Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3
The Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 is a chess opening classified as ECO B40, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 15,108 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 3… d5 (37% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.06 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 3… d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Nf6 6. Na3)
- ECO
- B40
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/4p3/2p5/4P3/2P2N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,779 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8,862 | |
| 2000+ | 4,467 | |
| All | 15,108 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… d5 | 5,590 (37%) | |
| 3… Nc6 | 2,966 (20%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 2,852 (19%) | |
| 3… a6 | 2,249 (15%) | |
| 3… d6 | 452 (3%) | |
| 3… Qc7 | 209 (1%) | |
| 3… b6 | 183 (1%) | |
| 3… Ne7 | 169 (1%) |
Master games
11,448 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 42%, draw 21%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- Houdini 6.03 (3854) – Stoofvlees II a14 (3846) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-04-05
- Stoofvlees II a14 (3846) – Houdini 6.03 (3854) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-04-02
- LCZero 0.29-dev+_781561 (3586) – ScorpioNN 3.0.15.5 (3514) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-22
- ScorpioNN 3.0.15.5 (3514) – LCZero 0.29-dev+_781561 (3586) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-20
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2810) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2840) 1/2-1/2 · 2nd 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 · 2026-01-29
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM cutemouse83 (2929) – tractorchampion001 (2760) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- GM cutemouse83 (2935) – Knightrider6767 (2717) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- kuhmft (2852) – evg85 (2800) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation B40 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 Nc6
- Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation (5. d4 Nf6) B22 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation (6… Bd6 7. d4) B22 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5+ Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. d4
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.