Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation
Piece Pattern AtlasSee where every piece lives in the middlegame →CoursePlay this line through, move by move →8/8
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4a6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation6.0M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
4%239k46%
3.8%228k43%
3.2%189k46%
2.4%143k47%
1.8%105k45%
1.1%67k50%
1.1%66k44%
Famous games in this line33k master games
Carlsen, M. (2863) – Anand, V. (2792)Carlsen, M. (2872) – Caruana, F. (2782)Kasparov, Garry (2838) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2802)Giri, A. (2782) – Carlsen, M. (2855)Caruana, F. (2794) – Carlsen, M. (2830)Duda, J. (2750) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Anand, V. (2779) – Caruana, F. (2823)Anand, V. (2779) – Caruana, F. (2823)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Caruana, F. · Giri, A. · Anand, V.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B41
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation5.Bd3 · 3 deeper linesSicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation5.Nc3 · 3 deeper linesSicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation5.c4 · 2 deeper linesSicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack5.Nc3 b5 · 2 deeper lines
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.
Study this opening