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Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3 (B43)
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 Nc3

Number of games in database: 9403
Years covered: 1862 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 34.2%
   Black wins 36.8%
   Draws 29.0%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Gadir Guseinov  37 games
Sergei Movsesian  29 games
Sergey Kudrin  28 games
Pia Cramling  64 games
Normunds Miezis  62 games
Lajos Portisch  49 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Anand vs I Sokolov, 1992
Carlsen vs Kamsky, 2005
Unzicker vs Tal, 1975
Spassky vs Tal, 1965
G Botterill vs Tal, 1973
Yanofsky vs Portisch, 1962
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 page 1 of 377; games 1-25 of 9,403 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Paulsen vs J Heathcote 1-0241862Blindfold simul, 10bB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
2. G Vogt vs H Clemenz  0-1221863Dorpat Chess ClubB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
3. Anderssen vs de Vere ½-½571870Baden-BadenB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
4. R Fenton vs Bode  1-0411873City of London CC tB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
5. Anderssen vs K Pitschel  1-0421876MSB-02.Kongress plofB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
6. Zukertort vs Captain Wallace  1-0161879Blindfold simulB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
7. A Schottlaender vs W Paulsen 1-03918791st DSB Congress, LeipzigB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
8. Winawer vs W Paulsen 0-1371880WiesbadenB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
9. J Minckwitz vs W Paulsen  1-0421880WiesbadenB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
10. Zukertort vs W Paulsen 0-12418812nd DSB Congress, BerlinB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
11. Wittek vs Paulsen 0-15218812nd DSB Congress, BerlinB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
12. Wemmers vs W Paulsen ½-½5118812nd DSB Congress, BerlinB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
13. Winawer vs Paulsen 1-03218812nd DSB Congress, BerlinB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
14. J Schwarz vs W Paulsen  ½-½3618812nd DSB Congress, BerlinB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
15. C Leffmann vs W Paulsen 0-14918833rd DSB Congress, NurembergB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
16. M Bier vs W Paulsen 1-06718833rd DSB Congress, NurembergB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
17. M Bier vs A Schottlaender  1-05018833rd DSB Congress, NurembergB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
18. Blackburne vs W Paulsen 1-03018833rd DSB Congress, NurembergB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
19. J Schwarz vs W Paulsen ½-½4618833rd DSB Congress, NurembergB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
20. J Berger vs W Paulsen ½-½4918854th DSB Congress, HamburgB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
21. von Gottschall vs W Paulsen  0-13918854th DSB Congress, HamburgB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
22. J Noa vs W Paulsen 1-01918854th DSB Congress, HamburgB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
23. A Schottlaender vs W Paulsen ½-½5318854th DSB Congress, HamburgB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
24. Gunsberg vs W Paulsen 1-05018854th DSB Congress, HamburgB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
25. M Weiss vs Paulsen 1-04418875th DSB Congress, FrankfurtB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
 page 1 of 377; games 1-25 of 9,403 
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jul-14-04  RonB52734: Certainly the Mikhail Tal who is listed above (under "Practitioners") as playing this opening 18 times, is the same Mikhail Tal who is also listed above as playing this opening 20 times.
Jul-14-04  maoam: Yes; 18 times with the White pieces and 20 times with the Black pieces.
Jul-14-04  RonB52734: Doh!
Feb-03-05  akashic: I love the fact that after 5... Qc7, I've developed no pieces except my queen. Most opponents who are not familiar with the Kan believe you to be a total amateur.
Aug-03-05  jcmoral: What is the main idea behind this opening and how is it different from other sicilians?
Aug-03-05  refutor: the main idea of this opening is twofold...one it is to play ...d5 like all sicilians. it is a little easier because e6 has already been played. if you can't get ...d5 in the other goal is to get white to play e5. this will open up the a1-h8 diagonal which black can try and dominate after ...b5 and ...Bb7. a very sharp opening. one of the bonuses (for black) is that there's no real yugoslav attack/fischer-sozin attack/richter-rauzer for white e.g. rote moves that will lead to a strong attack.
Aug-03-05  SEMENELIN: Sicilian Kan is an aggressive defense for black but white can still equalize.
Aug-03-05  euripides: <jc> the charaacteristic feature of the Kan is extreme flexibility. The setup ressembles the Scheveningen but because the pawn is not on d6 the bishop can go to d6, c5 or b4 according to circumstances. Black needs to be prepared to play Scheveningen and Hedgehog-type positions (where White has got the Maroczy bind with c4 and e4), but can sometimes play more fluidly with the king in the centre or on the Q-side. The system suits a player who is playing for a win and likes to keep their options open. Besides, White can get in an awful mess if he does not understand what's going on.

