Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation (4… a6 5. Nc3)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3
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. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 7,827 times by this move order. White won 45%, 4% were drawn and Black won 51%. The most popular continuation is 5… Qc7 (57% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.35 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 5… Nc6 6. Bf4 d6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Be2)
- ECO
- B43
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1p1ppp/p3p3/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 510 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4,466 | |
| 2000+ | 2,851 | |
| All | 7,827 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Qc7 | 4,462 (57%) | |
| 5… b5 Kan Variation, Wing Attack | 1,660 (21%) | |
| 5… Nc6 | 685 (9%) | |
| 5… d6 | 347 (4%) | |
| 5… Bb4 | 159 (2%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 131 (2%) | |
| 5… Ne7 | 95 (1%) | |
| 5… g6 | 70 (1%) |
Master games
7,427 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 19%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- Stockfish2021061923 (3632) – Igel3.0.5 (3512) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-07-05
- Igel3.0.5 (3512) – Stockfish2021061923 (3632) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-07-03
- Ethereal 14.40 (3545) – Berserk 20241119 (3589) 1-0 · TCEC 27 Premier 2024 · 2024-11-28
- Berserk 20241119 (3589) – Ethereal 14.40 (3545) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Premier 2024 · 2024-11-26
- LCZero0.28.0-rc1_69146 (3614) – ScorpioNN3.0.13 (3483) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-07-05
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM Elda64 (2741) – GM cutemouse83 (2972) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- bombokobombo123456 (2723) – IM Roshka_Yevgeniy (2834) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- secret_mikalsen (2639) – IM Roshka_Yevgeniy (2824) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack B43 · 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.