Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation (5. Nc3 Qc7)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B47, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 5 named lines continue from this position.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,938 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 6. Be3 (46% of games).

Engine evaluation: +0.35 (Stockfish, depth 61; best line 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 b5 8. Nxc6 Qxc6)

ECO: B47
Moves: 10 plies
FEN: r1b1kbnr/ppqp1ppp/2n1p3/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6
PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average rating	Games	White / draw / Black
0-1499	72	44%51%
1500-1999	681	43%52%
2000+	1,185	50%43%
All	1,938	48%46%

Most played moves

Move	Games	White / draw / Black
6. Be3 Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack	891 (46%)	48%46%
6. Be2	276 (14%)	46%47%
6. Ndb5	206 (11%)	44%50%
6. g3	162 (8%)	52%41%
6. Nxc6	112 (6%)	47%43%
6. a3	84 (4%)	48%45%
6. Ncb5	41 (2%)	49%44%
6. Bb5	38 (2%)	42%58%

Master games

9,641 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 25%, Black 35%). The strongest:

GM Magnus Carlsen (2851) – GM Pentala Harikrishna (2763) 1-0 · 4th Norway Blitz 2016 · 2016-04-18
GM So, W. (2770) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2835) 1/2-1/2 · Clutch Chess Showdown Int · 2020-06-11
GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) – GM Pentala Harikrishna (2732) 1/2-1/2 · 83rd Tata Steel Masters · 2021-01-23
GM Erigaisi Arjun (2728) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2856) 1/2-1/2 · Aimchess Rapid KO · 2022-10-18
GM Erigaisi Arjun (2728) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2856) 0-1 · Aimchess Rapid KO · 2022-10-18

Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

GM jncool68 (2687) – IM Mlchael (2885) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Alpha_777 (2791) – Johnizard (2722) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
MASHUK777 (2798) – Johnizard (2707) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s

Comes from

Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (4… Nc6 5. Nc3) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3

Continuations

Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack B48 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, Ponomariov Gambit B47 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8. Bb6
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation (8… d6 9. f4) B85 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 d6 9. f4
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation (9… d6 10. a4) B85 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Kh1 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. a4
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line B85 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Qe1 O-O

More Sicilian Defense lines (all)

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.