B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
B44 holds four named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B40 (Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open) with 4.Nxd4 Nc6. That final move, by the knight, opens a line for the rook on a8 and attacks the knight on d4. Of all other reference positions, the board of B45 (Taimanov Variation) comes closest, two squares apart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | c5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | e6 |
| 3 | d4 | cxd4 |
| 4 | Nxd4 | Nc6 |
Lines filed under B44
All four share their first eight plies, the whole reference line.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation | (the shared start itself) | 8 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation | 5.Nb5 | 9 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit | 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 d5 | 16 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Modern Line | 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 Be7 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O b6 | 20 | both castled |
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation
- 5.Nb5 The knight goes from d4 to b5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit
- 5.Nb5 The knight goes from d4 to b5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 5...d6 The d-pawn advances to d6, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
- 6.c4 The c-pawn advances two squares to c4, covering b5 and d5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 6...Nf6 The knight leaves g8 for f6, opening a line for the rook on h8.
- 7.N1c3 The knight leaves b1 for c3, opening a line for the rook on a1, guarding the pawn on e4.
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Modern Line
- 5.Nb5 The knight goes from d4 to b5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 5...d6 The d-pawn advances to d6, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
- 6.c4 The c-pawn advances two squares to c4, covering b5 and d5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 6...Nf6 The knight leaves g8 for f6, opening a line for the rook on h8.
- 7.N1c3 The knight leaves b1 for c3, opening a line for the rook on a1, guarding the pawn on e4.
The road to B44
- 1.e4 … 2.Nf3three earlier stops: B00, B20, B27
- 2...e6B40 French Variation
- 3...cxd4B40 Open
- 4...Nc6B44
The position after 4...Nc6
White has brought out the knight on d4; Black the knight on c6. White has a half-open d-file; Black a half-open c-file. White could capture with Nxc6, Nxe6. White is to move and has 42 legal moves.
Codes that branch off from B44
The reference lines of one other code leave B44 from the position after 4...Nc6, each with its own moves.
| Code | Moves | Reference line |
|---|---|---|
| B45 | 5.Nc3 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation |
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| C45 | Scotch Game | two squares: e6, c7 |
| B33 | Sicilian Defense: Open | four squares: e6, f6, e7, g8 |
| B41 | Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation | four squares: a6, c6, a7, b8 |
| B46 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation | four squares: b1, c3, a6, a7 |
| B47 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation | four squares: b1, c3, c7, d8 |
| B32 | Sicilian Defense: Open | five squares: f3, d4, c5, e6, e7 |
| C22 | Center Game: Normal Variation | five squares: d1, g1, d4, e6, c7 |
Where lines continue from here
Fifteen named lines filed under other codes pass through the position after 4...Nc6. Besides the codes above, they belong to B46, B47, B48, B49, B83, B85.