Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5
The Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B30, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2,749 times by this move order. White won 47%, 5% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 4. Bc4 (42% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.33 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 4. Bc4 d6 5. d3 Be7 6. Nd2 Nf6)
- ECO
- B30
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/2n5/2p1p3/4P3/2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,057 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,300 | |
| 2000+ | 392 | |
| All | 2,749 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Bc4 | 1,158 (42%) | |
| 4. Bb5 | 738 (27%) | |
| 4. d3 | 380 (14%) | |
| 4. d4 | 128 (5%) | |
| 4. Nd5 | 100 (4%) | |
| 4. a3 | 62 (2%) | |
| 4. Be2 | 59 (2%) | |
| 4. g3 | 42 (2%) |
Master games
932 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 24%, Black 32%). The strongest:
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2775) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2875) 0-1 · Croatia GCT 2019 · 2019-07-03
- GM Alexander Grischuk (2777) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) 1/2-1/2 · Opera Euro Rapid Prelim · 2021-02-07
- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2779) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2842) 1/2-1/2 · 6th Sinquefield Cup 2018 · 2018-08-18
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2859) – GM Gukesh D (2725) 1-0 · chess.com SpeedChess 2022 · 2022-12-06
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2728) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2792) 1/2-1/2 · Saint Louis Blitz 2026 · 2026-08-05
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Kruciatos (2699) – IM nickVet (2727) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- johnsam1 (2735) – Cuentatorneos (2661) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- uczen-369 (2601) – parispap (2645) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 B30 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 d6
- Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with Nf6 B30 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 Nf6
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.