Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation
1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6
The Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B20, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 52 times by this move order. White won 58%, 0% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 3. Bb2 (85% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.24 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 3. Nf3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. Bb2 Nc6)
- ECO
- B20
- Moves
- 4 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/p2ppppp/1p6/2p5/4P3/1P6/P1PP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 10 | |
| 1500-1999 | 19 | |
| 2000+ | 23 | |
| All | 52 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3. Bb2 | 44 (85%) | |
| 3. Be2 | 2 (4%) | |
| 3. g3 | 1 (2%) | |
| 3. Nc3 | 1 (2%) | |
| 3. d3 | 1 (2%) | |
| 3. Na3 | 1 (2%) | |
| 3. a4 | 1 (2%) | |
| 3. Bc4 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
292 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 16%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (2710) – GM Sanan Sjugirov (2712) 1-0 · Crocus City Stars Blitz · 2023-01-30
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2731) – GM Judit Polgar (2685) 1-0 · FIDE World Rapid 2014 · 2014-06-17
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2731) – GM Ivan Cheparinov (2682) 1-0 · FIDE World Blitz 2014 · 2014-06-20
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2731) – GM Yangyi Yu (2675) 1-0 · FIDE World Rapid 2014 · 2014-06-18
- GM Alexander Motylev (2686) – GM Alexander Moiseenko (2707) 1/2-1/2 · 5th Yaroslav the Wise Rapid · 2014-08-27
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM sstrb (2546) – DanT13 (2511) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Maulwurf54 (2464) – siete7729 (2546) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- IM calito1969 (2479) – zbmkbkgbkgmcskcjdovd (2475) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack 1. e4 c5 2. b3
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: 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.