Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Na3
The Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B20, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Na3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 262 times by this move order. White won 41%, 5% were drawn and Black won 54%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nc6 (37% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 63; best line 2… e6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bb5 d5 5. exd5)
- ECO
- B20
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4P3/N7/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 2- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Na3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 95 | |
| 1500-1999 | 96 | |
| 2000+ | 71 | |
| All | 262 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… Nc6 | 96 (37%) | |
| 2… e6 | 42 (16%) | |
| 2… d6 | 35 (13%) | |
| 2… g6 | 24 (9%) | |
| 2… a6 | 21 (8%) | |
| 2… e5 | 16 (6%) | |
| 2… d5 | 12 (5%) | |
| 2… Nf6 | 5 (2%) |
Master games
414 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 20%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2840) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2739) 1/2-1/2 · Chess.com Open Playoffs · 2026-04-26
- GM Richard Rapport (2764) – GM Anish Giri (2760) 1/2-1/2 · FTX Road to Miami Prelim · 2022-07-11
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2780) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2727) 0-1 · chess.com SpeedChess 2023 · 2023-09-20
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2876) – GM Alan Pichot (2590) 1-0 · Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup · 2019-09-29
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2784) – GM Boris Gelfand (2676) 1/2-1/2 · Legends of Chess Prelim · 2020-07-29
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- ElKlemerr (2667) – FM petrik05 (2703) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
- ElKlemerr (2665) – Logan-007 (2645) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
- ElKlemerr (2681) – Arkanello (2545) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) 1. e4 c5
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation, Nemeth Gambit B20 · 1. e4 c5 2. Na3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Bc4
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- 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
- Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Dunne Attack 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.