Caissa Codex
B27

Sicilian Defense: Brussels Gambit

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Brussels Gambit after 2…f5

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

42,499 games: White 47.6% / Draw 3.5% / Black 48.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
24,00024K
6,9746,974
4,4204,420
2,6312,631
1,5441,544
1,3401,340
650650
436436

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 9, 2026

Engine evaluation

+2.19 White is clearly better

Even so, Black scores 50.6% here in practice: wins plus half the draws in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500.

Best play: 3. exf5 Nc6 4. d4 d5 5. dxc5 Bxf5 6. Bb5 a6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6

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

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Brussels Gambit (ECO B27, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 f5 (2 moves).

In 42,499 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.6%, Black 48.9% and 3.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. exf5, in 56% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Sicilian Defense: Double-Dutch Gambit.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Brussels Gambit

3. Nc3 scores best for White: 51.5%, with White winning 49.8% and Black 46.8% of 2,631 games. The most played, 3. exf5, scores 50.6% in 24K games, and 3. d4 scores lowest: 44.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 3. exf5.

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

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 2…f5, the position after Sicilian Defense also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Brussels Gambit (B27)”. Lichess data as of 9 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-brussels-gambit

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-brussels-gambit