Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (4. Nxd4 Nc6)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6
The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B44, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 13,638 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nc3 (48% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.28 (Stockfish, depth 66; best line 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Nd5)
- ECO
- B44
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/2n1p3/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,747 | |
| 1500-1999 | 7,755 | |
| 2000+ | 4,136 | |
| All | 13,638 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nc3 Taimanov Variation (4… Nc6 5. Nc3) | 6,483 (48%) | |
| 5. Nxc6 | 2,962 (22%) | |
| 5. Be3 | 1,123 (8%) | |
| 5. c4 | 813 (6%) | |
| 5. Nb5 Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation | 631 (5%) | |
| 5. c3 | 384 (3%) | |
| 5. Bb5 | 220 (2%) | |
| 5. Bc4 | 198 (1%) |
Master games
3,468 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 19%, Black 48%). The strongest:
- ScorpioNN 3.0.11 (3496) – Stockfish 20201225 (3592) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-14
- Stockfish 20201225 (3592) – ScorpioNN 3.0.11 (3496) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-12
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2859) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2731) 1/2-1/2 · Meltwater Tour Final 2022 · 2022-11-20
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2729) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2839) 0-1 · 1st 3-0 Thu 20th Nov 2025 · 2025-11-20
- GM Richard Rapport (2763) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2806) 1/2-1/2 · 8th Sinquefield Cup 2021 · 2021-08-26
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
- GM cutemouse83 (2955) – Johnizard (2722) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Sunrise34 (2863) – evg85 (2812) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (4… Nc6 5. Nc3) B45 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation B44 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5
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.