Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation, Jaffe Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
23,262 games: White 45.2% / Draw 5.4% / Black 49.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 8,3588,358 | ||
| 5,5915,591 | ||
| 4,0394,039 | ||
| 3,7853,785 | ||
| 1,4481,448 | ||
| 1212 | ||
| 66 | ||
| 66 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.44 White is slightly better
Best play: 7. Ne2 O-O 8. O-O a6 9. a3 Be7 10. Be3 d6 11. h3 Nbd7
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation, Jaffe Variation (ECO B40, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd3 e5 (6 moves).
In 23,262 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.2%, Black 49.4% and 5.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Nf5, in 36% of those games.
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: Pin Variation, Jaffe Variation
7. Ne2 scores best for White: 55.7%, with White winning 52.7% and Black 41.2% of 4,039 games. The most played answer, 7. Nf5, scores lowest: 43.4% in 8,358 games. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Ne2.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation, Jaffe Variation (B40)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-pin-variation-jaffe-variation