Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Kieseritzky System
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. b3
The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Kieseritzky System is a chess opening classified as ECO B28, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. b3. 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 145 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 3… Nc6 (34% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 36; best line 3… d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4)
- ECO
- B28
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1ppppp/p7/2p5/4P3/1P3N2/P1PP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. b3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 21 | |
| 1500-1999 | 55 | |
| 2000+ | 69 | |
| All | 145 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Nc6 | 49 (34%) | |
| 3… e6 | 27 (19%) | |
| 3… d6 | 24 (17%) | |
| 3… b5 | 18 (12%) | |
| 3… d5 | 9 (6%) | |
| 3… e5 | 3 (2%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 3 (2%) | |
| 3… b6 | 3 (2%) |
Master games
159 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 16%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- GM Nikita Vitiugov (2726) – GM Levan Pantsulaia (2607) 1-0 · World Blitz 2016 · 2016-12-30
- GM Ernesto Inarkiev (2689) – GM Rasul Ibrahimov (2518) 0-1 · World Rapid 2017 · 2017-12-28
- GM Samuel Sevian (2696) – GM Aarav Dengla (2506) 1-0 · Titled Tue 9th Jun 2026 · 2026-06-09
- GM Onischuk, V. (2620) – GM Lucas Van Foreest (2530) 0-1 · World Blitz 2021 · 2021-12-29
- GM Samuel Sevian (2696) – IM Sandeep Sethuraman (2416) 1-0 · FIDE World Bl Team Pool D · 2026-06-20
Highest-rated Lichess games
- spngu (2535) – gehrmansparrow (2543) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- amirreza02 (2493) – vdinsk52 (2580) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
- Sheryak (2445) – vdinsk52 (2553) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
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.