Scandinavian Defense: Kiel Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
268,327 games: White 47.4% / Draw 3.6% / Black 48.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 132,171132K | ||
| 68,98869K | ||
| 28,91829K | ||
| 16,22116K | ||
| 10,46410K | ||
| 4,7174,717 | ||
| 3,2653,265 | ||
| 1,2441,244 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.43 White is better
Best play: 5. a3 N4c6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. d5 Ne5 8. Nc3 Nbd7 9. Be2 Bxf3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: Black scores 47% under 1400, 48% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 5,969 | |
| 1400–1799 | 59K | |
| 1800–2199 | 203K | |
| 2200 and up | 18K | |
| Masters, over the board | 19 |
Master games
- Kozlov, S. – Popov, V.
- Jonkman, H. – Hoogendoorn, J.
- Pelikian, J. – Silveira, F. M.
- Abreu Delgado, A. – Cruz Ravina, F. J.
- Mrva, M. – Krajnak, M.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Scandinavian Defense: Kiel Variation (ECO B01, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Scandinavian Defense: Marshall Variation, reached after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4 Nb4 (4 moves).
In 268,327 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.4%, Black 48.9% and 3.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. a3, in 49% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Scandinavian Defense: Kiel Variation
The most played answer, 5. a3, also scores best for White: 59.9%, with White winning 57.5% and Black 37.8% of 132K games. Of the main answers, 5. Nc3 scores lowest: 32.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 5. a3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Popularity by year
The Scandinavian Defense: Kiel Variation peaked in 2018 at 0.015% of Lichess games and has slipped since: 0.013% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.012% | 4,251 |
| 2017 | 0.014% | 7,934 |
| 2018 | 0.015% | 11,797 |
| 2019 | 0.013% | 16,139 |
| 2020 | 0.0094% | 27,429 |
| 2021 | 0.0079% | 30,960 |
| 2022 | 0.0083% | 31,219 |
| 2023 | 0.0096% | 36,160 |
| 2024 | 0.011% | 38,606 |
| 2025 | 0.013% | 45,216 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.013% | 14,043 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Scandinavian Defense: Kiel Variation (B01)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/scandinavian-defense-kiel-variation