Caissa Codex
B22

Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack after 8. Be2

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Statistics from Lichess

14,709 games: White 52.7% / Draw 6.7% / Black 40.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
8,6338,633
2,8292,829
1,3661,366
777777
585585
273273
205205
1313

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.16 The position is about equal

Best play: 8... exd4 9. O-O Qd8 10. Nb5 Nf6 11. Nbxd4 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Qxd4 13. Nxd4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack (ECO B22, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2 (8 moves).

In 14,709 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.7%, Black 40.6% and 6.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 8…exd4, in 59% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack

8…Nxd4 scores best for Black: 51.8%, with Black winning 46.6% and White 43.0% of 777 games. The most played answer, 8…exd4, scores lowest: 43.5% in 8,633 games. Stockfish's first choice is 8…exd4.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Be2, the position after Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Milner-Barry Attack (B22)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-alapin-variation-barmen-defense-milner-barry-attack

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-alapin-variation-barmen-defense-milner-barry-attack