Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation
9/9
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nc65.Nb5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation384k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
42%163k49%
25%95k42%
11%42k38%
9.5%37k48%
7.5%29k40%
2%7.8k45%
1.4%5.4k42%
0.7%2.6k46%
0.2%88640%
0.1%53431%
Famous games in this line3.4k master games
Kasparov, Garry (2825) – Anand, Viswanathan (2770)Aronian, L. (2744) – Praggnanandhaa, R. (2785)Leko, Peter (2753) – Morozevich, Alexander (2765)Leko, P. (2730) – Grischuk, A. (2783)Leko, Peter (2752) – Morozevich, Alexander (2750)Kramnik, Vladimir (2744) – Svidler, Peter (2738)Leko, Peter (2737) – Morozevich, Alexander (2736)Leko, Peter (2741) – Svidler, Peter (2727)Heroes of this opening Grischuk, A. · Leko, Peter
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B44
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit5…d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 …Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Modern Line5…d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 …
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