Sicilian Defense: Löwenthal Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
The Sicilian Defense: Löwenthal Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B32, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 27,091 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nxc6 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.27 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. Nb5 Nf6 6. N1c3 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5)
- ECO
- B32
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/2n5/4p3/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3,192 | |
| 1500-1999 | 17,827 | |
| 2000+ | 6,072 | |
| All | 27,091 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nxc6 | 10,250 (38%) | |
| 5. Nb5 | 9,900 (37%) | |
| 5. Nb3 | 2,881 (11%) | |
| 5. Nf3 | 2,656 (10%) | |
| 5. Nf5 | 1,150 (4%) | |
| 5. Nc3 | 110 (0%) | |
| 5. Ne2 | 103 (0%) | |
| 5. Bc4 | 6 (0%) |
Master games
3,468 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 20%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.31-dag-e429eeb-BT3-2790000 (3642) – Stockfish dev-20231010-00263636 (3673) 1-0 · TCEC 25 Superfinal 2023 · 2023-10-29
- Stockfish dev-20231010-00263636 (3673) – LCZero 0.31-dag-e429eeb-BT3-2790000 (3642) 1-0 · TCEC 25 Superfinal 2023 · 2023-10-29
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2837) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2788) 1/2-1/2 · World Rapid Final · 2012-07-08
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2789) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2765) 1/2-1/2 · Opera Euro Rapid Prelim · 2021-02-07
- GM Anish Giri (2764) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2765) 1/2-1/2 · Opera Euro Rapid KO 2021 · 2021-02-09
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Löwenthal 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: Open (3… cxd4 4. Nxd4) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation B32 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 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.