Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Deferred Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
285,362 games: White 46.6% / Draw 4.3% / Black 49.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 181,203181K | ||
| 48,18148K | ||
| 26,76127K | ||
| 7,6567,656 | ||
| 3,8993,899 | ||
| 3,3563,356 | ||
| 3,3523,352 | ||
| 3,0143,014 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 7, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.21 The position is about equal
Best play: 3... cxb4 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nbd2 a5 6. a3 e6 7. axb4 d5 8. c3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: White scores 49% under 1400, 47% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 17K | |
| 1400–1799 | 96K | |
| 1800–2199 | 182K | |
| 2200 and up | 39K | |
| Masters, over the board | 94 |
Master games
- Carlsen, M. – Vachier Lagrave, M.
- Duda, J. – Vasquez Schroeder, R.
- Antipov, M. – Xu, Y.
- Vokac, M. – Stocek, J.
- Basanta, G. – Epishin, V.
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 Variation (ECO B50, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. b4 (3 moves).
In 285,362 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.6%, Black 49.1% and 4.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…cxb4, in 63% 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 Variation
3…Nf6 scores best for Black: 53.9%, with Black winning 51.7% and White 43.9% of 27K games. The most played, 3…cxb4, scores 52.1% in 181K games, and 3…b6 scores lowest: 48.5%. 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 Variation peaked in 2023 at 0.012% of Lichess games and has slipped since: 0.011% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.01% | 3,652 |
| 2017 | 0.011% | 6,084 |
| 2018 | 0.012% | 9,658 |
| 2019 | 0.012% | 14,370 |
| 2020 | 0.0094% | 27,463 |
| 2021 | 0.01% | 40,577 |
| 2022 | 0.011% | 42,012 |
| 2023 | 0.012% | 46,816 |
| 2024 | 0.012% | 41,914 |
| 2025 | 0.011% | 37,478 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.01% | 11,092 |
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 Variation (B50)”. Lichess data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-wing-gambit-deferred-variation