Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation (7… Nc6 8. Bc2)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bc2

Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bc2 87654321abcdefgh

The Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B41, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bc2. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.

This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.

Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 8… Ne5 9. O-O d6 10. Qe2 Bd7 11. Kh1)

ECO
B41
Moves
15 plies
FEN
r1bqk2r/1p1p1ppp/p1n1pn2/8/1bPNP3/2N5/PPB2PPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 6 8
PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bc2

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Master games

1 over-the-board game is classified under this line (White 0%, draw 100%, Black 0%). The strongest:

Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation and its sub-variations

Comes from

Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation (7. Bd3 Nc6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6

More Sicilian Defense lines (all)

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.