Sicilian Defense: Quinteros Variation
Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.
Statistics from Lichess
160,422 games: White 48.7% / Draw 3.9% / Black 47.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 71,59472K | ||
| 28,68629K | ||
| 26,23226K | ||
| 17,68118K | ||
| 3,5973,597 | ||
| 3,3773,377 | ||
| 2,6312,631 | ||
| 2,0942,094 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.93 White is better
Best play: 3. c3 e6 4. d4 a6 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nbd2 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nd7
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Quinteros Variation (ECO B27, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Qc7 (2 moves).
In 160,422 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.7%, Black 47.4% and 3.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. d4, in 45% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
Write a description or report a mistake
How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Quinteros Variation
3. c3 scores best for White: 54.6%, with White winning 52.7% and Black 43.5% of 18K games. The most played, 3. d4, scores 50.6% in 72K games, and 3. Bc4 scores lowest: 47.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 3. c3.
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: Quinteros Variation (B27)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-quinteros-variation