Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation (B23)

B23 · Chess Openings Reference Guide
Openings Directory / Sicilian Defense / Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation

Target Position

♜ ♝ ♛ ♚ ♝ ♞ ♜ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♞ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♟ ♜ ♞ ♝ ♛ ♚ ♝ ♞ ♜
Engine Eval: +0.18

Master Game Statistics

Based on master-level chess games in the database.

White Wins: 39.8% Draws: 31.1% Black Wins: 29.1%

Strategic Overview

The Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation (ECO code B23) is a key chess opening. From the starting board position, it is defined by the following move sequence:

Move Sequence (SAN)
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3
UCI Move Path
e2e4 c7c5 b1c3
Repertoire Training

Import this opening directly into your client-side repertoires to drill or review using spaced repetition.

Internal Navigation

Parent Opening

This line is a variation of the main parent opening:

Sicilian Defense (B20)

Sub-variations & Next Lines

Select a variation to view specific move paths, engine evaluations, and stats:

B34 Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon
B36 Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maroczy Bind
B39 Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maroczy Bind, Gurgenidze Variation
B35 Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Variation
B22 Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
B22 Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, 2...Nf6
B22 Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense
B56 Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation
B59 Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, Boleslavsky Variation
B57 Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, Sozin Attack
B25 Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation, Fianchetto Line
B70 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation
B72 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation
B71 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Levenfish Attack
B75 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack
B77 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, 9.Bc4
B76 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line
B23 Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack
B27 Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon
B32 Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation
B42 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation
B43 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation
B41 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maroczy Bind
B42 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern (5.Bd3)
B21 Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack (2.f4)
B51 Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation (Canal Attack)
B52 Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Main Line
B90 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation
B93 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation
B98 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Browne Variation
B90 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack
B87 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Fischer-Sozin Attack
B96 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line (6.Bg5)
B92 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation
B97 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation
B91 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Zagreb (Fianchetto) Variation
B60 Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation
B62 Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, 6...e6
B66 Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Main Line
B30 Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation
B31 Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Fianchetto Line
B80 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation
B84 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation
B80 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack
B81 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Keres Attack
B83 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern (6.Be2)
B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit
B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
B33 Sicilian Defense: Sveshnikov Variation
B33 Sicilian Defense: Sveshnikov Variation, Chelyabinsk Variation
B33 Sicilian Defense: Sveshnikov Variation, Novosibirsk Variation
B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
B47 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation
B48 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack
B45 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Four Knights Variation