Sicilian Defense: Gaw-Paw Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Qb6
The Sicilian Defense: Gaw-Paw Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B40, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Qb6. 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 46 times by this move order. White won 30%, 3% were drawn and Black won 67%. The most popular continuation is 6. Nb3 (39% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.99 (Stockfish, depth 36; best line 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nxd5 exd5 8. a4 Nc6)
- ECO
- B40
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnb1kb1r/pp1p1ppp/1q2pn2/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Qb6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 9 | |
| 2000+ | 36 | |
| All | 46 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Nb3 | 18 (39%) | |
| 6. Be3 | 6 (13%) | |
| 6. Be2 | 6 (13%) | |
| 6. a3 | 5 (11%) | |
| 6. Ndb5 | 3 (7%) | |
| 6. e5 | 3 (7%) | |
| 6. Rb1 | 2 (4%) | |
| 6. Bd3 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
86 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 26%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- GM B. Adhiban (2608) – GM Zia Rahman (2486) 1/2-1/2 · 19th Kolkata GM Open 2014 · 2014-03-26
- GM Gergely-Andras-Gyula Szabo (2562) – IM Oliver Mihok (2510) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-HUN 2015-16 · 2016-04-16
- GM Tatiana Kosintseva (2483) – GM Pia Cramling (2518) 1-0 · SportAccord Blitz w 2014 · 2014-12-14
- IM Semen Khanin (2517) – IM Christopher Woojin Yoo (2479) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 13th July · 2021-07-13
- GM Kaido Kulaots (2579) – IM Matas Narmontas (2411) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-LTU 2017 · 2017-01-29
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Gaw-Paw Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM andysamuelson (2555) – JoszefPinter1953 (2387) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 0s
- Masterbeaterr (2349) – AAAel (2418) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- blibloebla (2374) – ShifrinBoris (2269) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
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.