Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, with Nge2
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Statistics from Lichess
52,378 games: White 46.0% / Draw 7.2% / Black 46.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 29,96530K | ||
| 11,88212K | ||
| 3,9673,967 | ||
| 2,7632,763 | ||
| 2,1792,179 | ||
| 828828 | ||
| 260260 | ||
| 135135 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.04 The position is about equal
Best play: 7. Nd5 Nge7 8. Nec3 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Rb1 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 Be6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, with Nge2 (ECO B25, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Closed, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Nge2 e5 (6 moves).
In 52,378 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.0%, Black 46.8% and 7.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 57% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, with Nge2
7. Nd5 scores best for White: 51.0%, with White winning 46.7% and Black 44.7% of 2,763 games. The most played, 7. O-O, scores 49.1% in 30K games, and 7. h3 scores lowest: 48.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Nd5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, with Nge2 (B25)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-closed-botvinnik-defense-with-nge2