Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6
The Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B32, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6. 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 6,144 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 6. N1c3 (65% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.37 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 6. c4 g6 7. Bd3 a6 8. N5c3 Nge7)
- ECO
- B32
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp3ppp/2np4/1N2p3/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 72 | |
| 1500-1999 | 3,283 | |
| 2000+ | 2,789 | |
| All | 6,144 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. N1c3 | 4,014 (65%) | |
| 6. c4 | 1,439 (23%) | |
| 6. Be3 | 158 (3%) | |
| 6. Bc4 | 139 (2%) | |
| 6. a4 | 128 (2%) | |
| 6. N5c3 | 95 (2%) | |
| 6. Be2 | 37 (1%) | |
| 6. Bd3 | 26 (0%) |
Master games
9,153 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 23%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.30-dag-a9b25c2b-BT2-3 (3598) – Stockfish dev-20230409-b36d39d (3639) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 24 Superfinal 2023 · 2023-04-22
- Stockfish dev-20230409-b36d39d (3639) – LCZero 0.30-dag-a9b25c2b-BT2-3 (3598) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 24 Superfinal 2023 · 2023-04-22
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2773) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2861) 0-1 · Cote d'Ivoire Rapid 2019 · 2019-05-08
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2861) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2769) 1-0 · 75th Tata Steel GpA · 2013-01-26
- GM So, W. (2754) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2861) 1/2-1/2 · Cote d'Ivoire Blitz 2019 · 2019-05-11
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Yakamuzosan (2703) – GM cutemouse83 (2920) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- FM The_Fawkes (2665) – GM cutemouse83 (2956) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- puretraining (2609) – Lord_Philidor (2843) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Löwenthal Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
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.