Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O Be6
The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B92, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O Be6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 94 times by this move order. White won 46%, 7% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 9. f4 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.34 (Stockfish, depth 30; best line 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. a3 Rc8)
- ECO
- B92
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
rn1qk2r/1p2bppp/p2pbn2/4p3/4P3/1NN5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 4 9- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O Be6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 35 | |
| 2000+ | 59 | |
| All | 94 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9. f4 | 29 (31%) | |
| 9. Be3 | 27 (29%) | |
| 9. Kh1 | 12 (13%) | |
| 9. h3 | 6 (6%) | |
| 9. a4 | 5 (5%) | |
| 9. Bg5 | 5 (5%) | |
| 9. Bf3 | 3 (3%) | |
| 9. f3 | 2 (2%) |
Master games
412 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 47%, draw 15%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2725) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2766) 0-1 · SuperUnited CRO Blitz 2025 · 2025-07-06
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2749) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2742) 1/2-1/2 · Sharjah Grand Prix 2017 · 2017-02-21
- GM Kirill Alekseenko (2679) – GM Hans Moke Niemann (2733) 1/2-1/2 · Julius Baer Gen Cup Pl/In · 2024-09-25
- GM So, W. (2753) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2645) 1-0 · Titled Tue 17th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-17
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2723) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2645) 1-0 · Titled Tue 17th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-17
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Angelicanmade (2557) – F1nal_Masquerade (2782) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- pulptimes (2517) – IM Inci2019 (2561) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- pulptimes (2528) – FM doons21 (2507) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation (5… a6 6. Be2) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2
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.