B42 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation
9/9
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4a65.Bd3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation583k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
41%241k52%
16%93k52%
13%78k50%
12%70k52%
3.9%23k51%
1.8%10k49%
0.9%5.1k51%
0.6%3.8k48%
Famous games in this line16k master games
Carlsen, M. (2872) – Caruana, F. (2782)Duda, J. (2750) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Giri, A. (2782) – Caruana, F. (2816)Anand, Viswanathan (2801) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2787)Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2788) – Caruana, F. (2795)Aronian, L. (2764) – Caruana, F. (2816)Praggnanandhaa, R. (2747) – Carlsen, M. (2830)Anand, V. (2759) – Caruana, F. (2816)Heroes of this opening Caruana, F. · Carlsen, M. · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Vachier Lagrave, Maxime
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B42
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Polugaevsky VariationB42 5…Bc5Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Swiss Cheese VariationB42 5…g6Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis VariationB42 5…Nf6 6.O-O d6 7.c4 g6
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.
Study this opening