B42 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation
B42 holds four named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B41 (Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation) with 5.Bd3. That final move, by the bishop, opens a line for the rook on h1 and guards the pawn on e4. Of all other reference positions, the board of B43 (Kan Variation, Knight Variation) comes closest, four squares apart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | c5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | e6 |
| 3 | d4 | cxd4 |
| 4 | Nxd4 | a6 |
| 5 | Bd3 |
Lines filed under B42
All four share their first nine plies, the whole reference line and then split three ways at Black’s move 5.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation | (the shared start itself) | 9 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Polugaevsky Variation | 5...Bc5 | 10 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Swiss Cheese Variation | 5...g6 | 10 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis Variation | 5...Nf6 6.O-O d6 7.c4 g6 | 14 | White castled |
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Polugaevsky Variation
- 5...Bc5 The bishop leaves f8 for c5, attacking the knight on d4.
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Swiss Cheese Variation
- 5...g6 The g-pawn advances to g6, covering f5 and h5, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis Variation
- 5...Nf6 The knight leaves g8 for f6, opening a line for the rook on h8.
- 6.O-O White castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d1, guarding the pawn on g2.
- 6...d6 The d-pawn advances to d6, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
- 7.c4 The c-pawn advances two squares to c4, covering b5 and d5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 7...g6 The g-pawn advances to g6, covering f5 and h5, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
The road to B42
The position after 5.Bd3
White has brought out the knight on d4 and bishop on d3; Black has not yet moved a knight or bishop. White has a half-open d-file; Black a half-open c-file. Black is to move and has 30 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B44 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation | six squares: f1, d3, a6, c6, a7, b8 |
| B46 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation | six squares: b1, f1, c3, d3, c6, b8 |
| B28 | Sicilian Defense: O’Kelly Variation | eight squares: f1, d2, d3, f3, d4, c5, e6, e7 |
| B40 | Sicilian Defense: French Variation | eight squares: f1, d2, d3, f3, d4, c5, a6, a7 |
| B45 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation | eight squares: b1, f1, c3, d3, a6, c6, a7, b8 |
| B84 | Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation | eight squares: b1, e2, c3, d3, d6, f6, d7, g8 |
| C00 | French Defense | eight squares: f1, g1, d2, d3, d4, a6, a7, c7 |