Sicilian Defense: Closed, Grob Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
21,790 games: White 50.7% / Draw 4.9% / Black 44.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 7,5757,575 | ||
| 5,2155,215 | ||
| 4,7314,731 | ||
| 2,1032,103 | ||
| 690690 | ||
| 481481 | ||
| 360360 | ||
| 205205 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.47 Black is slightly better
Best play: 3... d6 4. d3 g6 5. h4 h6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. g5 Bd7 8. Nge2
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Grob Attack (ECO B23, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Traditional, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g4 (3 moves).
In 21,790 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.7%, Black 44.4% and 4.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…d6, in 35% 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, Grob Attack
3…e5 scores best for Black: 49.5%, with Black winning 47.1% and White 48.1% of 2,103 games. The most played answer, 3…d6, scores lowest: 45.5% in 7,575 games. Stockfish's first choice is 3…d6.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black'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, Grob Attack (B23)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-closed-grob-attack