Sicilian Defense: Mengarini Variation
1. e4 c5 2. a3
The Sicilian Defense: Mengarini Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B20, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. a3. 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 10,623 times by this move order. White won 49%, 4% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nc6 (40% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.06 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 2… g6 3. h3 d6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d4)
- ECO
- B20
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4P3/P7/1PPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. a3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,330 | |
| 1500-1999 | 6,258 | |
| 2000+ | 3,035 | |
| All | 10,623 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… Nc6 | 4,288 (40%) | |
| 2… e6 | 1,897 (18%) | |
| 2… d6 | 1,895 (18%) | |
| 2… g6 | 1,026 (10%) | |
| 2… d5 | 511 (5%) | |
| 2… e5 | 288 (3%) | |
| 2… a6 | 270 (3%) | |
| 2… Nf6 | 239 (2%) |
Master games
2,416 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 11%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2762) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2855) 1-0 · Meltwater Tour Final 2021 · 2021-09-26
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2764) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2818) 0-1 · Saint Louis Blitz 2019 · 2019-08-14
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2859) – GM Jeffery Xiong (2692) 1-0 · Titled Tue 3rd Jan Early · 2023-01-03
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) – GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2676) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-02
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2837) – GM Ernesto Inarkiev (2689) 1-0 · World Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-29
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Mengarini Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- CM JoeAssaad (2661) – tourdefra (2731) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- CM JoeAssaad (2666) – Vnebo (2699) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- CM JoeAssaad (2675) – Fraysinator (2689) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) 1. e4 c5
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: Kronberger Variation 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.