Sicilian Defense: Heidenfeld Variation
Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.
Statistics from Lichess
2,500 games: White 48.2% / Draw 6.5% / Black 45.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,2761,276 | ||
| 418418 | ||
| 417417 | ||
| 323323 | ||
| 3838 | ||
| 1111 | ||
| 44 | ||
| 44 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.03 The position is about equal
Best play: 5... e6 6. g3 d6 7. Qe2 dxe5 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Qxe5 Bd7 10. Bg2
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Heidenfeld Variation (ECO B22, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Na3 (5 moves).
In 2,500 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.2%, Black 45.3% and 6.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…d6, in 51% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
Write a description or report a mistake
How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Heidenfeld Variation
5…g6 scores best for Black: 57.8%, with Black winning 54.3% and White 38.8% of 418 games. The most played, 5…d6, scores 46.5% in 1,276 games, and 5…a6 scores lowest: 45.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 5…e6.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Heidenfeld Variation (B22)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-heidenfeld-variation