B23 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Korchnoi Defense
6/6
1.e4c52.Nc3e63.g3d5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Korchnoi Defense229k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
50%115k53%
40%91k54%
7%16k53%
2.2%5.0k49%
0.3%79440%
0.2%37851%
0.1%29344%
0.1%17050%
0.1%14049%
0%10052%
Famous games in this line833 master games
Jobava, Baadur (2710) – Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2721)Short, Nigel D (2697) – Topalov, Veselin (2700)Andreikin, Dmitry (2713) – Potkin, Vladimir (2647)Mamedov, Rau (2688) – Grandelius, N. (2643)Motylev, A. (2663) – Grandelius, N. (2643)Spassky, Boris V (2625) – Kasparov, Garry (2640)Can, E. (2578) – Volokitin, And (2687)Short, Nigel D (2683) – Wojtkiewicz, Aleksander (2563)Heroes of this opening Andreikin, Dmitry · Mamedov, Rau · Can, E. · Short, Nigel D
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B23
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 d5
Fianchetto
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
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From the archives
No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.
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