Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+
The Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B51, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 12,601 times by this move order. White won 49%, 6% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 3… Bd7 (57% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.05 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 3… Nd7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 a6 6. Be2)
- ECO
- B51
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/3p4/1Bp5/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,922 | |
| 1500-1999 | 5,872 | |
| 2000+ | 4,807 | |
| All | 12,601 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Bd7 Moscow Variation, Main Line | 7,166 (57%) | |
| 3… Nd7 | 3,323 (26%) | |
| 3… Nc6 | 2,096 (17%) | |
| 3… Qd7 | 11 (0%) |
Master games
23,706 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 25%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- Komodo 2503.05 (3912) – LCZero v0.24-sv-t60-3010 (3958) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-04-01
- LCZero v0.24-sv-t60-3010 (3958) – Komodo 2503.05 (3912) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-03-28
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2863) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2835) 1/2-1/2 · Chessable Masters Final 8 · 2020-06-25
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2853) – GM Veselin Topalov (2816) 0-1 · 3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015 · 2015-08-23
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2863) – GM Liren Ding (2791) 1/2-1/2 · Legends of Chess Prelim · 2020-07-26
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM Dr_Tiger (2948) – CM Sultai (2695) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Johnizard (2729) – IM Kostik_Mostik (2890) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- FM The_Fawkes (2684) – IM AngelitoRT (2877) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Main Line B52 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7
- Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Dorfman Gambit B51 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. Qe2 g6 6. e5
- Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Moscow Gambit B51 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. c3 Nf6 6. Re1 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. d4 Bxe4 9. Bg5
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.