Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation
4/4
1.e4c52.Nf3a6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation4.1M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
9.6%392k46%
3.9%161k50%
1.6%66k48%
Famous games in this line4.9k master games
So, W. (2752) – Carlsen, M. (2830)Caruana, F. (2822) – Artemiev, V. (2731)Yu Yangyi (2714) – Carlsen, M. (2830)Anand, Viswanathan (2781) – Morozevich, Alexander (2758)Karjakin, Sergey (2767) – Svidler, Peter (2769)Caruana, F. (2783) – Radjabov, T. (2753)So, W. (2767) – Artemiev, V. (2746)So, W. (2767) – Artemiev, V. (2746)Heroes of this opening Artemiev, V. · Carlsen, M. · Anand, Viswanathan · Svidler, Peter
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B28
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Réti System3.g3Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Wing Gambit3.b4Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind3.c4 · 2 deeper linesSicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Quiet System3.d3
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.
Study this opening