Caissa Codex
B28

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation after 2…a6

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

4,703,886 games: White 46.9% / Draw 4.9% / Black 48.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Normal System 2,383,0312.4M
Venice System 692,475692K
406,882407K
Yerevan System 349,834350K
Maróczy Bind 256,403256K
185,114185K
Réti System 89,78490K
Quiet System 79,61980K

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 8, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.61 White is slightly better

Best play: 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Nf5 Nf6 7. Nc3 d5

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 50% both under 1400 and at 2200 and up, and 47% in master games (wins plus half the draws).

PlayersGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400 818K
1400–1799 2.6M
1800–2199 2.7M
2200 and up 541K
Masters, over the board 4,942

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 26, 2026

Overview

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation (ECO B28, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 (2 moves).

In 4,703,886 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.9%, Black 48.2% and 4.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. d4, in 51% of those games.

It branches into 9 named variations; the most played are Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System and Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System. In all, 19 named lines continue from it.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation

3. c4 (Maróczy Bind) scores best for White: 53.9%, with White winning 50.6% and Black 42.9% of 256K games. The most played, 3. d4, scores 48.2% in 2.4M games, and 3. Bc4 scores lowest: 46.3%. Stockfish's first choice is also 3. 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: O'Kelly Variation has stayed between 0.17% and 0.2% of Lichess games a year since 2016 (0.19% in 2025).

Numbers by year
YearShare of gamesGames
20160.2%72,017
20170.2%112,738
20180.2%160,748
20190.19%239,043
20200.19%542,611
20210.18%693,743
20220.18%666,588
20230.17%652,414
20240.18%629,847
20250.19%643,948
2026 (Jan–Apr)0.19%208,964

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 (9)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 2…a6, the position after Sicilian Defense also goes on to:

All 19 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation (B28)”. Lichess data as of 8 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-okelly-variation

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