B63 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation, Kantscher Line
20/20
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3Nc66.Bg5e67.Qd2Be78.O-O-ONxd49.Qxd4a610.f4b5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation, Kantscher Line1.2k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
e537%42747%
Bxf623%26456%
Be214%15962%
Kb16.5%7561%
Bd34.7%5456%
a34.4%5150%
g42.8%3252%
f51.5%1750%
h31.5%1768%
h41.4%1675%
Famous games in this line581 master games
Carlsen, M. (2830) – Nakamura, Hi (2795)Kasparov, Garry (2825) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2740)Kasparov, Garry (2775) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2775)Anand, Viswanathan (2769) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2758)Karjakin, Sergey (2727) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2781)Leko, Peter (2751) – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2725)Shirov, Alexei (2690) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2775)Svidler, Peter (2713) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2751)Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Kramnik, Vladimir · Svidler, Peter
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B63
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O Nxd4 9. Qxd4 a6 10. f4 b5
Study this opening elsewhere