Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation
The Kalashnikov Variation is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6, a close relative of the Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian. Read the guide
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Statistics from Lichess
2,669,611 games: White 50.2% / Draw 5.2% / Black 44.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,754,7811.8M | ||
| 592,390592K | ||
| 69,57170K | ||
| 61,84062K | ||
| 61,45561K | ||
| 43,36943K | ||
| 19,32319K | ||
| 16,44416K |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 8, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.46 White is slightly better
Best play: 6. c4 Nf6 7. N5c3 a6 8. Bd3 Be7 9. Nd5 Nxd5 10. cxd5 Nd4
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 49% both under 1400 and at 2200 and up, and 47% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 8,554 | |
| 1400–1799 | 505K | |
| 1800–2199 | 1.8M | |
| 2200 and up | 405K | |
| Masters, over the board | 7,634 |
Master games
- Nepomniachtchi, I. – Carlsen, M.
- Carlsen, M. – Nakamura, H.
- So, W. – Carlsen, M.
- Anand, V. – Caruana, F.
- Karjakin, S. – Radjabov, T.
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 26, 2026
Description
The Kalashnikov Variation is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6, a close relative of the Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian. It is sometimes called the Neo-Sveshnikov. In the late 1980s Black players revived 4...e5 with the plan of meeting 5.Nb5 with 5...d6.
The idea
The ideas are similar to those of the Sveshnikov: Black accepts a backward pawn on d6 and a weak d5-square, but gains time by chasing White's knight. The difference is that Black has not yet developed the knight to f6 and White has not yet brought the other knight to c3, so both sides have extra options.
Main lines
- 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5 Nge7. Here Black develops the knight to e7 instead of f6, which avoids White's usual plan of Bg5 and Bxf6 to give Black doubled f-pawns.
- Black can also delay the knight and play ...Be7–g5 or a quick ...f5.
- 6.c4, the Maróczy Bind, strengthens White's hold on d5 and stops ...b5, but leaves the d4-square slightly weak.
The numbers
On Lichess White wins 50.2% of the 2.7 million games and Black 44.6%. Between 1400 and 2199 White wins 50.4–50.7% against 44.3–45.8%, and from 2200 up 47.6% against 44.8%. In 7,634 master games over the board White won 32.3%, Black 25.4%, and 42.3% were drawn.
Suggest an improvement or report a mistake
How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation
6. c4 scores best for White: 53.4%, with White winning 50.6% and Black 43.9% of 592K games. The most played answer, 6. N1c3, scores lowest: 52.7% in 1.8M games. Stockfish's first choice is also 6. c4.
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: Kalashnikov Variation peaked in 2019 at 0.14% of Lichess games and has slipped since: 0.1% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.086% | 30,757 |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 55,593 |
| 2018 | 0.11% | 86,928 |
| 2019 | 0.14% | 174,296 |
| 2020 | 0.12% | 337,297 |
| 2021 | 0.097% | 378,098 |
| 2022 | 0.098% | 369,594 |
| 2023 | 0.1% | 377,390 |
| 2024 | 0.1% | 357,548 |
| 2025 | 0.1% | 349,608 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.1% | 109,894 |
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
Sources
- History and theory: adapted from the Wikipedia article Sicilian Defence, version of 27 October 2026, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Results: Lichess opening explorer, figures collected from September to November 2026.
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation (B32)”. Lichess data as of 8 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-kalashnikov-variation