Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation (9. f4 Be7)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7
The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B68, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 6 times by this move order. White won 33%, 17% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 10. Be2 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.28 (Stockfish, depth 36; best line 10. Nf3 b5 11. e5 b4 12. exf6 bxc3)
- ECO
- B68
- Moves
- 18 plies
- FEN
r2qk2r/1p1bbppp/p1nppn2/6B1/3NPP2/2N5/PPPQ2PP/2KR1B1R w kq - 1 10- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 6 | |
| All | 6 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 10. Be2 | 3 (50%) | |
| 10. Kb1 | 1 (17%) | |
| 10. g4 | 1 (17%) | |
| 10. Nf3 | 1 (17%) |
Master games
171 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 31%, draw 19%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2763) – GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra (2607) 0-1 · Titled Tue 5th Dec Early · 2023-12-05
- GM Sam Shankland (2713) – GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2656) 1-0 · 52nd Biel GM 2019 · 2019-07-25
- GM Chongsheng Zeng (2537) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2783) 0-1 · TCh-CHN 2017 · 2017-08-18
- GM Alexey Sarana (2636) – GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2671) 0-1 · chess.com Junior Speed · 2019-07-11
- GM Andrei Volokitin (2634) – GM Ivan Salgado Lopez (2624) 1/2-1/2 · Bundesliga 2018-19 · 2018-12-16
Highest-rated Lichess games
- flAsH114 (2511) – Snoow_man (2378) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- Katzenkracker (2328) – Michael_Burns (2336) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 600 + 0s
- PureDomination (2331) – kkkk9988 (2251) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation (8. O-O-O Bd7) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Nyezhmetdinov Attack B69 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7 10. Nf3 b5 11. Bxf6
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.