Chess Openings Lab
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Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation

The Kveinis Variation is 4...Qb6 after 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4, hitting the d4 knight and the b2 pawn at once. Black hopes to unsettle White early, while White aims to cover d4 and b2 calmly and use the extra development time.

Moves
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6
ECO
B40
Engine
+0.75 · a clear edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
205 games in our lichess sample
White scores
43.7%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 5.Be3 guards the knight and ignores b2 for now, then Nd2 keeps the queenside covered.
  • c3 is a quiet answer that protects d4, followed by Bd3, castling and f4 for kingside space.
  • Nb3 steps away from the queen and lets White build with Nc3, Be3 and f3.
  • Gain time on the queen: once Black plays ...Qc7, push f4 and Qf3 to start central pressure.

Black

  • Answer Be3 with ...a6 and ...Qc7, tucking the queen back after it has drawn White's bishop forward.
  • Play ...d6 and ...e5 once White has pushed f4, fighting for the dark squares in the center.
  • After Nb3, use ...Bb4 against the c3 knight to keep some piece pressure on e4.
  • Do not grab b2 if it costs development; the queen already spent a move getting to b6.

Plans and pawn structure

Black's queen sortie usually ends with ...Qc7, so the real fight is about tempo. White wants to turn the extra time into f4, Qf3 and a quick kingside or central push, with the knights on d4 or b3 and bishops on e3 and d3. Black answers with ...a6, ...d6 and later ...Nf6, sometimes striking with ...e5 to challenge White's pawn chain. If White finishes development without loosening b2, Black's early queen move simply leaves White better placed.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.75: a clear edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.75 5.Be3 a6 6.Nd2 Qc7 7.f4 d6
  2. +0.64 5.c3 a6 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.O-O Qc7
  3. +0.59 5.Nb3 Qc7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Be3 Nf6

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

205 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 43.7%.

1600–199945.4%
2000 and up34.9%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, do not panic about b2. Play Be3 or c3, finish development, and push f4 when Black's queen retreats. Avoid Nb5 adventures that drop pieces into ...a6 and leave the center loose.

Questions

What are the moves of the Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation starts 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6. Its ECO code is B40.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.75 at depth 20, which is a clear edge for White. In 205 lichess games from our sample, White scored 43.7%. A tricky idea for Black players who like early queen play, but White gets an easy edge by developing calmly.

What is the main idea of the Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation?

Black brings the queen to b6 early to pressure d4 and b2. White covers both with Be3 or c3, finishes development, and uses the gained time for f4 and Qf3.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Be3, with c3 and Nb3 close behind. 5.Be3 defends d4 with a developing move and leaves the b2 question for Nd2 to answer.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.