Sicilian Defense: Closed, Korchnoi Defense
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 d5
The Sicilian Defense: Closed, Korchnoi Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B23, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 d5. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 723 times by this move order. White won 52%, 6% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 4. exd5 (49% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.05 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nf6)
- ECO
- B23
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/4p3/2pp4/4P3/2N3P1/PPPP1P1P/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 23 | |
| 1500-1999 | 295 | |
| 2000+ | 405 | |
| All | 723 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. exd5 | 354 (49%) | |
| 4. Bg2 | 287 (40%) | |
| 4. d3 | 57 (8%) | |
| 4. e5 | 13 (2%) | |
| 4. d4 | 7 (1%) | |
| 4. Bb5+ | 2 (0%) | |
| 4. f3 | 2 (0%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
1,070 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 32%, draw 21%, Black 47%). The strongest:
- GM Javokhir Sindarov (2661) – GM Vladimir Kramnik (2753) 1-0 · Satty Zhuldyz Blitz 2023 · 2023-04-24
- GM Dmitry Andreikin (2713) – GM Vladimir Potkin (2647) 1-0 · FIDE World Rapid 2013 · 2013-06-07
- GM Rauf Mamedov (2688) – GM Nils Grandelius (2643) 1-0 · European Blitz 2016 · 2016-12-17
- GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra (2588) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2729) 0-1 · Titled Tue 12th Mar Early · 2024-03-12
- GM Alexander Motylev (2663) – GM Nils Grandelius (2643) 1/2-1/2 · European Rapid 2016 · 2016-12-16
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Korchnoi Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM shuriks91 (2770) – Jiordani_Jovanovich (2814) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- IM shuriks91 (2814) – Juplt3rLlk3 (2723) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- MereseBerserkNhi (2625) – ji0sqwqgt (2718) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Closed (2… e6 3. g3) 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3
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.