Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Marshall Variation
1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3
The Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Marshall Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B20, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 4,099 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 3… bxa3 (54% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.47 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3… d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bb2)
- ECO
- B20
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/8/1p2P3/P7/2PP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 386 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2,333 | |
| 2000+ | 1,380 | |
| All | 4,099 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… bxa3 Wing Gambit, Carlsbad Variation | 2,199 (54%) | |
| 3… e6 | 596 (15%) | |
| 3… d5 | 398 (10%) | |
| 3… e5 | 328 (8%) | |
| 3… Nc6 | 290 (7%) | |
| 3… b3 | 99 (2%) | |
| 3… d6 | 68 (2%) | |
| 3… g6 | 53 (1%) |
Master games
961 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 12%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- Stockfish 20210113 (3601) – LCZero 0.27.0d-Tilps-dje-magic_JH.94-100 (3586) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Superfinal 2020 · 2021-01-19
- LCZero 0.27.0d-Tilps-dje-magic_JH.94-100 (3586) – Stockfish 20210113 (3601) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Superfinal 2020 · 2021-01-19
- GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2604) – GM Alexey Sarana (2686) 1-0 · 3rd 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 · 2026-01-29
- GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2608) – GM Benjamin Bok (2621) 1-0 · Titled Tue 9th Jan Late · 2024-01-09
- GM V Pranav (2609) – GM Bardiya Daneshvar (2598) 0-1 · Julius Baer Gen Cup P/I m D2 · 2024-09-26
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Marshall Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM ValeriyGrinev (2628) – chessgrandfather1975 (2661) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Predator_1988 (2486) – DiabloDiabloDiablo (2604) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- IM KamranShirazi (2458) – Appletwovivian (2611) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit 1. e4 c5 2. b4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Carlsbad Variation B20 · 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 bxa3
- Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Marienbad Variation B20 · 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Bb2
- Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Nanu Gambit B20 · 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nf3 e5 6. c4 Qe6 7. Bd3
- Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Romanian Defense B20 · 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. a3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nf3 e5 6. Bb2 Nc6 7. c4 Qe6
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.