Sicilian Defense: Prins Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3
The Sicilian Defense: Prins Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B54, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,681 times by this move order. White won 55%, 5% were drawn and Black won 40%. The most popular continuation is 5… a6 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 61; best line 5… e5 6. Nb3 d5 7. Bg5 d4 8. c3)
- ECO
- B54
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pp2pppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/5P2/PPP3PP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 99 | |
| 1500-1999 | 782 | |
| 2000+ | 800 | |
| All | 1,681 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… a6 | 634 (38%) | |
| 5… g6 | 383 (23%) | |
| 5… e5 | 352 (21%) | |
| 5… Nc6 | 168 (10%) | |
| 5… e6 | 96 (6%) | |
| 5… Bd7 | 12 (1%) | |
| 5… h5 | 10 (1%) | |
| 5… Qb6 | 7 (0%) |
Master games
4,694 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 21%, Black 35%). The strongest:
- ScorpioNN 3.0.11 (3496) – KomodoDragon 2647.00 (3522) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-09
- KomodoDragon 2647.00 (3522) – ScorpioNN 3.0.11 (3496) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-06
- AllieStein v0.8-120f959_net-15.0 (3509) – Ethereal TCEC S20 DivP (3482) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-08
- Ethereal TCEC S20 DivP (3482) – AllieStein v0.8-120f959_net-15.0 (3509) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-06
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2807) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2819) 1/2-1/2 · 4th Sinquefield Cup 2016 · 2016-08-09
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Prins Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FleakyGorgoz (2887) – Meatloaf927 (2733) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- FleakyGorgoz (2860) – GM Thanozz (2723) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- FM Guary1 (2876) – ChangeByFocusOnNew (2650) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Prins Variation, Venice Attack B55 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3 e5 6. Bb5+
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.