Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6
Taimanov Variation
1.2.3.4.
What Is The Taimanov Variation?
After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 you develop the queen's knight and commit to nothing else. The bishop still chooses b4, c5 or e7, and d7-d5 arrives in one push instead of two. That is the Taimanov's point: by delaying d6 you keep the d5 break in hand and avoid the cramped Scheveningen structure.
White fights that with 5.Nb5, hitting d6 and following with c4, the Maroczy bind that kills d5 for good. After 5.Nc3 Qc7, the Bastrikov, White castles queenside in the English Attack with Be3, Qd2 and f3 and storms the kingside. Every game turns on one question: does d5 land? Play a6 and Qc7 in the right order, or the bind and the pawn storm arrive first.
What Do Players Choose At The Decision Point?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nc6 | 35% | 1,126 | |
| a6 | 33% | 1,067 | |
| Nf6 | 18% | 591 | |
| Bc5 | 6% | 178 |
How Does Play Continue From Here?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nc3 | 47% | 846 | |
| Nxc6 | 26% | 472 | |
| Be3 | 6% | 108 | |
| c4 | 5% | 88 |
The Named Lines Of The Taimanov Variation
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| Szén Variation | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 |
| Bastrikov Variation | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2 |
| Bastrikov Variation, English Attack | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 |
| Bastrikov Variation, Ponomariov Gambit | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Ndb5 Qb8 7.Be3 a6 8.Bb6 |
| Gary Gambit | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 d5 |
| Modern Line | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 Be7 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O b6 |