Caissa Codex
B27

Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation after 2…e5

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

335,429 games: White 56.1% / Draw 4.1% / Black 39.7%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
121,191121K
85,16085K
45,95546K
32,16732K
24,33524K
6,7586,758
6,7016,701
3,2883,288

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 20, 2026

Engine evaluation

+2.16 White is clearly better

Best play: 3. Nxe5 Nf6 4. Bc4 Qe7 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Nxc6 dxc6

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 39% under 1400, 41% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).

PlayersGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400 680K
1400–1799 435K
1800–2199 148K
2200 and up 5,650
Masters, over the board 1

Master games

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: Jalalabad Variation (ECO B27, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e5 (2 moves).

In 335,429 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 56.1%, Black 39.7% and 4.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. Bc4, in 36% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation

3. Nxe5 scores best for White: 63.6%, with White winning 61.6% and Black 34.5% of 85K games. The most played, 3. Bc4, scores 57.4% in 121K games, and 3. Nc3 scores lowest: 54.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 3. Nxe5.

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: Jalalabad Variation has lost ground since 2016: 0.011% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.014% (its peak: 0.016% in 2021).

Numbers by year
YearShare of gamesGames
20160.014%4,981
20170.012%6,520
20180.012%9,503
20190.014%16,844
20200.015%45,383
20210.016%62,542
20220.013%48,719
20230.012%45,161
20240.012%43,271
20250.011%36,452
2026 (Jan–Apr)0.0097%10,632

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 2…e5, 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: Jalalabad Variation (B27)”. Lichess data as of 20 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-jalalabad-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-jalalabad-variation