Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov Transfer
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Statistics from Lichess
189,668 games: White 53.0% / Draw 5.6% / Black 41.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 130,152130K | ||
| 35,26335K | ||
| 5,1945,194 | ||
| 5,0275,027 | ||
| 3,2353,235 | ||
| 3,1543,154 | ||
| 1,8311,831 | ||
| 1,3441,344 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.21 The position is about equal
Best play: 7. Bf4 e5 8. Bg5 a6 9. Na3 b5 10. Nd5 Be7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 643 | |
| 1400–1799 | 19K | |
| 1800–2199 | 110K | |
| 2200 and up | 64K | |
| Masters, over the board | 3,505 |
Master games
- Giri, A. – Nepomniachtchi, I.
- Kasparov, G. – Shirov, A.
- Giri, A. – Mamedyarov, S.
- So, W. – Vachier Lagrave, M.
- So, W. – Mamedyarov, S.
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
Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov Transfer (ECO B45, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Ndb5 d6 (6 moves).
In 189,668 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.0%, Black 41.4% and 5.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Bf4, in 69% 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 Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov Transfer
The most played answer, 7. Bf4, also scores best for White: 60.8%, with White winning 57.8% and Black 36.1% of 130K games. Of the main answers, 7. Bg5 scores lowest: 46.3%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Bf4.
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 Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov Transfer peaked in 2019 at 0.0092% of Lichess games and has slipped since: 0.0072% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0067% | 2,403 |
| 2017 | 0.0077% | 4,242 |
| 2018 | 0.0091% | 7,112 |
| 2019 | 0.0092% | 11,509 |
| 2020 | 0.0085% | 25,024 |
| 2021 | 0.0069% | 26,834 |
| 2022 | 0.0065% | 24,508 |
| 2023 | 0.007% | 26,303 |
| 2024 | 0.007% | 25,085 |
| 2025 | 0.0072% | 25,130 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.0075% | 8,252 |
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. “Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov Transfer (B45)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-four-knights-variation-sveshnikov-transfer