Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B63, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 437 times by this move order. White won 50%, 8% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 7… a6 (69% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.33 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 7… Be7 8. O-O-O a6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Kb1)
- ECO
- B63
- Moves
- 13 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/2nppn2/6B1/3NP3/2N5/PPPQ1PPP/R3KB1R b KQkq - 1 7- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 42 | |
| 2000+ | 395 | |
| All | 437 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7… a6 Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations | 300 (69%) | |
| 7… Be7 Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation (7. Qd2 Be7) | 110 (25%) | |
| 7… Bd7 | 10 (2%) | |
| 7… Nxd4 | 7 (2%) | |
| 7… Qb6 Richter-Rauzer Variation, Ivanov Variation | 6 (1%) | |
| 7… h6 | 3 (1%) | |
| 7… g6 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
197 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 15%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- GM Dmitrij Kollars (2598) – GM Alexander Donchenko (2659) 0-1 · Hobbits Invitational 2021 · 2021-03-21
- IM Advait Patel (2475) – GM Alexander Shabalov (2564) 1/2-1/2 · 27th Chicago Open 2018 · 2018-05-27
- GM Sanan Sjugirov (2705) – IM Guillermo Baches Garcia (2327) 1-0 · Titled Tue 26th Sep Early · 2023-09-26
- GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2701) – IM Guillermo Baches Garcia (2329) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 15th Mar Early · 2022-03-15
- GM Grigoriy Oparin (2683) – IM Guillermo Baches Garcia (2326) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 5th Jul Early · 2022-07-05
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2867) – barteljaap-jan (2910) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2876) – molecularchemist285 (2850) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- InvisibleGuest2023 (2813) – GM Babushka28 (2811) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation (6. Bg5 e6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation (7. Qd2 Be7) B63 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Ivanov Variation B63 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Qb6
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations B66 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6
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.