Sicilian Defense: Closed, Portland Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
3,985 games: White 49.7% / Draw 5.1% / Black 45.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 3,5073,507 | ||
| 244244 | ||
| 131131 | ||
| 4242 | ||
| 2323 | ||
| 1414 | ||
| 66 | ||
| 55 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.43 Black is slightly better
Best play: 4... d6 5. h4 h6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. g5 hxg5 8. hxg5 Rxh1 9. Bxh1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Portland Attack (ECO B23, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Traditional, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. d3 g6 4. g4 (4 moves).
In 3,985 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.7%, Black 45.2% and 5.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Bg7, in 88% 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, Portland Attack
4…d6 scores best for Black: 48.6%, with Black winning 47.5% and White 50.4% of 244 games. The most played answer, 4…Bg7, scores lowest: 47.4% in 3,507 games. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…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, Portland Attack (B23)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-closed-portland-attack