Szpar (2499) – CM Volodya Torosyan (2115) 1-0 · 1st 3-0 Thu 5th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-05
- IM Kosta Angelov (2206) – FM Malkiel Peretz (2277) 0-1 · 13th European Seniors · 2013-03-15
- FM Giampaolo Buchicchio (2313) – Steven A Jones (2160) 1/2-1/2 · London Classic Open 2015 · 2015-12-06
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM profaVa (2377) – Elgoatoprime (2299) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- kimpop3 (1837) – Exalt_Et_Mat (1863) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- Darijomamic1989 (1696) – Neo_Wu (1721) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense (4… Nc6 5. Nf3) 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3
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.