Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4
The Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti 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. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2,981 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 5… Qc7 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.21 (Stockfish, depth 52; best line 5… Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Qd3 d5 8. exd5)
- ECO
- B41
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1p1ppp/p3p3/8/2PNP3/8/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 57 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,159 | |
| 2000+ | 1,765 | |
| All | 2,981 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Qc7 | 1,127 (38%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 983 (33%) | |
| 5… Nc6 | 316 (11%) | |
| 5… b6 | 213 (7%) | |
| 5… d6 | 141 (5%) | |
| 5… Bc5 | 46 (2%) | |
| 5… Ne7 | 32 (1%) | |
| 5… Bb4+ | 29 (1%) |
Master games
7,152 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 22%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.33-dev-f6ec55c-BT4-6147500-it332 (3749) – Integral 7.0.0-dev-453c1dc4 (3735) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-07
- Integral 7.0.0-dev-453c1dc4 (3735) – LCZero 0.33-dev-f6ec55c-BT4-6147500-it332 (3749) 1-0 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-04
- Stockfish dev-20230409-b36d39d (3639) – LCZero 0.30-dag-a9b25c2b-BT2-3 (3598) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 24 Superfinal 2023 · 2023-04-19
- LCZero 0.30-dag-a9b25c2b-BT2-3 (3598) – Stockfish dev-20230409-b36d39d (3639) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 24 Superfinal 2023 · 2023-04-18
- Stoofvlees II a16 (3513) – LCZero v0.26.3_T60.66740 (3575) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-14
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2901) – GM Dr_Tiger (2955) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- GM tjychess (2821) – nuitet868688 (2751) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- bombokobombo123456 (2724) – Italiangangster (2684) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 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, Maróczy Bind, Hedgehog Variation B41 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 g6
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation (7. Bd3 Nc6) B41 · 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)
- 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.