- ECO code
- B53
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 328
- Average game length
- 46 moves
- Years covered
- 1954–2026
Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B53, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Chekhover Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 328 games on this line — the 288th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1954 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 165 games. An average game here lasts 46 moves.
White wins 37% of those games, 27% end in a draw, and Black wins 36%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 8 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 8 points.
From this position the most popular move is 4...Nc6, played in 136 games, followed by 4...Nf6 (123) and 4...a6 (53). After 4...Nc6 White scores 43% and Black 31%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Hou Yifan (28 games); on the Black side, Vachier Lagrave,M (22).
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Results in master games
- White 37% (120)
- Draws 27% (89)
- Black 36% (119)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...Nc6 | 136 | 43/26/31 | — |
| 4...Nf6 | 123 | 27/31/42 | — |
| 4...a6 | 53 | 43/19/38 | — |
| 4...Bd7 | 14 | 35/29/36 | — |
| 4...e5 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 · 21,789 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 · 18,942 games
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 · 9,282 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 · 6,995 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 · 6,811 games
Played most often by
As White
- Hou Yifan 28
- Nakamura,Hi 26
- Abdusattorov,Nodirbek 24
As Black
- Vachier Lagrave,M 22
- Nepomniachtchi,I 20
- Grischuk,A 13
Games per decade
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 7
- 1970s 9
- 1980s 3
- 1990s 34
- 2000s 24
- 2010s 79
- 2020s 165
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Martinez Alcantara,Jose Eduardo | 0-1 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 14th May 2026 |
| Andreikin,D | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 27th Jan 2026 |
| Szpar,Milosz | Shirov,A | 0-1 | 2026 | V Menorca Open A 2026 |
| Ahmad,Khagan | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Borgaonkar,Akshay | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 16th Apr 2026 |
| Asish Panda | Grischuk,A | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 9th Jun 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B53, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation good for White or for Black?
In 328 master games on this line White wins 37%, 27% are drawn and Black wins 36%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation?
4...Nc6 — played in 136 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation?
On the White side Hou Yifan (28), Nakamura,Hi (26), Abdusattorov,Nodirbek (24); on the Black side Vachier Lagrave,M (22), Nepomniachtchi,I (20), Grischuk,A (13).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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