- ECO code
- B41
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 1,049
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1859–2026
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B41, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Kan Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,049 games on this line — the 109th 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 2020s, with 296 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 29% end in a draw, and Black wins 30%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are less common here than usual, by 6 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5.Bd3, played in 488 games, followed by 5.Nc3 (262) and 5.c4 (220). 5.Bd3 leads into Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation. After 5.Bd3 White scores 44% and Black 25%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (70 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (79).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 41% (426)
- Draws 29% (308)
- Black 30% (315)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.Bd3 | 488 | 44/31/25 | Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation |
| 5.Nc3 | 262 | 37/28/35 | — |
| 5.c4 | 220 | 40/27/33 | — |
| 5.Be2 | 37 | 32/32/36 | — |
| 5.g3 | 17 | 47/18/35 | — |
| 5.a3 | 13 | 38/15/47 | — |
| 5.Be3 | 4 | 25/50/25 | — |
| 5.Qf3 | 2 | 0/0/100 | — |
Variations from this position
- Modern Variation · 5.Bd3 · 488 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 70
- Karjakin,Sergey 37
- Nepomniachtchi,I 35
As Black
- Caruana,F 79
- Carlsen,M 48
- Nakamura,Hi 45
Games per decade
- 1850s 1
- 1870s 2
- 1890s 1
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 5
- 1930s 2
- 1950s 39
- 1960s 57
- 1970s 54
- 1980s 22
- 1990s 62
- 2000s 260
- 2010s 247
- 2020s 296
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vokhidov,Shamsiddin | Nakamura,Hi | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Firouzja,Alireza | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Piorun,K | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 23rd Jun 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Xue,Haowen | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Gukesh,D | Rapport,R | 0-1 | 2026 | V Menorca Cerrado 2026 |
| Nurman,Alua | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B41, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation good for White or for Black?
In 1,049 master games on this line White wins 41%, 29% are drawn and Black wins 30%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation?
5.Bd3 — played in 488 of the master games on this line, which leads into Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (70), Karjakin,Sergey (37), Nepomniachtchi,I (35); on the Black side Caruana,F (79), Carlsen,M (48), Nakamura,Hi (45).
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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