Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Carlsbad Variation
1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 bxa3
The Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Carlsbad Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B20, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 bxa3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2,199 times by this move order. White won 49%, 3% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 4. Bxa3 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.21 (Stockfish, depth 49; best line 4. d4 d6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. Nf3 g6)
- ECO
- B20
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/8/4P3/p7/2PP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 bxa3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 249 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,344 | |
| 2000+ | 606 | |
| All | 2,199 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Bxa3 | 843 (38%) | |
| 4. d4 | 633 (29%) | |
| 4. Nxa3 | 505 (23%) | |
| 4. Rxa3 | 105 (5%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 44 (2%) | |
| 4. c3 | 25 (1%) | |
| 4. f4 | 18 (1%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 12 (1%) |
Master games
348 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 49%, draw 8%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- GM Boris Savchenko (2581) – GM Daniil Dubov (2699) 0-1 · 73rd Moscow Blitz · 2019-09-07
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2795) – FM Novak Dumbelovic (2312) 1-0 · 2nd 3-0 Thu 1st Jan 2026 · 2026-01-01
- IM Ilamparthi A R (2457) – GM Anton Korobov (2650) 1-0 · Titled Tue 24th Sep Early · 2024-09-24
- IM Sim Maerevoet (2445) – GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (2655) 0-1 · Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 · 2026-03-10
- GM Nikolas Theodorou (2611) – FM Ivan Yeletsky (2469) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 11th Mar Early · 2025-03-11
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Carlsbad Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Kaissiber (2467) – PowerDrive (2556) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Kaissiber (2401) – omariscof (2559) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Delta_Hedge (2477) – Darth__Nihilus (2464) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Marshall Variation 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3
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.