Tree path 5 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › O'Kelly Variation › Venice System
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Sicilian Defense B20
- Sicilian Defense B27
- O'Kelly Variation B28
- Venice System B28 you are here
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System
Overview
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System is a named branch in the Semi-Open Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO B28.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
It begins with 5 plies and takes 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3 to reach the canonical position.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
4 named variations grow from this line, including Barcza Line, Gambit Line, Ljubojevic Line, and others.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- B28
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 5
- Direct variations
- 4
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
718,808 games · White 49.9% / Draw 5.5% / Black 44.6%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| d5 | 216,479 | |
| e6 | 169,939 | |
| Nc6 | 101,724 | |
| b5 | 68,390 | |
| d6 | 67,832 | |
| Nf6 | 46,338 | |
| g6 | 26,472 | |
| h6 | 6,012 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:08:18
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