Caissa Codex
B66

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations after 7…a6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

150,852 games: White 47.2% / Draw 6.8% / Black 46.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
127,880128K
7,6277,627
6,9546,954
4,3654,365
1,5461,546
700700
496496
364364

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.43 White is slightly better

Best play: 8. O-O-O Be7 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. f4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Qa5 12. Be2 Bd7

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

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations (ECO B66, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 (7 moves).

In 150,852 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.2%, Black 46.0% and 6.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. O-O-O, in 85% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations

8. f3 scores best for White: 51.7%, with White winning 48.7% and Black 45.2% of 7,627 games. The most played answer, 8. O-O-O, scores lowest: 50.8% in 128K games. Stockfish's first choice is 8. O-O-O.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 7…a6, the position after Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations (B66)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-richter-rauzer-variation-neo-modern-variation-early-deviations

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-richter-rauzer-variation-neo-modern-variation-early-deviations