- ECO code
- B40
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 4,191
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1857–2026
Sicilian Defense: French Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B40, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the French Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 4,191 games on this line — the 35th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1857 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 1,687 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 39% of those games, 32% end in a draw, and Black wins 29%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 3.d4, played in 2,965 games, followed by 3.c3 (377) and 3.g3 (244). After 3.d4 White scores 38% and Black 29%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (200 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (192).
9 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open; Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation; Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 39% (1,640)
- Draws 32% (1,339)
- Black 29% (1,212)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.d4 | 2,965 | 38/33/29 | — |
| 3.c3 | 377 | 39/30/31 | Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 |
| 3.g3 | 244 | 44/29/27 | — |
| 3.d3 | 176 | 40/26/34 | — |
| 3.Nc3 | 174 | 38/36/26 | — |
| 3.b3 | 144 | 47/22/31 | — |
| 3.c4 | 45 | 31/29/40 | — |
| 3.Qe2 | 21 | 33/48/19 | — |
Variations from this position
- Open · 3.d4 cxd4 · 2,956 games
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 · 1,195 games
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 · 1,062 games
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 · 1,049 games
- Normal · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 · 668 games
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 · 618 games
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 · 488 games
- Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 · 3.c3 · 377 games
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack · 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 · 337 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 200
- Nepomniachtchi,I 151
- Caruana,F 129
As Black
- Caruana,F 192
- Carlsen,M 133
- Kramnik,V 112
Games per decade
- 1850s 5
- 1860s 10
- 1870s 8
- 1890s 3
- 1900s 10
- 1910s 10
- 1920s 34
- 1930s 12
- 1940s 13
- 1950s 62
- 1960s 130
- 1970s 217
- 1980s 186
- 1990s 329
- 2000s 683
- 2010s 792
- 2020s 1,687
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 |
| Vokhidov,Shamsiddin | Nakamura,Hi | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Peng,Xiongjian | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Skliarov,V | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 21st Apr 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Shandrygin,Nikita | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
| Boyer,Mahel | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: French Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B40, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: French Variation good for White or for Black?
In 4,191 master games on this line White wins 39%, 32% are drawn and Black wins 29%. 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: French Variation?
3.d4 — played in 2,965 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: French Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (200), Nepomniachtchi,I (151), Caruana,F (129); on the Black side Caruana,F (192), Carlsen,M (133), Kramnik,V (112).
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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