B45 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
B45 holds six named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B44, a position of the same name, with 5.Nc3. That final move, by the knight, opens a line for the rook on a1 and guards the pawn on e4. Of all other reference positions, the board of B46 (Taimanov Variation) comes closest, two squares apart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | c5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | e6 |
| 3 | d4 | cxd4 |
| 4 | Nxd4 | Nc6 |
| 5 | Nc3 |
Lines filed under B45
All six share their first nine plies, the whole reference line.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation | (the shared start itself) | 9 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation | 5...Nf6 | 10 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Exchange Variation | 5...Nf6 6.Nxc6 | 11 | White +3 |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation | 5...Nf6 6.Ndb5 Bc5 | 12 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Sveshnikov Transfer | 5...Nf6 6.Ndb5 d6 | 12 | |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, American Attack | 5...Nf6 6.Ndb5 Bb4 7.Nd6+ | 13 | check |
The road to B45
The position after 5.Nc3
White has brought out the knight on c3 and knight on d4; Black the knight on c6. White has a half-open d-file; Black a half-open c-file. Black could capture with Nxd4. Black is to move and has 36 legal moves.
Codes that branch off from B45
The reference lines of two other codes leave B45 from the position after 5.Nc3, each with its own moves.
| Code | Moves | Reference line |
|---|---|---|
| B46 | 5...a6 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation |
| B47 | 5...Qc7 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation |
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B43 | Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation | four squares: a6, c6, a7, b8 |
| B48 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack | four squares: c1, e3, c7, d8 |
| C45 | Scotch Game | four squares: b1, c3, e6, c7 |
| A33 | English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense | six squares: c2, e2, c4, e4, f6, g8 |
| B33 | Sicilian Defense: Open | six squares: b1, c3, e6, f6, e7, g8 |
| B41 | Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation | six squares: b1, c3, a6, c6, a7, b8 |
| B56 | Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation | six squares: d6, e6, f6, d7, e7, g8 |
Where lines continue from here
Nine named lines filed under other codes pass through the position after 5.Nc3. Besides the codes above, they belong to B48, B49, B83, B85.