Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
1,163,765 games: White 49.6% / Draw 5.1% / Black 45.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 504,734505K | ||
| 289,574290K | ||
| 191,556192K | ||
| 67,20567K | ||
| 30,02530K | ||
| 26,72127K | ||
| 24,01824K | ||
| 21,00621K |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 7, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.02 The position is about equal
Best play: 2... Nf6 3. Nbc3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Nxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qe5+ 7. Be2
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the better this line does for White: White scores 46% under 1400, 53% at 2200 and up and 56% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 77K | |
| 1400–1799 | 375K | |
| 1800–2199 | 726K | |
| 2200 and up | 172K | |
| Masters, over the board | 2,879 |
Master games
- Carlsen, M. – Nakamura, H.
- Carlsen, M. – Mamedyarov, S.
- Carlsen, M. – Gelfand, B.
- Carlsen, M. – Nepomniachtchi, I.
- Vachier Lagrave, M. – Wojtaszek, R.
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: Keres Variation (ECO B20, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 (2 moves).
In 1,163,765 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.6%, Black 45.2% and 5.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 2…Nc6, in 43% 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: Keres Variation
2…g6 scores best for Black: 48.8%, with Black winning 46.1% and White 48.4% of 67K games. The most played, 2…Nc6, scores 47.9% in 505K games, and 2…d6 scores lowest: 46.9%. Stockfish's first choice is 2…Nf6.
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
Popularity by year
The Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation has stayed between 0.04% and 0.051% of Lichess games a year since 2016 (0.046% in 2025).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.041% | 14,652 |
| 2017 | 0.045% | 24,963 |
| 2018 | 0.046% | 36,443 |
| 2019 | 0.051% | 63,213 |
| 2020 | 0.046% | 135,234 |
| 2021 | 0.041% | 159,775 |
| 2022 | 0.04% | 151,417 |
| 2023 | 0.05% | 187,214 |
| 2024 | 0.045% | 160,431 |
| 2025 | 0.046% | 159,844 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.047% | 51,441 |
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: Keres Variation (B20)”. Lichess data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-keres-variation