Sicilian Defense: Nimzo-American Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d5
The Sicilian Defense: Nimzo-American Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B32, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d5. 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 751 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nxc6 (40% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.67 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Be3 e6 7. Nc3 Bb4)
- ECO
- B32
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp2pppp/2n5/3p4/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 72 | |
| 1500-1999 | 479 | |
| 2000+ | 200 | |
| All | 751 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nxc6 | 298 (40%) | |
| 5. exd5 | 286 (38%) | |
| 5. Bb5 | 77 (10%) | |
| 5. Nc3 | 62 (8%) | |
| 5. e5 | 12 (2%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 5 (1%) | |
| 5. Nb3 | 4 (1%) | |
| 5. Nb5 | 3 (0%) |
Master games
200 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 18%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- GM Jan Smeets (2598) – GM Dimitri Reinderman (2568) 1/2-1/2 · CNE ch-NED Rapid 2016 · 2016-10-30
- GM Alexei Shirov (2697) – FM Ori Taichman (2317) 1-0 · Titled Tue 23rd Aug Late · 2022-08-23
- GM Daniil Dubov (2711) – FM Ori Taichman (2298) 1-0 · Titled Tue 5th Apr Late · 2022-04-05
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2612) – IM Pedro Ramon Martinez Reyes (2366) 1-0 · Titled Tue 29th Apr Early · 2025-04-29
- GM Alan Pichot (2644) – FM Ori Taichman (2329) 1-0 · Titled Tue 2nd Apr Late · 2024-04-02
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Nimzo-American Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- atsaynm (2671) – FM uhlmannfan (2499) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- differently_built (2538) – Howerts1 (2465) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Malincka_13 (2459) – FM uhlmannfan (2496) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Open (3… cxd4 4. Nxd4) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4
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.