Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Ljubojevic Line
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Statistics from Lichess
69,884 games: White 50.9% / Draw 4.5% / Black 44.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 59,57160K | ||
| 2,6622,662 | ||
| 2,4212,421 | ||
| 1,6711,671 | ||
| 1,1271,127 | ||
| 727727 | ||
| 364364 | ||
| 300300 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.79 White is better
Best play: 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Bb7 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. e5 Nd5 8. Nc3 e6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Ljubojevic Line (ECO B28, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3 b5 (3 moves).
In 69,884 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.9%, Black 44.6% and 4.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. d4, in 85% of those games.
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Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Ljubojevic Line (B28)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-okelly-variation-venice-system-ljubojevic-line