Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nh3
The Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B20, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nh3. 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 112 times by this move order. White won 41%, 2% were drawn and Black won 57%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nc6 (40% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.40 (Stockfish, depth 36; best line 2… Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2)
- ECO
- B20
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4P3/7N/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 1 2- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nh3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 87 | |
| 1500-1999 | 21 | |
| 2000+ | 4 | |
| All | 112 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… Nc6 | 45 (40%) | |
| 2… d6 | 28 (25%) | |
| 2… e6 | 10 (9%) | |
| 2… g6 | 7 (6%) | |
| 2… d5 | 5 (4%) | |
| 2… e5 | 4 (4%) | |
| 2… f6 | 3 (3%) | |
| 2… b6 | 2 (2%) |
Master games
29 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 48%, draw 7%, Black 45%). The strongest:
- GM Arturs Neiksans (2557) – GM Igor Kovalenko (2645) 1/2-1/2 · Kovalenko-Neiksans Blitz · 2020-06-14
- FM Alain Prieto Aranguren (2268) – GM Hrair Simonian (2431) 0-1 · Titled Tue 14th Feb Late · 2023-02-14
- Mike J Surtees (2096) – GM Daniel Alsina Leal (2472) 1-0 · 32nd British Rapid 2018 · 2018-11-24
- FM Jonathan Pein (2276) – FM Artur Dilmukhametov (2276) 1-0 · Titled Tue 22nd Aug Early · 2023-08-22
- Mike J Surtees (2086) – GM Peter K Wells (2433) 0-1 · 41st Blackpool Conference · 2017-03-11
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- zlatnakisa33 (2388) – kroupy (2380) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- alexa0112358 (2420) – roma-armavir (2300) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Dominko123 (1989) – andreastico (2055) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) 1. e4 c5
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack 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
- Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation, Nemeth Gambit 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.