Caissa Codex
B64

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation 8…O-O 9. f4

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation after 9. f4

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Statistics from Lichess

26,666 games: White 50.6% / Draw 6.6% / Black 42.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Rauzer Attack 8,6858,685
6,1166,116
5,2435,243
1,4631,463
1,4251,425
983983
836836
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation 760760

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.54 White is slightly better

Best play: 9... Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Qa5 11. Kb1 h6 12. h4 e5 13. Qf2 exf4 14. Nd5

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation (ECO B64, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 (9 moves).

In 26,666 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.6%, Black 42.8% and 6.6% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 9…Nxd4, in 33% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Rauzer Attack. In all, 2 named lines continue from it.

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How to answer 9. f4

9…h6 scores best for Black: 50.2%, with Black winning 46.4% and White 45.9% of 5,243 games. The most played, 9…Nxd4, scores 49.7% in 8,685 games, and 9…a6 scores lowest: 41.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 9…Nxd4.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4, the position after Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation also goes on to:

Transpositions

From here, a move transposes into another named line:

All 2 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation (B64)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-richter-rauzer-variation-classical-variation-2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-richter-rauzer-variation-classical-variation-2