If you're looking for a way to avoid the mountains of theory in the Open Sicilian, the Euwe Attack with 2.b3 offers a fresh path. After 1.e4 c5 2.b3, Black usually strikes in the centre with 2...d5, and you meet it with 3.Bb2 — the Prins Gambit. The position is dead level, with Stockfish giving -0.21, a tiny nudge toward Black. Across over 12,000 games on Lichess, Black scores slightly better here (49.8% wins to your 46.8%), but the good news is that many of Black's natural replies are mistakes you can punish. Jump into the drill below to practise the critical line.
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Play the Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit against the engine
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Ready to test your knowledge? Play through the Prins Gambit in our interactive drill — the engine adapts to your moves and shows you the best responses. Createa
Find your own #1 mistake — free →The Main Idea: Fight for the Centre with the Fianchetto
The Prins Gambit is all about creating imbalances early. After 1.e4 c5, instead of pushing d4 or playing Nf3, you fianchetto your dark-squared bishop to b2, eyeing the long diagonal. When Black replies 2...d5, you develop the bishop with 3.Bb2, offering a pawn on e4. The engine's top reply for Black is 3...dxe4, giving up the centre temporarily. If Black accepts the gambit, you follow up with Nc3, forcing ...Nf6, then Bb5+, pinning the knight and building pressure. The position stays roughly equal, but you get quick development and active piece play as compensation for the pawn.
The Engine's Best Continuation: What Happens After 3...dxe4
If Black plays the strongest move — 3...dxe4 — the game continues 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bb5+. This sequence is worth memorising: the check forces Black to deal with the pin on the knight, and you castle quickly afterward. White's plan is straightforward: finish development, castle kingside, and use the open d-file and the long diagonal for pressure. Even though you've sacrificed a pawn, the engine evaluates this as dead level — you are essentially equal, with active pieces making up for the material deficit. This is the line you want to see, because you know exactly what to do.
What the Statistics Reveal: Black's Most Popular Choices
From the 12,048 games in the database, Black's most common move is 3...d4, appearing in 5,634 games. Against it White scores only 45.5% — so this is Black's best practical try. The second most popular reply, 3...dxe4 (4,567 games), is the engine's recommendation, and White scores slightly better at 46.3%. The next three moves — 3...Nc6, 3...e6, and 3...Nf6 — are all less common, but interestingly White's win rate jumps against them, especially 3...Nf6 (56.6%) and 3...e5 (73.3% in only 30 games). That tells you Black players often don't know the best reply, and you can capitalise.
The Mistakes to Punish: Nc6, Nf6, and e5
Three of Black's possible replies are classified as inaccuracies or mistakes. If Black plays 3...Nc6, that's an inaccuracy costing about 1.0 pawns — the engine says dxe4 was better. Similarly, 3...Nf6 is also an inaccuracy, losing around 0.7 pawns. And 3...e5 is a full mistake, losing about 1.9 pawns. The common thread? Black should capture on e4, and anything else gives you an edge. When your opponent plays one of these suboptimal moves, you can seize the initiative with natural developing moves — just keep your pieces active, control the centre, and don't rush to recover the pawn. The drill below will help you spot these opportunities.
Results across 12,048 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | d4Main line | 5,634 | 45.5% |
| 2 | dxe4 | 4,567 | 46.3% |
| 3 | Nc6 | 824 | 50.5% |
| 4 | e6 | 612 | 47.7% |
| 5 | Nf6 | 274 | 56.6% |
| 6 | e5 | 30 | 73.3% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sicilian Prins Gambit sound for White?
The Prins Gambit after 1.e4 c5 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 is considered dead equal according to the engine, with a Stockfish evaluation of -0.21. It's a playable line that avoids heavy theory, though Black scores slightly better in practice (49.8% wins to White's 46.8%).
What is Black's best response to the Prins Gambit?
The engine recommends 3...dxe4, accepting the gambit. After 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bb5+, White gets active piece play and a lead in development as compensation for the pawn. It leads to a roughly equal position.
How should White play against 3...d4?
Black's most popular move is 3...d4, appearing in 5,634 games. White scores only 45.5% against it, so it's a challenging reply. You should focus on controlling the centre and developing quickly, keeping in mind that the long diagonal with your bishop on b2 remains a key asset.
What mistakes do Black players make in the Prins Gambit?
Three common mistakes are 3...Nc6 (inaccuracy, loses ~1.0 pawns), 3...Nf6 (inaccuracy, loses ~0.7 pawns), and 3...e5 (mistake, loses ~1.9 pawns). Black's best move is dxe4, so be ready to pounce when your opponent chooses something else.