1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

1. e4 c5

Shown from Black's side. ECO B20.

Opening guide · an opening for Black

Sicilian Defense

The Sicilian Defense starts 1. e4 c5. Black fights for the d4 square with a wing pawn instead of copying White's move, which creates an unbalanced position where both sides can play for a win. It is the most played reply to 1. e4 and has many named variations, such as the Najdorf and the Dragon.

Games in our sample
314,698
White wins
48.0%
Draws
4.5%
Black wins
47.6%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Sicilian Defense scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10007,5483.4%47.0%3.7%49.3%
1000 to 119916,2605.1%48.2%3.3%48.5%
1200 to 139931,6626.7%48.1%3.3%48.6%
1400 to 159954,2038.9%47.9%3.4%48.7%
1600 to 179972,90111.3%48.1%4.0%48.0%
1800 to 199971,52413.9%48.0%4.7%47.4%
2000 to 219940,96215.7%47.6%5.5%46.8%
2200 and over19,63817.3%48.4%9.3%42.2%
All ratings314,69810.0%48.0%4.5%47.6%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Sicilian Defense that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Bowdler Attack

    1. e4 c5 2. Bc4

    30,893 games · White 46.5% · draws 3.7% · Black 49.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Old Sicilian

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6

    30,089 games · White 47.4% · draws 4.1% · Black 48.5%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Closed

    1. e4 c5 2. Nc3

    15,285 games · White 48.3% · draws 4.5% · Black 47.3%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Alapin Variation

    1. e4 c5 2. c3

    15,087 games · White 49.7% · draws 4.5% · Black 45.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    McDonnell Attack

    1. e4 c5 2. f4

    14,254 games · White 48.0% · draws 3.6% · Black 48.4%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Modern Variations

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6

    13,001 games · White 47.1% · draws 4.4% · Black 48.5%

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Ideas for White

  • The Open Sicilian, 2. Nf3 and 3. d4, trades the d pawn for Black's c pawn and gets a lead in development.
  • Quieter choices are the Alapin with 2. c3 and the Closed Sicilian with 2. Nc3.

Ideas for Black

  • After the trade on d4 you have two centre pawns against one and a half-open c file.
  • Do not fall behind in development: White often attacks before your queenside play arrives.

Questions

What are the moves of the Sicilian Defense?
1. e4 c5. In the ECO classification it is filed under B20.
How does the Sicilian Defense score?
In 314,698 games with it in our sample, White won 48.0%, 4.5% were drawn and Black won 47.6%.
At which ratings is the Sicilian Defense played most?
Among players rated 2200 and over it is 17.3% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 3.4%, is among players rated under 1000.
Which line of the Sicilian Defense is played most?
Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack (1. e4 c5 2. Bc4), with 30,893 games in our sample.

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