- ECO code
- B45
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 1,062
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1959–2026
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B45, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Taimanov Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,062 games on this line — the 107th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1959 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 355 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 39% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 26%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 5...Qc7, played in 618 games, followed by 5...a6 (248) and 5...d6 (123). 5...Qc7 leads into Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation. After 5...Qc7 White scores 42% and Black 24%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (92 games); on the Black side, Polgar,Ju (37).
2 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation; Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack.
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Results in master games
- White 39% (412)
- Draws 35% (374)
- Black 26% (276)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5...Qc7 | 618 | 42/34/24 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation |
| 5...a6 | 248 | 35/38/27 | — |
| 5...d6 | 123 | 34/35/31 | — |
| 5...Nf6 | 64 | 35/34/31 | — |
| 5...Bc5 | 8 | 37/38/25 | — |
| 5...Bb4 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Bastrikov Variation · 5...Qc7 · 618 games
- Bastrikov Variation, English Attack · 5...Qc7 6.Be3 · 337 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
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 · 1,195 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 92
- Nepomniachtchi,I 57
- Karjakin,Sergey 46
As Black
- Polgar,Ju 37
- Caruana,F 36
- Mamedyarov,S 33
Games per decade
- 1950s 2
- 1960s 18
- 1970s 41
- 1980s 51
- 1990s 90
- 2000s 241
- 2010s 264
- 2020s 355
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Matlakov,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn1 |
| Durarbayli,Vasif | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | American Cup Blitz 2026 |
| Niemann,Hans Moke | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Final |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Loser Playoffs |
| Henriquez Villagra,C | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn4 |
| Vokhidov,Shamsiddin | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B45, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation good for White or for Black?
In 1,062 master games on this line White wins 39%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 26%. 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: Taimanov Variation?
5...Qc7 — played in 618 of the master games on this line, which leads into Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (92), Nepomniachtchi,I (57), Karjakin,Sergey (46); on the Black side Polgar,Ju (37), Caruana,F (36), Mamedyarov,S (33).
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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