Van Geet Opening: Novosibirsk Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
46,901 games: White 51.6% / Draw 4.8% / Black 43.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 23,87124K | ||
| 7,4387,438 | ||
| 4,7334,733 | ||
| 4,4994,499 | ||
| 2,3112,311 | ||
| 1,5781,578 | ||
| 898898 | ||
| 368368 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 13, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.52 Black is slightly better
Best play: 4... d5 5. e4 d4 6. Nd5 Nf6 7. Bc4 Be6 8. Nxf6+ exf6 9. Bxe6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Van Geet Opening: Novosibirsk Variation (ECO A00, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Van Geet Opening, reached after 1. Nc3 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qh4 (4 moves).
In 46,901 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.6%, Black 43.6% and 4.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Nf6, in 51% 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 Van Geet Opening: Novosibirsk Variation
4…d5 scores best for Black: 55.1%, with Black winning 52.8% and White 42.7% of 4,499 games. The most played answer, 4…Nf6, scores lowest: 43.9% in 24K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…d5.
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. “Van Geet Opening: Novosibirsk Variation (A00)”. Lichess data as of 13 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/van-geet-opening-novosibirsk-variation