Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Tartakower
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Statistics from Lichess
1,419,282 games: White 50.4% / Draw 4.7% / Black 44.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 664,243664K | ||
| 467,924468K | ||
| 138,078138K | ||
| 47,72348K | ||
| 24,63325K | ||
| 21,94622K | ||
| 21,02721K | ||
| 18,03818K |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 7, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.11 The position is about equal
Best play: 4... dxc3 5. Nxc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O a6 8. Bf4 Be7 9. Qe2
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 worse this line does for White: White scores 54% under 1400, 49% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 42K | |
| 1400–1799 | 385K | |
| 1800–2199 | 980K | |
| 2200 and up | 162K | |
| Masters, over the board | 63 |
Master games
- Cori T., D. – Cori, J.
- Poulheim, D. K. – Mrazík, I. L.
- Ditiatev, S. – Lutsko, I.
- Strbac, M. – Nenezic, M.
- Shneider, A. – Rozhnev, G.
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: Modern Variations, Tartakower (ECO B50, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3 (4 moves).
In 1,419,282 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.4%, Black 44.9% and 4.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…dxc3, in 47% 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: Modern Variations, Tartakower
4…Nf6 scores best for Black: 51.2%, with Black winning 48.6% and White 46.2% of 468K games. The most played answer, 4…dxc3, scores lowest: 44.7% in 664K games. Stockfish's first choice is 4…dxc3.
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: Modern Variations, Tartakower has lost ground since 2016: 0.049% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.06% (its peak: 0.066% in 2018).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.06% | 21,319 |
| 2017 | 0.065% | 35,850 |
| 2018 | 0.066% | 51,812 |
| 2019 | 0.064% | 79,871 |
| 2020 | 0.062% | 181,826 |
| 2021 | 0.056% | 218,664 |
| 2022 | 0.055% | 205,981 |
| 2023 | 0.052% | 195,558 |
| 2024 | 0.05% | 180,898 |
| 2025 | 0.049% | 170,936 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.049% | 53,726 |
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: Modern Variations, Tartakower (B50)”. Lichess data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-modern-variations-tartakower