- ECO code
- B40
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 377
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1864–2026
Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 is the opening filed under ECO code B40, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 377 games on this line — the 259th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1864 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 282 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 39% of those games, 30% end in a draw, and Black wins 31%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 3 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 5 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...d5, played in 189 games, followed by 3...Nf6 (178) and 3...Nc6 (7). After 3...d5 White scores 38% and Black 30%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Aronian,L (38 games); on the Black side, Carlsen,M (23).
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Results in master games
- White 39% (147)
- Draws 30% (112)
- Black 31% (118)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...d5 | 189 | 38/32/30 | — |
| 3...Nf6 | 178 | 39/27/34 | — |
| 3...Nc6 | 7 | 43/43/14 | — |
| 3...b6 | 2 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...a6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
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: French Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 · 4,191 games
Played most often by
As White
- Aronian,L 38
- Nakamura,Hi 27
- Caruana,F 17
As Black
- Carlsen,M 23
- Caruana,F 22
- Kramnik,V 21
Games per decade
- 1860s 1
- 1920s 1
- 1950s 1
- 1960s 2
- 1970s 10
- 1980s 3
- 1990s 17
- 2000s 27
- 2010s 33
- 2020s 282
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aronian,L | Sindarov,Javokhir | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool C |
| Niemann,Hans Moke | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Tata Steel India Blitz |
| Mishra,Abhimanyu | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | American Cup Blitz 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Lazavik,Denis | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Ohanyan,Emin | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 12th Feb 2026 |
| Zierk,S | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6?
It is the opening with ECO code B40, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 good for White or for Black?
In 377 master games on this line White wins 39%, 30% are drawn and Black wins 31%. 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: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6?
3...d5 — played in 189 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6?
On the White side Aronian,L (38), Nakamura,Hi (27), Caruana,F (17); on the Black side Carlsen,M (23), Caruana,F (22), Kramnik,V (21).
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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