Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
The Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations is a chess opening classified as ECO B50, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 6 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 175,881 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 3. d4 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.31 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6)
- ECO
- B50
- Moves
- 4 plies
- FEN
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1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 31,221 | |
| 1500-1999 | 97,441 | |
| 2000+ | 47,219 | |
| All | 175,881 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3. d4 Sicilian Defense (2… d6 3. d4) | 88,736 (50%) | |
| 3. Bc4 | 30,849 (18%) | |
| 3. c3 Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6 | 17,825 (10%) | |
| 3. Nc3 | 12,902 (7%) | |
| 3. Bb5+ Moscow Variation | 12,601 (7%) | |
| 3. d3 | 2,624 (1%) | |
| 3. h3 | 1,988 (1%) | |
| 3. c4 | 1,925 (1%) |
Master games
13,459 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 17%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- KomodoDragon2747.00 (3582) – Ethereal13.07_NNUE-15EE (3497) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-26
- Ethereal13.07_NNUE-15EE (3497) – KomodoDragon2747.00 (3582) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-24
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2784) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-12-12
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2784) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-12-12
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2855) – GM Anish Giri (2782) 1-0 · GCT Blitz Paris 2016 · 2016-06-11
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Kostik_Mostik (2890) – Nana_jede_cevape (2910) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM cutemouse83 (2908) – IM AngelitoRT (2883) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2867) – barteljaap-jan (2910) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1… c5 2. Nf3) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense (2… d6 3. d4) B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4
- Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6 B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3
- Sicilian Defense: Kopec System B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bd3
- Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation B51 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+
- Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Deferred Variation B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. b4
- Sicilian Defense: Kotov Gambit B50 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. g3 b5
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.