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
The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation 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. 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 3,808 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 6… e5 (59% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.19 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 6… e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. O-O)
- ECO
- B92
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/1p2pppp/p2p1n2/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 1 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 108 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,867 | |
| 2000+ | 1,833 | |
| All | 3,808 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… e5 | 2,229 (59%) | |
| 6… e6 Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation (6. Be2 e6) | 948 (25%) | |
| 6… g6 | 232 (6%) | |
| 6… b5 | 138 (4%) | |
| 6… Nc6 | 130 (3%) | |
| 6… Nbd7 | 56 (1%) | |
| 6… Qc7 | 42 (1%) | |
| 6… Bd7 | 16 (0%) |
Master games
6,824 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 23%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.31-dag-c93c6a8-BT4-61 (3652) – Stockfish dev-20250118-8e3e22b (3683) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Theory Bonus · 2025-01-22
- Stockfish dev-20250118-8e3e22b (3683) – LCZero 0.31-dag-c93c6a8-BT4-61 (3652) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Theory Bonus · 2025-01-22
- Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) – LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) 1-0 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-29
- LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) – Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) 1-0 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-28
- LCZero 0.28-dev+_69626 (3623) – Stockfish 14_202107131735 (3639) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Superfinal 2021 · 2021-07-24
Highest-rated Lichess games
- kuhmft (2850) – IM wLh26 (2824) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- IM AngelitoRT (2912) – apollothedog (2682) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- HighQualityO (2696) – IM KAPUTVSEMU (2833) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (5. Nc3 a6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation (6. Be2 e6) B84 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line B92 · 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
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line B92 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O O-O
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.