Tree path 3 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Closed
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Sicilian Defense B20
- Closed B23 you are here
Sicilian Defense: Closed
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Closed is a named branch in the Semi-Open Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO B23.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
Play reaches this position via 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3, after 3 plies of opening development.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Sicilian Defense, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
4 named variations grow from this line, including Sicilian Defense: Closed, Carlsen Variation, Traditional, and others.
In total, the branch covers 21 sub-variations across all depths.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- B23
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 3
- Parent
- Sicilian Defense
- Direct variations
- 4
- Total in subtree
- 21
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
33,223,220 games · White 49.3% / Draw 4.9% / Black 45.9%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Nc6 | 14,711,607 | |
| d6 | 7,405,312 | |
| e6 | 6,739,828 | |
| g6 | 2,136,615 | |
| a6 | 1,492,879 | |
| e5 | 324,457 | |
| Nf6 | 215,687 | |
| b6 | 107,780 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 00:53:23
Write a description
Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links).
Submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Variations (4)
Show all 21 sub-variations (full subtree)
- B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed 4-ply
- B23 Carlsen Variation 9-ply
- B23 Traditional 4-ply
- B74 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Stockholm Attack 27-ply
- B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed 5-ply
- B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed, Chameleon Variation 5-ply
- B24 Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation 5-ply
- B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed, Grob Attack 5-ply
- B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed, Portland Attack 7-ply
- B23 Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack 5-ply
- B24 Sicilian Defense: Closed 6-ply
- B23 Korchnoi Defense 6-ply
- B23 Schofman Variation 11-ply
- B24 Sicilian Defense: Closed 8-ply
- B25 Sicilian Defense: Closed 10-ply
- B24 Smyslov Variation 13-ply
- B25 Sicilian Defense: Closed 11-ply
- B26 Sicilian Defense: Closed 11-ply
- B25 Botvinnik Defense, with Nge2 12-ply
- B25 Botvinnik Defense, with f4 12-ply
- B25 Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, Edge Variation 14-ply