Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3
The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack is a chess opening classified as ECO B48, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 891 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 6… a6 (90% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.31 (Stockfish, depth 58; best line 6… a6 7. Qf3 b5 8. Nxc6 Qxc6 9. Bd3)
- ECO
- B48
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
r1b1kbnr/ppqp1ppp/2n1p3/8/3NP3/2N1B3/PPP2PPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 4 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 26 | |
| 1500-1999 | 319 | |
| 2000+ | 546 | |
| All | 891 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… a6 | 798 (90%) | |
| 6… Nf6 | 73 (8%) | |
| 6… Bb4 | 8 (1%) | |
| 6… Bc5 | 4 (0%) | |
| 6… Be7 | 3 (0%) | |
| 6… a5 | 1 (0%) | |
| 6… Qa5 | 1 (0%) | |
| 6… Bd6 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
9,130 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 24%, Black 35%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.31-dag-c93c6a8-BT4-61 (3652) – Stockfish dev-20250118-8e3e22b (3683) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Theory Bonus · 2025-01-22
- Stockfish dev-20250118-8e3e22b (3683) – LCZero 0.31-dag-c93c6a8-BT4-61 (3652) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Theory Bonus · 2025-01-22
- Stockfish dev15_20220302 (3612) – Stoofvlees II a19 (3509) 1-0 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-26
- Stoofvlees II a19 (3509) – Stockfish dev15_20220302 (3612) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-23
- rofChade 3.0 (3486) – Berserk dev10_20220912 (3509) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Alpha_777 (2791) – Johnizard (2722) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- MASHUK777 (2777) – Johnizard (2716) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- CM EmirSharshenbek (2748) – LOVEHRJ (2736) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation (5. Nc3 Qc7) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation (6… a6 7. Be2) B49 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2
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.