Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Gurgenidze Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. b4
The Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Gurgenidze Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B31, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. b4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 15 times by this move order. White won 60%, 7% were drawn and Black won 33%. The most popular continuation is 6… Nxb4 (53% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.12 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 6… Nxb4 7. Bb2 Qc7 8. d4 a6 9. Bf1)
- ECO
- B31
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
r1bqk1nr/pp1p1pbp/2n3p1/1Bp1p3/1P2P3/5N2/P1PP1PPP/RNBQR1K1 b kq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. b4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 15 | |
| All | 15 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… Nxb4 | 8 (53%) | |
| 6… cxb4 | 5 (33%) | |
| 6… b6 | 1 (7%) | |
| 6… Nd4 | 1 (7%) |
Master games
261 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 25%, Black 29%). The strongest:
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2832) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2835) 1/2-1/2 · WCh 2018 · 2018-11-15
- GM Etienne Bacrot (2708) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2761) 0-1 · GCT Rapid Paris 2017 · 2017-06-23
- GM Etienne Bacrot (2672) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2775) 0-1 · Titled Tue 20th Jun Early · 2023-06-20
- GM Etienne Bacrot (2646) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2729) 0-1 · Titled Tue 29th Nov Early · 2022-11-29
- GM Richard Rapport (2676) – GM Julio E Granda Zuniga (2665) 0-1 · Entrefaros GM 2013 · 2013-10-05
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM TheRealChessMind (2582) – young_lion5 (2477) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- ViennaDragon (2550) – IM gmtalentoso (2414) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Saillok (2461) – Radator (2310) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6
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.