St. George Defense: San Jorge Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
19,347 games: White 46.5% / Draw 5.5% / Black 48.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 7,2607,260 | ||
| 3,0793,079 | ||
| 2,0552,055 | ||
| 1,5031,503 | ||
| 1,1491,149 | ||
| 1,1151,115 | ||
| 837837 | ||
| 687687 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.42 White is better
Best play: 7. a4 Nd7 8. axb5 axb5 9. Rxa8 Qxa8 10. Re1 c6 11. h4 Nh6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
St. George Defense: San Jorge Variation (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the St. George Defense, reached after 1. e4 a6 2. d4 b5 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 d6 5. O-O g6 6. c3 Bg7 (6 moves).
In 19,347 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.5%, Black 48.0% and 5.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Re1, in 38% 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 St. George Defense: San Jorge Variation
7. a4 scores best for White: 55.7%, with White winning 52.6% and Black 41.2% of 1,149 games. The most played, 7. Re1, scores 51.6% in 7,260 games, and 7. Be3 scores lowest: 45.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. a4.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “St. George Defense: San Jorge Variation (B00)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/st-george-defense-san-jorge-variation