Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B28, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 9 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 15,970 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 3. d4 (44% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.47 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4)
- ECO
- B28
- Moves
- 4 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1ppppp/p7/2p5/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3,506 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8,167 | |
| 2000+ | 4,297 | |
| All | 15,970 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3. d4 O'Kelly Variation, Normal System | 6,950 (44%) | |
| 3. c3 O'Kelly Variation, Venice System | 2,433 (15%) | |
| 3. Bc4 | 2,087 (13%) | |
| 3. Nc3 O'Kelly Variation, Yerevan System | 1,415 (9%) | |
| 3. c4 O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind | 923 (6%) | |
| 3. a4 | 611 (4%) | |
| 3. g3 O'Kelly Variation, Réti System | 310 (2%) | |
| 3. a3 | 289 (2%) |
Master games
174 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 13%, Black 51%). The strongest:
- GM Volodar Murzin (2678) – IM Reza Mahdavi (2454) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 19th Aug Late · 2025-08-19
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2831) – FM Alexander Timerkhanov (2287) 1-0 · Titled Tue 21st Jan Early · 2025-01-21
- GM Alexandr Fier (2534) – GM Kaiqi Yang (2481) 0-1 · Titled Tue 25th Mar Early · 2025-03-25
- GM V Pranav (2621) – FM Cyprian Mulawa (2353) 1-0 · Titled Tue 31st Dec Early · 2024-12-31
- WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (2370) – GM Valery Kazakouski (2593) 1-0 · Titled Tue 30th Jan Early · 2024-01-30
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Mlchael (2870) – TheRealGenghisKhan (2819) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Kruciatos (2735) – MeeTion01 (2814) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- Dondukov (2694) – IM AlexTriapishko (2821) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1… c5 2. Nf3) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Aronin System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. Be2
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Kieseritzky System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. b3
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c4
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Quiet System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d3
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Réti System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. g3
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Wing Gambit B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. b4
- Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Yerevan System B28 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. Nc3
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.