- ECO code
- B42
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 488
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1859–2026
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B42, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Kan Variation, Modern Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 488 games on this line — the 215th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1859 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2000s, with 168 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 44% of those games, 31% end in a draw, and Black wins 25%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 3 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 5...Bc5, played in 220 games, followed by 5...Nf6 (135) and 5...Qc7 (36). After 5...Bc5 White scores 38% and Black 28%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (30 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (35).
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Results in master games
- White 44% (215)
- Draws 31% (153)
- Black 25% (120)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5...Bc5 | 220 | 38/34/28 | — |
| 5...Nf6 | 135 | 42/31/27 | — |
| 5...Qc7 | 36 | 64/19/17 | — |
| 5...g6 | 35 | 49/34/17 | — |
| 5...Ne7 | 20 | 45/40/15 | — |
| 5...Nc6 | 19 | 58/16/26 | — |
| 5...Qb6 | 13 | 62/23/15 | — |
| 5...d6 | 4 | 50/25/25 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 · 21,789 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 · 18,942 games
- Sicilian Defense: French Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 · 4,191 games
- Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 · 2,956 games
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 · 1,049 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 30
- Karjakin,Sergey 29
- Hou Yifan 19
As Black
- Caruana,F 35
- Carlsen,M 19
- Vachier Lagrave,M 17
Games per decade
- 1850s 1
- 1870s 1
- 1910s 1
- 1950s 3
- 1960s 20
- 1970s 37
- 1980s 15
- 1990s 32
- 2000s 168
- 2010s 103
- 2020s 107
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurman,Alua | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Andreikin,D | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Sahakyan,Aleks | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 23rd Jun 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Inarkiev,E | 0-1 | 2026 | 75th Ann. Karpov 2026 |
| So,W | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | 14th Norway Armageddon |
| Wan Yunguo | Rapport,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | CHN League Division A Pt1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B42, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation good for White or for Black?
In 488 master games on this line White wins 44%, 31% are drawn and Black wins 25%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation?
5...Bc5 — played in 220 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (30), Karjakin,Sergey (29), Hou Yifan (19); on the Black side Caruana,F (35), Carlsen,M (19), Vachier Lagrave,M (17).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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