Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3
The Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B24, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 6,272 times by this move order. White won 52%, 6% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 3… g6 (46% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 3… g6 4. Nge2 Bg7 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3)
- ECO
- B24
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2n5/2p5/4P3/2N3P1/PPPP1P1P/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 370 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2,893 | |
| 2000+ | 3,009 | |
| All | 6,272 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… g6 Closed (3. g3 g6) | 2,876 (46%) | |
| 3… e6 | 1,165 (19%) | |
| 3… d6 | 965 (15%) | |
| 3… e5 | 562 (9%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 449 (7%) | |
| 3… a6 | 120 (2%) | |
| 3… h5 | 42 (1%) | |
| 3… b6 | 34 (1%) |
Master games
1,196 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 15%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- GM Richard Rapport (2762) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2864) 0-1 · Charity Cup Prelim · 2022-03-20
- GM Yangyi Yu (2760) – GM Matthieu Cornette (2611) 1-0 · PRO League Group Stage · 2018-02-24
- GM Axel Bachmann (2599) – GM Jorden Van Foreest (2671) 1-0 · Sebinhoo Invitational · 2020-12-22
- GM Anton Demchenko (2678) – IM Gukesh D (2529) 0-1 · 9th HD Bank Cup 2019 · 2019-03-12
- GM David Larino Nieto (2451) – GM Alexei Shirov (2696) 1/2-1/2 · 6th Rabat Blitz Marathon · 2015-05-16
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- winx_m (2954) – Robert_E2009 (2594) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- NathanDerSchwarze (2862) – SmoovE1258502 (2674) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- IM shuriks91 (2769) – Juplt3rLlk3 (2741) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Traditional 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Closed (3. g3 g6) B24 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6
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.