ecocodes
Volume B · Semi-open games‹ B22B24 ›
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8
Reference position · Black to move

B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed

B23 holds 14 named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B20 (Sicilian Defense) with 2.Nc3. That final move, by the knight, opens a line for the rook on a1 and guards the pawn on e4. Of all other reference positions, the board of B22 (Alapin Variation) comes closest, three squares apart.

Score sheet
#WhiteBlack
1e4c5
2Nc3

Lines filed under B23

All 14 share their first three plies, the whole reference line and then split three ways at Black’s move 2.

NameAfter the shared startPlies
Sicilian Defense: Closed(the shared start itself)3
Sicilian Defense: Closed2...e64
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Traditional2...Nc64
Sicilian Defense: Closed2...e6 3.g35
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Chameleon Variation2...Nc6 3.Nge25
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Grob Attack2...Nc6 3.g45
Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack2...Nc6 3.f45
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Korchnoi Defense2...e6 3.g3 d56
Sicilian Defense: Closed2...e6 3.Nge2 a6 4.g37
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Portland Attack2...Nc6 3.d3 g6 4.g47
Sicilian Defense: Closed2...e6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 d58
Sicilian Defense: Closed2...e6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb59
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Carlsen Variation2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd29
Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack, Schofman Variation2...Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 e6 6.f511

The road to B23

  1. 1.e4B00 King’s Pawn Game
  2. 1...c5B20 Sicilian Defense
  3. 2.Nc3B23

The position after 2.Nc3

White has brought out the knight on c3; Black has not yet moved a knight or bishop. Black is to move and has 22 legal moves.

WhiteBlackMaterial (pawn units)3939Minor pieces developed10Moves spent on pawns11Pawns on d4, e4, d5, e510Squares attacked in the other half52not castlednot castled

Codes that branch off from B23

The reference lines of one other code leave B23 from the position after 2...Nc6, each with its own moves.

CodeMovesReference line
B243.g3Sicilian Defense: Closed, Fianchetto Variation

Closest boards in other codes

CodeLineDiffers on
A00Van Geet Openingfour squares: e2, e4, c5, c7
A34English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variationfour squares: c2, e2, c4, e4
B00King’s Pawn Gamefour squares: b1, c3, c5, c7
B10Caro-Kann Defensefour squares: b1, c3, c5, c6
B21Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attackfour squares: b1, f2, c3, f4
B27Sicilian Defensefour squares: b1, g1, c3, f3
C25Vienna Gamefour squares: c5, e5, c7, e7

Where lines continue from here

Eleven named lines filed under other codes pass through the position after 2.Nc3. Besides the codes above, they belong to B25, B26, B74.

Volume B

  1. 00
  2. 01
  3. 02
  4. 03
  5. 04
  6. 05
  7. 06
  8. 07
  9. 08
  10. 09
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
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  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
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  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
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  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. 93
  95. 94
  96. 95
  97. 96
  98. 97
  99. 98
  100. 99

Open this line in the finderAll Sicilian Defense codes