Caissa Codex
B28

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Cortlever Gambit

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Cortlever Gambit after 4. Bc4

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

34,675 games: White 48.1% / Draw 3.5% / Black 48.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
17,34117K
5,3575,357
3,3523,352
2,5932,593
2,4072,407
1,7281,728
1,0361,036
389389

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 9, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.09 The position is about equal

Best play: 4... Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. Bb3 Nfd7 7. Qxd4 e6 8. Qf4 Nc6 9. O-O

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Cortlever Gambit (ECO B28, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Bc4 (4 moves).

In 34,675 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.1%, Black 48.4% and 3.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…e6, in 50% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Cortlever Gambit

The most played answer, 4…e6, also scores best for Black: 52.2%, with Black winning 50.3% and White 46.0% of 17K games. Of the main answers, 4…b5 scores lowest: 45.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 4…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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…cxd4 4. Bc4, the position after Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Cortlever Gambit (B28)”. Lichess data as of 9 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-okelly-variation-normal-system-cortlever-gambit

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-okelly-variation-normal-system-cortlever-gambit