Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6
The Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B41, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 15,775 times by this move order. White won 46%, 4% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nc3 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.42 (Stockfish, depth 56; best line 5. Bd3 d5 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. O-O Nc6)
- ECO
- B41
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1p1ppp/p3p3/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 982 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8,248 | |
| 2000+ | 6,545 | |
| All | 15,775 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nc3 Kan Variation, Knight Variation (4… a6 5. Nc3) | 7,827 (50%) | |
| 5. c4 Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation | 2,981 (19%) | |
| 5. Bd3 Kan Variation, Modern Variation | 1,963 (12%) | |
| 5. Bc4 | 580 (4%) | |
| 5. Be3 | 553 (4%) | |
| 5. Be2 | 430 (3%) | |
| 5. a3 | 383 (2%) | |
| 5. a4 | 295 (2%) |
Master games
2,865 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 21%, Black 42%). The strongest:
- GM Anish Giri (2782) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2855) 1-0 · GCT Blitz Paris 2016 · 2016-06-12
- GM Anish Giri (2782) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2804) 0-1 · GCT Blitz Paris 2016 · 2016-06-11
- GM So, W. (2747) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2831) 0-1 · CCT Final RR 2024 · 2024-12-17
- GM Viswanathan Anand (2773) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2781) 0-1 · Zurich CC Rapid 2014 · 2014-02-04
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2788) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2759) 1/2-1/2 · GCT Super Rapid Poland · 2026-05-06
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2901) – GM Dr_Tiger (2955) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- GM Elda64 (2741) – GM cutemouse83 (2972) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- kuhmft (2812) – puziko52 (2836) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation (4… a6 5. Nc3) B43 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation B41 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation B42 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3
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.