Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation (6… Bb7 7. Bg2)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. g3 Bb7 7. Bg2
The Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B43, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. g3 Bb7 7. Bg2. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 48 times by this move order. White won 63%, 10% were drawn and Black won 27%. The most popular continuation is 7… Nf6 (42% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.07 (Stockfish, depth 53; best line 7… Nf6 8. a3 Qc7 9. O-O d6 10. Re1)
- ECO
- B43
- Moves
- 13 plies
- FEN
rn1qkbnr/1b1p1ppp/p3p3/1p6/3NP3/2N3P1/PPP2PBP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 2 7- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. g3 Bb7 7. Bg2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 10 | |
| 2000+ | 36 | |
| All | 48 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7… Nf6 | 20 (42%) | |
| 7… Nc6 | 10 (21%) | |
| 7… b4 | 4 (8%) | |
| 7… Qc7 | 4 (8%) | |
| 7… d6 | 3 (6%) | |
| 7… Bb4 | 2 (4%) | |
| 7… h5 | 2 (4%) | |
| 7… f5 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
232 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 32%, draw 16%, Black 52%). The strongest:
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2727) – GM Narayanan S L (2677) 1-0 · World Blitz 2023 · 2023-12-30
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2628) – GM Gata Kamsky (2615) 1-0 · Titled Tue 23rd Jul Late · 2024-07-23
- GM Javokhir Sindarov (2674) – IM Bojan Maksimovic (2499) 1-0 · Titled Tue 27th Aug Early · 2024-08-27
- GM Javokhir Sindarov (2710) – GM Sumiya Bilguun (2451) 1-0 · FIDE World Bl Team Pool C · 2025-06-14
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2612) – IM Dau Khuong Duy (2490) 1-0 · Titled Tue 24th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-24
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- bombokobombo123456 (2723) – IM Roshka_Yevgeniy (2834) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- zcpylq (2515) – GM AkibaGonzalez (2512) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- axelb99 (2473) – RedViper77 (2390) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.