Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Westerinen Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3
The Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Westerinen Attack is a chess opening classified as ECO B40, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,419 times by this move order. White won 45%, 6% were drawn and Black won 49%. The most popular continuation is 3… Nc6 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.16 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3… Nc6 4. Bb2 b6 5. Nc3 Bb7 6. d4)
- ECO
- B40
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/4p3/2p5/4P3/1P3N2/P1PP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 115 | |
| 1500-1999 | 608 | |
| 2000+ | 696 | |
| All | 1,419 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Nc6 | 443 (31%) | |
| 3… d5 | 344 (24%) | |
| 3… a6 | 265 (19%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 143 (10%) | |
| 3… b6 | 88 (6%) | |
| 3… d6 | 77 (5%) | |
| 3… Qc7 | 15 (1%) | |
| 3… g6 | 10 (1%) |
Master games
5,674 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 22%, Black 35%). The strongest:
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2777) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2835) 1-0 · Julius Baer Rapid Div 1 W · 2023-09-03
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2777) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2835) 0-1 · Julius Baer Rapid Div 1 W · 2023-09-03
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2847) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2738) 1-0 · Aimchess US Rapid KO 2021 · 2021-08-31
- GM Garry Kasparov (2812) – GM So, W. (2773) 0-1 · Ultimate Blitz Challenge · 2016-04-28
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2876) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2702) 0-1 · Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup · 2020-04-15
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Westerinen Attack and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Master1970 (2711) – FM Guary1 (2867) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Juplt3rLlk3 (2717) – DantheM4n (2749) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Juplt3rLlk3 (2719) – Tempstream (2720) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
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.