Tree path 6 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › French Variation › Open › Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
- Caissa Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Sicilian Defense B20
- Sicilian Defense B27
- French Variation B40
- Open B40
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation B44 you are here
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation is a variation within the Semi-Open Games family, indexed as ECO B44.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
It is reached after 8 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6.
It is a variation of Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open, which itself descends from the root opening King's Pawn Game.
It branches into 2 notable variations — Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation.
In total, the branch covers 18 sub-variations across all depths.
Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.
- ECO code
- B44
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 8
- Direct variations
- 2
- Total in subtree
- 18
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
9,665,920 games · White 47.6% / Draw 4.9% / Black 47.4%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Nc3 | 4,853,665 | |
| Nxc6 | 1,692,954 | |
| Be3 | 774,936 | |
| c4 | 691,747 | |
| Nb5 | 453,263 | |
| c3 | 197,680 | |
| Bc4 | 185,668 | |
| Bb5 | 182,941 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:48:38
Write a description
Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links).
Submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Variations (2)
Show all 18 sub-variations (full subtree)
- B45 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 9-ply
- B44 Szén Variation 9-ply
- B45 Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation 10-ply
- B83 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation 12-ply
- B46 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 10-ply
- B47 Bastrikov Variation 10-ply
- B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit 16-ply
- B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Modern Line 20-ply
- B45 American Attack 13-ply
- B45 Cobra Variation 12-ply
- B45 Exchange Variation 11-ply
- B45 Sveshnikov Transfer 12-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line 20-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation 17-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation 19-ply
- B48 English Attack 11-ply
- B47 Ponomariov Gambit 15-ply
- B49 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation 13-ply