Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
The Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal is a chess opening classified as ECO B40, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 8,973 times by this move order. White won 45%, 5% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nc3 (75% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.29 (Stockfish, depth 49; best line 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Nd5)
- ECO
- B40
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 513 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4,360 | |
| 2000+ | 4,100 | |
| All | 8,973 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nc3 | 6,769 (75%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 1,109 (12%) | |
| 5. e5 | 481 (5%) | |
| 5. f3 | 243 (3%) | |
| 5. Bg5 | 225 (3%) | |
| 5. Nd2 | 36 (0%) | |
| 5. c4 | 27 (0%) | |
| 5. Bc4 | 13 (0%) |
Master games
14,573 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 22%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2842) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2777) 1/2-1/2 · FIDE Candidates 2020 · 2021-04-27
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2847) – GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2770) 1-0 · Magnus Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2021-03-14
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2777) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2835) 1/2-1/2 · Julius Baer Rapid Div 1 W · 2023-09-03
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2771) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2839) 0-1 · chess.com SpeedChess 2023 · 2023-09-15
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2842) – GM Anish Giri (2763) 0-1 · FIDE Candidates 2020 · 2021-04-24
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2849) – FM Guary1 (2902) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- IM Kostik_Mostik (2896) – Danachess777 (2823) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- GladiatorDefence (2804) – FM Guary1 (2844) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Gaw-Paw Variation B40 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Qb6
- Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation B40 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4
- Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation B80 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6
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.