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
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. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 90 times by this move order. White won 46%, 6% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 8. Nxc6 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.18 (Stockfish, depth 42; best line 8. Nc2 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 d5 10. exd5 exd5)
- ECO
- B41
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/1p1p1ppp/p1n1pn2/8/1bPNP3/2NB4/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 5 8- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 21 | |
| 2000+ | 69 | |
| All | 90 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Nxc6 | 45 (50%) | |
| 8. Be3 | 17 (19%) | |
| 8. Ne2 | 9 (10%) | |
| 8. Nc2 | 8 (9%) | |
| 8. Nf3 | 5 (6%) | |
| 8. Nb3 | 4 (4%) | |
| 8. O-O | 1 (1%) |
Master games
271 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 22%, Black 45%). The strongest:
- GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez (2559) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2828) 1/2-1/2 · PRO League Group Stage · 2019-01-29
- GM Dmitrij Kollars (2643) – GM Haowen Xue (2535) 1/2-1/2 · Abu Dhabi Masters Online · 2025-08-18
- GM Alexander Grischuk (2689) – IM Yiping Lou (2459) 1-0 · World Rapid 2024 · 2024-12-26
- FM Bojan Maksimovic (2418) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2724) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 29th June · 2021-06-29
- GM Dmitrij Kollars (2607) – GM Tomasz Warakomski (2533) 1-0 · Rapid Chess Superleague · 2023-04-04
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2901) – GM Dr_Tiger (2955) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- dfsocial (2594) – nuitet989893 (2540) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- aram67-shag (2449) – GM Elmarmalade (2605) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation (7… Nc6 8. Bc2) B41 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Bc2
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.