- ECO code
- B31
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 725
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1934–2026
Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B31, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 725 games on this line — the 152nd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1934 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 342 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 43% of those games, 33% end in a draw, and Black wins 24%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 4 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 4.O-O, played in 382 games, followed by 4.Bxc6 (300) and 4.c3 (35). After 4.O-O White scores 40% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Caruana,F (45 games); on the Black side, Gukesh,D (63).
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Results in master games
- White 43% (308)
- Draws 33% (240)
- Black 24% (177)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.O-O | 382 | 40/34/26 | — |
| 4.Bxc6 | 300 | 47/29/24 | — |
| 4.c3 | 35 | 34/57/9 | — |
| 4.Nc3 | 6 | 83/0/17 | — |
| 4.d3 | 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: Old Sicilian · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 · 4,730 games
- Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 · 1,700 games
Played most often by
As White
- Caruana,F 45
- Nepomniachtchi,I 34
- Vachier Lagrave,M 28
As Black
- Gukesh,D 63
- Carlsen,M 57
- Praggnanandhaa,R 37
Games per decade
- 1930s 1
- 1950s 6
- 1960s 11
- 1970s 11
- 1980s 6
- 1990s 58
- 2000s 110
- 2010s 180
- 2020s 342
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caruana,F | Aravindh,Chithambaram VR. | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 9th Apr 2026 |
| Grischuk,A | Mikhailovsky,Vladimir | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 27th Jan 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Lazavik,Denis | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 15th Jan 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Zharas,Aldiyar | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Feb 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Lazavik,Denis | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Tsolakidou,Stavroula | Ivanchuk,V | 0-1 | 2026 | Reykjavik Open 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B31, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation good for White or for Black?
In 725 master games on this line White wins 43%, 33% are drawn and Black wins 24%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation?
4.O-O — played in 382 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation?
On the White side Caruana,F (45), Nepomniachtchi,I (34), Vachier Lagrave,M (28); on the Black side Gukesh,D (63), Carlsen,M (57), Praggnanandhaa,R (37).
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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