Sicilian Defense: Closed (3. g3 g6)
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6
The Sicilian Defense: Closed is a chess opening classified as ECO B24, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2,876 times by this move order. White won 50%, 7% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 4. Bg2 (94% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 4. Nge2 Bg7 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 e6)
- ECO
- B24
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1ppp1p/2n3p1/2p5/4P3/2N3P1/PPPP1P1P/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 102 | |
| 1500-1999 | 967 | |
| 2000+ | 1,807 | |
| All | 2,876 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Bg2 | 2,717 (94%) | |
| 4. d3 | 119 (4%) | |
| 4. Nge2 | 28 (1%) | |
| 4. f4 | 6 (0%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 2 (0%) | |
| 4. Be2 | 1 (0%) | |
| 4. h3 | 1 (0%) | |
| 4. h4 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
347 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 18%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- GM Axel Bachmann (2604) – GM Anton Korobov (2664) 0-1 · Titled Tue 18th Apr Early · 2023-04-18
- GM Axel Bachmann (2599) – GM Alan Pichot (2630) 1-0 · Sebinhoo Invitational TB · 2020-12-22
- GM Axel Bachmann (2599) – GM Luis Paulo Supi (2572) 1/2-1/2 · Iberoamericano Chess24 · 2020-07-05
- IM Filip Pancevski (2482) – GM Alexander Zubarev (2583) 1/2-1/2 · 12th Sautron Open · 2012-10-29
- FM Alberto Martin Fuentes (2388) – GM Etienne Bacrot (2667) 0-1 · Titled Tue 16th May Early · 2023-05-16
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Closed and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- NathanDerSchwarze (2862) – SmoovE1258502 (2674) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- IM shuriks91 (2769) – Juplt3rLlk3 (2741) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- IM shuriks91 (2774) – vwemby (2595) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Closed (4. Bg2 Bg7) B24 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.