Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation (5… Nc6 6. Be2)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2
The Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B58, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 431 times by this move order. White won 48%, 7% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 6… e5 (37% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.18 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 6… e5 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. O-O Be7 9. f4)
- ECO
- B58
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pp2pppp/2np1n2/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 4 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 6 | |
| 1500-1999 | 148 | |
| 2000+ | 277 | |
| All | 431 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… e5 Boleslavsky Variation (6. Be2 e5) | 161 (37%) | |
| 6… g6 | 155 (36%) | |
| 6… e6 | 66 (15%) | |
| 6… a6 | 22 (5%) | |
| 6… Bd7 | 11 (3%) | |
| 6… Nxd4 | 10 (2%) | |
| 6… Qb6 | 3 (1%) | |
| 6… h6 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
801 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 32%, draw 21%, Black 47%). The strongest:
- GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2704) – GM Daniil Dubov (2720) 1/2-1/2 · Levitov Chess 50k 2022 · 2022-02-21
- GM Vladimir Kramnik (2753) – GM Etienne Bacrot (2662) 1-0 · Titled Tue 18th Jul Early · 2023-07-18
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2729) – GM Ahmed Adly (2637) 1-0 · World Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-29
- GM Gukesh D (2754) – GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra (2598) 1/2-1/2 · World Rapid 2025 · 2025-12-28
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2712) – GM Daniil Dubov (2629) 1-0 · Nutcracker Rapid 2014 · 2014-12-25
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM liczner (2708) – Fide_MaSk (2707) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- IM liczner (2722) – secret_mikalsen (2658) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Kasparov_Aram (2668) – IM PVKMSSSSR3991 (2686) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation (5. Nc3 Nc6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Boleslavsky Variation (6. Be2 e5) B58 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 e5
- Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, Dragon Transfer B58 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 g6
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.