Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
2,829,584 games: White 49.5% / Draw 5.8% / Black 44.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,175,4251.2M | ||
| 1,076,6271.1M | ||
| 263,565264K | ||
| 115,686116K | ||
| 98,64799K | ||
| 54,30954K | ||
| 12,55113K | ||
| 7,1287,128 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.36 White is slightly better
Best play: 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 f6 7. O-O Nh6 8. c4 Nf7
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 Black: Black scores 50% under 1400, 45% at 2200 and up and 43% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 264K | |
| 1400–1799 | 1M | |
| 1800–2199 | 1.5M | |
| 2200 and up | 712K | |
| Masters, over the board | 19K |
Master games
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
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
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation (ECO B31, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 (3 moves).
In 2,829,584 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.5%, Black 44.6% and 5.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. Bxc6, in 42% of those games.
It branches into 4 named variations; the most played are Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation, Gufeld Gambit and Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation, Lutikov Gambit.
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: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation
4. O-O scores best for White: 54.2%, with White winning 51.1% and Black 42.8% of 1.1M games. The most played, 4. Bxc6, scores 52.5% in 1.2M games, and 4. c3 scores lowest: 51.5%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. Bxc6.
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: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation has gained ground since 2016: 0.11% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.076% (its peak: 0.13% in 2019).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.076% | 27,214 |
| 2017 | 0.084% | 46,289 |
| 2018 | 0.1% | 78,379 |
| 2019 | 0.13% | 166,912 |
| 2020 | 0.13% | 380,506 |
| 2021 | 0.11% | 416,541 |
| 2022 | 0.1% | 392,084 |
| 2023 | 0.11% | 398,333 |
| 2024 | 0.1% | 373,121 |
| 2025 | 0.11% | 378,476 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.12% | 127,758 |
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
Variations (4)
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation (B31)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-nyezhmetdinov-rossolimo-attack-fianchetto-variation