Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
Initial Moves: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6
Strategic Summary & Main Idea
The Taimanov Sicilian develops the queen's knight to c6 before deciding the rest: after 4...Nc6, Black keeps the options of ...a6, ...Qc7 and the bishop on b4 or e7, and contests the centre earlier than in the Kan. The position measures +0.49. What the entry shows is the gap between White's tests. The English Attack, with Be3, Qd2 and long castling, is the sharpest: against 9...Na5 it measures +1.02, and against 9...Ne5 +0.28. The quiet lines almost equalise — 6.Be2 measures +0.10 and the 5.Nxc6 exchange +0.06.
The pawn structure this opening produces
The Taimanov starts from the open Sicilian structure with Black pawns on e6 and d7, and the knight on c6 changes what Black can do with them. With the d-pawn still on d7, Black can play ...d5 in one go, without passing through ...d6, and the c6 knight presses d4 and prepares ...Ne5 against White's bishops. White's choice defines the structure. With 5.Nb5 and c4, White sets up the Maróczy: the c4 and e4 pawns take d5 from Black, who answers with ...d6, ...a6 and the knight driven back to a3. With 5.Nc3 and the English Attack, White castles long and pushes g4 and h4, and Black counter-attacks with ...b5 and ...Na5-c4 on the wing where White's king lives. With 5.Nxc6 bxc6, Black gains a c6 pawn supporting ...d5 and the centre is balanced. In all of them, d6 is Black's weakness and the ...d5 break, when it arrives without losing time, is what equalises.
Typical Plans for White
- Set up the English Attack with Be3, Qd2, O-O-O and f3 and push g4 against Black's king
- With 5.Nb5 and c4, set up the Maróczy and play against Black's lack of space
- Against 9...Na5, push g4 with the kingside: the position measures +1.02
- Do not set up Bb6 against the queen on b8 after 6.Ndb5: 8.Bb6 loses the knight and measures −0.63
- Avoid the 5.Nxc6 exchange, which gives Black the centre with ...d5 and measures +0.06
Typical Plans for Black
- Play ...Qc7 and ...a6 and wait for White's structure before developing the bishop
- Against the English Attack, play 9...Ne5 and ...b5 instead of 9...Na5
- Break with ...d5 when the e4 pawn cannot advance with tempo
- Never bring the knight to c4 with the f1 bishop at home: 10...Nc4 loses the piece, +2.40
- Against 5.Nb5, play ...d6 and ...a6 and drive the knight to a3
Main Variations of the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
| Variation | Move Sequence | Evaluation | Style / Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Attack with 9...Ne5 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.O-O-O Bb4 9.f3 Ne5 10.Nb3 b5 11.Qd4 |
+0.28 | The knight goes to e5 and ...b5 opens White's king's wing; the defence that holds the English Attack |
| English Attack with 9...Na5 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.O-O-O Bb4 9.f3 Na5 |
+1.02 | The knight goes to the rim and White's g4 arrives first; the highest evaluation in the entry |
| 6.Be2 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Kh1 |
+0.10 | Classical development with the king on h1 preparing f4 |
| Maróczy (5.Nb5 d6 6.c4) | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 Be7 |
+0.20 | White space against the knight driven back to a3 |
| 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.O-O Nf6 |
+0.32 | The exchange on c6 after ...a6, and Black sets up ...d5 |
| 6.g3 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.O-O |
+0.33 | White's fianchetto presses d5 along the long diagonal |
| 6.Be3 with 7.Bd3 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.O-O Ne5 9.h3 |
+0.22 | White castles short and Black's knight reaches e5 |
| 5.Nxc6 | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Bd3 d5 7.O-O Nf6 |
+0.06 | The immediate exchange gives Black the c6 pawn and the centre; the lowest evaluation in the entry |
Evaluations measured by us with Stockfish 19, depth 22, on 15/09/2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Taimanov and the Kan?
The fourth move. In the Taimanov Black plays 4...Nc6 and develops the knight; in the Kan Black plays 4...a6 and develops no piece. Both measure almost the same — +0.49 for the Taimanov and +0.50 for the Kan — and the difference is one of pace: the Taimanov contests the centre earlier and has more forcing lines against the English Attack.
How to face the English Attack in the Taimanov?
With 9...Ne5 and ...b5 after 8.O-O-O Bb4 9.f3. The line measures +0.28 after 10.Nb3 b5 11.Qd4. The alternative 9...Na5, which looks more active, measures +1.02: the knight on the rim arrives late and White's g4 push arrives first.
Do White's quiet lines pay against the Taimanov?
Little. 6.Be2 measures +0.10, the 5.Nxc6 exchange +0.06 and the 6.g3 fianchetto +0.33. The test that costs Black most is the English Attack, as long as Black chooses the wrong defence; against the ...Ne5 defence it drops to a quarter of a pawn.
Guides on this opening
Common Mistakes & Where Most Amateurs Go Wrong
- 01 Bringing the knight to c4 with 10...Nc4?? after 9...Na5 10.Nb3. The f1 bishop is still at home and takes with 11.Bxc4, and Black loses the piece: +2.40. The line:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.O-O-O Bb4 9.f3 Na5 10.Nb3 Nc4+2.40 - 02 Setting up 8.Bb6? against the queen retreated to b8, after 6.Ndb5 Qb8 7.Be3 a6. The bishop attacks nothing Black needs to defend, and 8...axb5 takes the knight: −0.63. The line:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Ndb5 Qb8 7.Be3 a6 8.Bb6−0.63
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