Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3
The Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6 is a chess opening classified as ECO B50, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 17,825 times by this move order. White won 50%, 4% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 3… Nf6 (56% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3… Nf6 4. h3 Nc6 5. Bd3 e5 6. Bc2)
- ECO
- B50
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/3p4/2p5/4P3/2P2N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2,309 | |
| 1500-1999 | 11,100 | |
| 2000+ | 4,416 | |
| All | 17,825 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Nf6 | 9,988 (56%) | |
| 3… Nc6 | 3,392 (19%) | |
| 3… e6 | 1,030 (6%) | |
| 3… e5 | 935 (5%) | |
| 3… g6 | 885 (5%) | |
| 3… a6 | 623 (3%) | |
| 3… Bg4 | 425 (2%) | |
| 3… d5 | 193 (1%) |
Master games
10,167 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 19%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- Stockfish2021061923 (3632) – Igel3.0.5 (3512) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-26
- Igel3.0.5 (3512) – Stockfish2021061923 (3632) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-24
- LCZero0.28.0-rc1_69146 (3614) – ScorpioNN3.0.13 (3483) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-26
- ScorpioNN3.0.13 (3483) – LCZero0.28.0-rc1_69146 (3614) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-24
- AllieSteinv0.8-120f959_PS1.7 (3543) – StoofvleesII a18 (3532) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-26
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6 and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IThoughtItWasCheck (2579) – winx_m (2937) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Superstitions_Guy (2823) – satlan (2678) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- FM Guary1 (2879) – ruguokeyi (2601) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Gambit B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 Nxe4
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.