Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation
9/9
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4a65.Nc3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation4.0M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
53%2.2M56%
4.3%176k52%
2.4%98k49%
2.3%91k50%
1.8%72k46%
1.6%66k50%
0.7%28k46%
0.7%27k47%
Famous games in this line15k master games
Caruana, F. (2794) – Carlsen, M. (2830)Anand, V. (2779) – Caruana, F. (2823)Anand, V. (2779) – Caruana, F. (2823)Firouzja, Alireza (2767) – Carlsen, M. (2832)Grischuk, A. (2766) – Caruana, F. (2816)Aronian, L. (2764) – Caruana, F. (2816)Kasparov, Garry (2825) – Topalov, Veselin (2740)Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2737) – Morozevich, Alexander (2787)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Anand, V. · Grischuk, A. · Aronian, L.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B43
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack5…b5 · 2 deeper linesSicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack, Spraggett Attack5…b5 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nf3Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack, Christiansen's Dream5…b5 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Be3 Bc5 8.Qg4
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