Sicilian: Closed, 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3

Sicilian: Closed, 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3

Definition

The expression “Sicilian: Closed, 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3” refers to a specific branch of the Closed Sicilian Defence. It arises after the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3. Unlike the more popular Open Sicilians, White refrains from the immediate d2–d4 pawn break, keeping the central pawn chain intact and developing a kingside initiative instead.

Typical Move Order

The standard sequence is:

1. e4   c5
2. Nc3  Nc6
3. g3   g6
4. Bg2  Bg7
5. d3   d6
6. Be3  Nf6
7. h3   (…)

From here Black has several choices—…O-O, …Rb8 and …b5, or …e5—while White typically plans f2–f4, g3–g4 and a kingside pawn storm.

Strategic Ideas

• h2–h3: Stops …Bg4 pinning the f3-knight (which often arrives after Nge2), and secures the g4-square for a later pawn thrust.
• Be3: Vacates g2 for the queen after Qd2, eyes the a7–g1 diagonal, and supports a future queenside expansion with a2–a3 and b2–b4.
• Kingside pawn storm: A common plan is f2–f4 followed by g3–g4 and sometimes f4–f5, trying to soften Black’s dark-squared defences.
• Flexible centre: White may still prepare d3–d4 at a favourable moment, often when it can be combined with e4-e5 or f4-f5.
• Black’s counterplay: The thematic reaction is …Rb8 and …b5, generating queenside space, or …e5 striking the centre before White’s attack gathers force.

Usage & Practical Considerations

Players who prefer a slower, manoeuvring game with rich middlegame complexity often choose the Closed Sicilian. The 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3 system is popular in club play because:

• It avoids the labyrinth of sharp Open-Sicilian theory (Najdorf, Scheveningen, Dragon, etc.).
• Plans are concept-driven rather than move-by-move memorisation.
• The setup is flexible; mis-placing a single piece rarely loses by force.

Historical Notes

The Closed Sicilian has been employed since the 19^th century. Early exponents included Henry Bird and Mikhail Tchigorin, but it enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s when Bent Larsen and Lev Psakhis showed its attacking potential. The particular 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3 line gained traction after games such as Short – >Timman, Tilburg 1991, where White executed a powerful kingside assault.

Illustrative Games

Two instructive examples:

• Short vs. Timman, Tilburg 1991 – White followed h3, f4, g4, Nge2 and eventually sacrificed on g6, demonstrating the attacking potential.
  
  
• Mamedyarov vs. Topalov, Linares 2008 – A modern heavyweight clash where Black met the plan with an early …e5, leading to dynamic central play.
  
  

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Garry Kasparov, though famed for sharp Open Sicilians as Black, occasionally adopted the Closed Sicilian with White in blitz events for its surprise value.
• The move 7.h3 is sometimes nicknamed the Small Clamp—it clamps down on the g4-square the way Maroczy’s pawn centre clamps the d5-square.
• Because the structure resembles a reversed Kings Indian, many KID players feel at home handling either side of this setup.

Key Takeaways

• 6.Be3 Nf6 7.h3 is a positional, yet aggressively-minded system in the Sicilian.
• White’s plan: prevent …Bg4, prepare f4–f5 or g4–g5, and only later consider d3–d4.
• Black should react dynamically—either expanding with …b5 or striking the centre with …e5—to avoid being squeezed on the kingside.