Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation
5/5
1.e4c52.Nc3Nc63.g3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation1.9M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
21%398k45%
18%338k44%
10%194k44%
7.8%149k44%
2.5%48k43%
0.8%15k42%
0.5%9.6k51%
0.2%4.4k45%
0.2%3.1k40%
Famous games in this line7.8k master games
Rapport, R. (2762) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Nepomniachtchi, Ian (2784) – Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2778)Mamedyarov, S. (2765) – Wang Yue (2720)Short, N. (2683) – Nakamura, Hi (2786)Adams, Michael (2708) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2760)Adams, Michael (2670) – Anand, Viswanathan (2770)Nihal, Sarin (2692) – Giri, A. (2748)Adams, Michael (2716) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2714)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Mamedyarov, S. · Nakamura, Hi · Adams, Michael
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B24
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3
Fianchetto
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, with f43…g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.f4 … · 1 deeper lineSicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, with Nge23…g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Nge2 …Sicilian Defense: Closed, Smyslov Variation3…g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 e6 6.Be3 …Sicilian Defense: Closed, Botvinnik Defense, Edge Variation3…g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.f4 …
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.
Study this opening