- ECO code
- B63
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 379
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1955–2026
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B63, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 379 games on this line — the 258th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1955 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 96 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 35% 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 7...a6, played in 265 games, followed by 7...Be7 (101) and 7...Qb6 (9). After 7...a6 White scores 41% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (28 games); on the Black side, Shirov, Alexei (25).
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Results in master games
- White 41% (155)
- Draws 35% (132)
- Black 24% (92)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7...a6 | 265 | 41/33/26 | — |
| 7...Be7 | 101 | 39/40/21 | — |
| 7...Qb6 | 9 | 56/33/11 | — |
| 7...Bd7 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
| 7...h6 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
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
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 · 6,441 games
- Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 · 737 games
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 · 491 games
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 · 404 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 28
- Karjakin,Sergey 19
- Anand, Viswanathan 17
As Black
- Shirov, Alexei 25
- Ivanchuk,V 19
- Anand, Viswanathan 15
Games per decade
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 6
- 1970s 9
- 1980s 32
- 1990s 93
- 2000s 71
- 2010s 65
- 2020s 96
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liang,Awonder | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Nakamura-Liang Rapid |
| Karjakin,Sergey | Sadhwani,Raunak | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess Stars 6.0 Blitz |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Croatia |
| Grischuk,A | Bai,Adelard | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Liang,Awonder | Nakamura,Hi | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Nakamura-Liang Classical |
| Siddharth,Jagadeesh | Firouzja,Alireza | 1/2-1/2 | 2025 | Titled Tue 21st Jan Early |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B63, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation good for White or for Black?
In 379 master games on this line White wins 41%, 35% 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: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation?
7...a6 — played in 265 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (28), Karjakin,Sergey (19), Anand, Viswanathan (17); on the Black side Shirov, Alexei (25), Ivanchuk,V (19), Anand, Viswanathan (15).
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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