Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Hedgehog Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 g6
The Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Hedgehog 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 g6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 27 times by this move order. White won 63%, 4% were drawn and Black won 33%. The most popular continuation is 6. Nc3 (70% of games).
Engine evaluation: +1.10 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 6. Be2 Bg7 7. Nc3 Ne7 8. O-O O-O)
- ECO
- B41
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1p1p1p/p3p1p1/8/2PNP3/8/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 g6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 11 | |
| 2000+ | 15 | |
| All | 27 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Nc3 | 19 (70%) | |
| 6. Be3 | 5 (19%) | |
| 6. Be2 | 1 (4%) | |
| 6. h4 | 1 (4%) | |
| 6. Bd3 | 1 (4%) |
Master games
28 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 11%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- GM Ediz Gurel (2648) – GM Igor Efimov (2331) 1-0 · FIDE World Cup 2025 · 2025-11-02
- GM Sebastian Bogner (2586) – IM Vladimir Prosviriakov (2271) 1-0 · 90th Hastings Masters 2014-15 · 2014-12-29
- FM Peter Keller (2328) – GM Azer Mirzoev (2447) 0-1 · Titled Tue 20th Feb Late · 2024-02-20
- IM Theo Stijve (2337) – GM Azer Mirzoev (2418) 1-0 · Titled Tue 19th Sep Early · 2023-09-19
- FM Khoi Pham (2376) – IM Oscar Lemmers (2354) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-BEL 2022-23 · 2022-11-20
Highest-rated Lichess games
- KKKIIIYYY (2249) – Carlos64_b (2217) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- JBallester (2134) – Sspholaa (2118) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Posky1 (2107) – Glidingdong (2106) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4
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.