Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation (5. Nc3 Nc6)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6
The Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B56, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 4,208 times by this move order. White won 47%, 7% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 6. Bg5 (25% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.30 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 6. Bc4 Qb6 7. Nb3 e6 8. Bf4 Ne5)
- ECO
- B56
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pp2pppp/2np1n2/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 202 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,686 | |
| 2000+ | 2,320 | |
| All | 4,208 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Bg5 Richter-Rauzer Variation (5… Nc6 6. Bg5) | 1,034 (25%) | |
| 6. Be3 | 831 (20%) | |
| 6. Bc4 Classical Variation, Sozin Attack | 580 (14%) | |
| 6. Be2 Classical Variation (5… Nc6 6. Be2) | 431 (10%) | |
| 6. Bb5 | 403 (10%) | |
| 6. Nxc6 | 309 (7%) | |
| 6. f3 | 266 (6%) | |
| 6. Nb3 | 92 (2%) |
Master games
3,532 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 35%, draw 18%, Black 47%). The strongest:
- LCZero v0.26.3_T60.66740 (3575) – Stockfish 20201225 (3592) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-09
- Stockfish 20201225 (3592) – LCZero v0.26.3_T60.66740 (3575) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-06
- AllieStein v0.8-120f959_net-15.0 (3536) – LCZero v0.26.2-rc1_J92-100 (3543) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-17
- LCZero v0.26.2-rc1_J92-100 (3543) – AllieStein v0.8-120f959_net-15.0 (3536) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-14
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2855) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2763) 1-0 · Meltwater Tour Final 2021 · 2021-09-27
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Kostik_Mostik (2890) – Nana_jede_cevape (2910) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM cutemouse83 (2908) – IM AngelitoRT (2883) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2867) – barteljaap-jan (2910) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation (5… Nc6 6. Be2) B58 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2
- Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, Fianchetto Variation B56 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. g3
- Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, Sozin Attack B57 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation (5… Nc6 6. Bg5) B60 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5
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.