Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Gambit Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6
The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Gambit Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B28, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6. 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 53 times by this move order. White won 58%, 8% were drawn and Black won 34%. The most popular continuation is 5. d4 (68% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.40 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qb3 Bc8 7. d4 cxd4)
- ECO
- B28
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/1p2pppp/p4n2/2pP4/8/2P2N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 12 | |
| 2000+ | 41 | |
| All | 53 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. d4 | 36 (68%) | |
| 5. c4 | 16 (30%) | |
| 5. Be2 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
190 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 27%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM So, W. (2774) – GM Elshan Moradiabadi (2534) 1-0 · ch-USA 2022 · 2022-10-17
- GM Michael Adams (2635) – GM Nikolas Theodorou (2656) 1/2-1/2 · 15th London Classic Elite · 2025-12-01
- GM Peter Leko (2693) – GM Maxim Turov (2594) 1/2-1/2 · European Blitz 2016 · 2016-12-17
- GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2707) – GM Alexandr Fier (2580) 1-0 · FIDE World Blitz 2014 · 2014-06-20
- GM Evgeny Alekseev (2698) – GM Alexandr Fier (2572) 1/2-1/2 · 37th Zurich Christmas 2013 · 2013-12-27
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Caro-Kann-Zerstoerer (2620) – cinarbayrakoglu800 (2542) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 600 + 0s
- petrogeil2005 (2486) – cinarbayrakoglu800 (2614) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 600 + 0s
- jorgellanoss (2455) – MrTroutstanding (2482) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3
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.