Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4
The Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B40, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,635 times by this move order. White won 47%, 3% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 6. Bd3 (42% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.67 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 6. e5 Nd5 7. Qg4 Kf8 8. Bd3 d6)
- ECO
- B40
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/8/1b1NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 91 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,026 | |
| 2000+ | 518 | |
| All | 1,635 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Bd3 | 689 (42%) | |
| 6. e5 Pin Variation, Koch Variation | 237 (14%) | |
| 6. f3 | 208 (13%) | |
| 6. Bg5 | 157 (10%) | |
| 6. Bd2 | 131 (8%) | |
| 6. Nb5 | 52 (3%) | |
| 6. Qd3 | 52 (3%) | |
| 6. Be3 | 26 (2%) |
Master games
325 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 34%, draw 18%, Black 48%). The strongest:
- GM Gukesh D (2720) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2727) 1/2-1/2 · Chennai GMs 2023 · 2023-12-16
- GM Aydin Suleymanli (2609) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2727) 0-1 · 9th Gashimov Mem Blitz · 2023-12-11
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2727) – GM Baadur Jobava (2591) 0-1 · World Blitz 2023 · 2023-12-30
- GM Sergei Azarov (2557) – GM Nihal Sarin (2716) 1/2-1/2 · Chess.com Open PlayIn2 · 2026-03-18
- GM Vugar Rasulov (2526) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2745) 0-1 · Titled Tue 24th Mar 2026 · 2026-03-24
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- ANKARA_MESSI2022 (2764) – NNChessBR (2724) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- sunchess137 (2692) – NNChessBR (2736) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- OX528354 (2752) – tonyrendon (2577) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation, Koch Variation B40 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. e5
- Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation, Jaffe Variation B40 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 e5
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.