Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c4
The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind is a chess opening classified as ECO B28, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 923 times by this move order. White won 52%, 6% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 3… Nc6 (55% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.52 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 3… Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Nf5)
- ECO
- B28
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1ppppp/p7/2p5/2P1P3/5N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 68 | |
| 1500-1999 | 279 | |
| 2000+ | 576 | |
| All | 923 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Nc6 | 504 (55%) | |
| 3… e6 O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Paulsen Line | 171 (19%) | |
| 3… d6 O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Robatsch Line | 128 (14%) | |
| 3… b6 | 44 (5%) | |
| 3… g6 | 37 (4%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 12 (1%) | |
| 3… Qc7 | 8 (1%) | |
| 3… e5 | 7 (1%) |
Master games
1,869 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 21%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2708) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-12-03
- GM Yangyi Yu (2714) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2830) 1/2-1/2 · World Rapid 2023 · 2023-12-27
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2783) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2753) 1-0 · FIDE Candidates 2022 · 2022-06-25
- GM So, W. (2767) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2746) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Speed 2019 · 2019-12-05
- GM So, W. (2767) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2746) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 2019 · 2019-12-05
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Kruciatos (2735) – MeeTion01 (2814) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- DikiyDjo (2691) – IM AlexTriapishko (2814) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Kruciatos (2739) – Juan_Delasala (2731) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Paulsen Line B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c4 e6
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Robatsch Line B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c4 d6
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.