Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Ginsberg Gambit
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bc4
The Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Ginsberg Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B54, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bc4. 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 353 times by this move order. White won 48%, 3% were drawn and Black won 49%. The most popular continuation is 5… Nxe4 (29% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5… Nxe4 6. Qh5 e6 7. Bb5+ Nd7 8. Nxe6)
- ECO
- B54
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pp2pppp/3p1n2/8/2BNP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bc4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 56 | |
| 1500-1999 | 210 | |
| 2000+ | 87 | |
| All | 353 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Nxe4 | 101 (29%) | |
| 5… e6 | 71 (20%) | |
| 5… a6 | 70 (20%) | |
| 5… g6 | 67 (19%) | |
| 5… Nc6 | 19 (5%) | |
| 5… e5 | 12 (3%) | |
| 5… Qc7 | 7 (2%) | |
| 5… d5 | 2 (1%) |
Master games
139 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 15%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2863) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2784) 0-1 · Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2020-04-28
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2863) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2778) 1/2-1/2 · Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2020-04-24
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2770) – GM Levon Aronian (2729) 0-1 · SuperUnited CRO Blitz 2024 · 2024-07-13
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2770) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2718) 1/2-1/2 · SuperUnited CRO Rapid 2024 · 2024-07-12
- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2721) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2762) 0-1 · Saint Louis Blitz 2024 · 2024-08-16
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Ginsberg Gambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- acegikmoqsu (2535) – amirreza02 (2485) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
- IM greennight (2572) – W1267 (2256) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- wilhemstenitz (2270) – chessparttime (2428) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 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.