Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3
The Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B21, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3. 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 10,048 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 3… Nc6 (62% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.06 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3… e5 4. c3 Nc6 5. cxd4 exd4 6. Nxd4)
- ECO
- B21
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/8/3pP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2,225 | |
| 1500-1999 | 5,899 | |
| 2000+ | 1,924 | |
| All | 10,048 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Nc6 | 6,205 (62%) | |
| 3… d6 | 897 (9%) | |
| 3… e6 | 715 (7%) | |
| 3… e5 | 657 (7%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 563 (6%) | |
| 3… g6 | 438 (4%) | |
| 3… d5 | 204 (2%) | |
| 3… a6 | 157 (2%) |
Master games
589 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 13%, Black 48%). The strongest:
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2659) – GM Alexey Sarana (2649) 1-0 · Titled Arena Mar 6th 2021 · 2021-03-06
- GM Evgeny Postny (2549) – GM Sergei Zhigalko (2572) 0-1 · Titled Tue 27th Jun Early · 2023-06-27
- FM Sina Movahed (2463) – GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (2640) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Feb Early · 2024-02-06
- GM Daniil Lintchevski (2555) – GM Isan Reynaldo Ortiz Suarez (2545) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 11th May · 2021-05-11
- GM Dmitry Andreikin (2728) – IM Hannes Langrock (2356) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 14th Sept · 2021-09-14
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Squoznyak (2849) – sunchess137 (2638) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- aravindArz (2587) – AnonymousBrownGuy (2736) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- FM The_Fawkes (2620) – Italiangangster (2667) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit (1… c5 2. d4) 1. e4 c5 2. d4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit, Andreaschek Gambit B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3 e5 4. c3
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.