Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit Deferred
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Statistics from Lichess
301,193 games: White 50.1% / Draw 4.1% / Black 45.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 198,484198K | ||
| 33,83134K | ||
| 21,51222K | ||
| 16,53717K | ||
| 12,90213K | ||
| 7,8187,818 | ||
| 3,2113,211 | ||
| 1,7551,755 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.21 The position is about equal
Best play: 3... cxb4 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 d5 6. e5 Ne4 7. a3 Nc6 8. O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the better this line does for White: White scores 48% under 1400, 52% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 12K | |
| 1400–1799 | 80K | |
| 1800–2199 | 183K | |
| 2200 and up | 64K | |
| Masters, over the board | 172 |
Master games
- Zvjaginsev, V. – Akopian, V.
- Zvjaginsev, V. – Khairullin, I.
- Bernadskiy, V. – Rublevsky, S.
- Zvjaginsev, V. – Epishin, V.
- Bernadskiy, V. – Moiseenko, A.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit Deferred (ECO B40, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense: French Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b4 (3 moves).
In 301,193 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.1%, Black 45.8% and 4.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…cxb4, in 66% 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: Wing Gambit Deferred
3…b6 scores best for Black: 50.9%, with Black winning 48.5% and White 46.8% of 34K games. The most played, 3…cxb4, scores 47.9% in 198K games, and 3…Nc6 scores lowest: 44.6%. Stockfish's first choice is 3…cxb4.
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
Popularity by year
The Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit Deferred dipped to 0.0098% of Lichess games in 2020 and has recovered since: 0.013% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.011% | 3,878 |
| 2017 | 0.011% | 6,195 |
| 2018 | 0.012% | 9,134 |
| 2019 | 0.012% | 14,379 |
| 2020 | 0.0098% | 28,554 |
| 2021 | 0.0099% | 38,651 |
| 2022 | 0.011% | 40,796 |
| 2023 | 0.013% | 47,873 |
| 2024 | 0.013% | 47,418 |
| 2025 | 0.013% | 44,992 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.013% | 14,252 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit Deferred (B40)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-wing-gambit-deferred