Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Closed
3/3
1.e4c52.Nc3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Closed28.5M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
23%6.5M47%
6.1%1.8M49%
4%1.1M50%
1%298k45%
0.7%196k47%
0.3%95k47%
0.1%31k44%
0%11k48%
Famous games in this line46k master games
Carlsen, M. (2877) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2768)Carlsen, M.. (2847) – Nepomniachtchi, I.. (2792)Carlsen, M. (2855) – Giri, A. (2782)Carlsen, Magnus (2815) – Anand, Viswanathan (2817)Carlsen, M. (2847) – Aronian, L. (2782)Rapport, R. (2762) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Carlsen, M. (2865) – Duda, J. (2760)Carlsen, M. (2864) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2760)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Giri, A. · Anand, Viswanathan
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B23
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Traditional2…Nc6 · 10 deeper linesSicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack2…Nc6 3.f4 · 1 deeper lineSicilian Defense: Closed, Grob Attack2…Nc6 3.g4Sicilian Defense: Closed, Chameleon Variation2…Nc6 3.Nge2
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