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Tree path 9 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › Modern Variations › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › Modern Variations, Main Line › Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation › Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation
  1. Chess Codex
  2. King's Pawn Game B00
  3. Sicilian Defense B20
  4. Sicilian Defense B27
  5. Modern Variations B50
  6. Sicilian Defense B50
  7. Sicilian Defense B50
  8. Modern Variations, Main Line B54
  9. Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation B56
  10. Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation B60 you are here
B60

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation

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Overview

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation is a variation within the Semi-Open Games family, indexed as ECO B60.

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.

Play reaches this position via 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5, after 11 plies of opening development.

It is a variation of Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, which itself descends from the root opening King's Pawn Game.

It branches into 2 notable variations — Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Modern Variation.

In total, the branch covers 13 sub-variations across all depths.

Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.

ECO code
B60
Group
Semi-Open Games (B)
Plies
11
Parent
Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation
Direct variations
2
Total in subtree
13

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

935,582 games · White 49.1% / Draw 5.5% / Black 45.4%

MovesGamesW / D / B
e6514,497
g693,672
e584,746
Bd777,467
h640,669
a638,828
Qb629,986
Qa526,433

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:26:02

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Variations (2)

Related variations at the same level

Sister lines that share the same parent Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation:

Show all 13 sub-variations (full subtree)

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-richter-rauzer-variation