Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (4… Nc6 5. Nc3)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3
The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B45, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 6,483 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 5… Qc7 (30% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.26 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5… a6 6. Bf4 d6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3)
- ECO
- B45
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/2n1p3/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 587 | |
| 1500-1999 | 3,478 | |
| 2000+ | 2,418 | |
| All | 6,483 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Qc7 Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation (5. Nc3 Qc7) | 1,938 (30%) | |
| 5… a6 Taimanov Variation (5. Nc3 a6) | 1,474 (23%) | |
| 5… Nf6 Four Knights Variation | 1,159 (18%) | |
| 5… Bb4 | 596 (9%) | |
| 5… Bc5 | 434 (7%) | |
| 5… Nxd4 | 256 (4%) | |
| 5… d6 | 151 (2%) | |
| 5… d5 | 103 (2%) |
Master games
1,188 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 25%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.30-dag-bord-lf_784968 (3589) – Ethereal 13.89_NNUE (3515) 1-0 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
- Ethereal 13.89_NNUE (3515) – LCZero 0.30-dag-bord-lf_784968 (3589) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
- SlowChess Blitz 2.9 avx2 (3455) – Ethereal 14.06 (3532) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 24 Premier 2023 · 2023-03-18
- Ethereal 14.06 (3532) – SlowChess Blitz 2.9 avx2 (3455) 1-0 · TCEC 24 Premier 2023 · 2023-03-16
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2795) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2830) 0-1 · Casablanca Chess 2024 · 2024-05-18
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2907) – evg85 (2799) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2863) – evg85 (2812) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- GM jncool68 (2687) – IM Mlchael (2885) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (4. Nxd4 Nc6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation B45 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (5. Nc3 a6) B46 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation (5. Nc3 Qc7) B47 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7
- Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation (6. Be2 Nf6) B83 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Nf6
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.