Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Santasiere Variation
Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.
Statistics from Lichess
4,360 games: White 43.9% / Draw 3.7% / Black 52.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 2,8762,876 | ||
| 415415 | ||
| 361361 | ||
| 346346 | ||
| 146146 | ||
| 5858 | ||
| 4949 | ||
| 4545 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
−1.26 Black is better
Best play: 3... e5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Nf6 6. d3 bxa3 7. Bxa3 Bxa3 8. Rxa3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Santasiere Variation (ECO B20, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. c4 (3 moves).
In 4,360 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.9%, Black 52.4% and 3.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…bxc3, in 66% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
Write a description or report a mistake
How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Santasiere Variation
3…e5 scores best for Black: 60.0%, with Black winning 57.6% and White 37.7% of 361 games. The most played answer, 3…bxc3, scores lowest: 52.9% in 2,876 games. Stockfish's first choice is also 3…e5.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Santasiere Variation (B20)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-wing-gambit-santasiere-variation