With 5 Nc3 White rules out c4 and Black can play a more flexible version of the Scheveningen.

Aug-03-05  SEMENELIN: Scheveningen has a slow development and is really at its defensive position. Black is easilly pressured if white knows its positional advantages.The kan refutes white's attak.
Aug-03-05  jcmoral: Thanks guys. I like the idea of both of black's bishops on the queenside pointing kingside though that might mean if i castle kingside as black the defense could be a little thin. <euripides> mentioned that the black king could go queenside. Won't the hole on the c-file give white more attacking chances then?
Aug-03-05  euripides: <jc> Black often has plenty of pieces round the king. Queen's side castling by Black in response to White's Q-side castling is found in some lines of the Najdorf (6 Bg5 Nbd7) and Scheveningen (Keres attack) as well and is sometimes safer than K-side castling (for a world-class example of incorrect K-side castling see Spassky vs Petrosian, 1969 ). It's also sometimes possible to delay castling past move twenty and bamboozle the opponent, who doesn't know where to attack. The trick is to keep adequate flexibility -look at lots of games to get a variety of ideas and then see how the position develops.
Aug-04-05  SEMENELIN: I agree with <euripides>. Playing sicilian as white or black is very tricky but the kan opening an aggressive line for black. I have reviewed this game by Spassky vs Petrosian, 1969. Yup black has a bad castling and has a risky position. In this case black is forced to be defensive he has no counter play
Aug-06-05  jcmoral: One of my first games with the Kan. I feel like I missed the point of the opening. For example exchanging the dark-squared bishops was not what I had in mind. Also was I correct in agreeing to the draw? After the exchange of knights I felt I had slightly better pawn structure but had no real plan to get the king into the game.

[Site "http://www.queenalice.com/"]
[Date "2005.8.2"]
[Round "1"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "jcm"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B43"]
[WhiteELO "1844"]
[BlackELO "1818"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Bd3 Bc5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. O-O Nf6 9. h3 b6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Re1 Bb7 12. e5 Ng8 13. Bxe7 Ngxe7 14. b3 O-O-O 15. a4 Nb4 16. Na2 Nxd3 17. cxd3 Kb8 18. d4 Rc8 19. Rc1 Qd8 20. Rxc8+ Qxc8 21. Qc1 Qxc1 22. Rxc1 Bxf3 23. gxf3 Rc8 24. Rxc8+ Kxc8 25. Nc3 Nd5 26. Nxd5 1/2-1/2

Aug-06-05  OneArmedScissor: Adding to what refutor said:
The Kan is very flexible for black. It's a sort of "I'll wait for you to mess up, and then I'll pounce on your mistake(s)!" type of opening.
Aug-07-05  SEMENELIN: <jcmoral> i have analyzed ur game you should have probably have won in the end game. I think you should practice ur endgame. You exchange ur pieces earlier in the endgame. Exploit ur game first before declaring a draw.
Aug-07-05  euripides: <jc> mostly this looks nicely played. I might be tempted to play b5 rather than b6. The exchange of black-squared bishops often favours Black in the Kan, but you could also consider allowing Bxf6 gxf6 especially if you're going to castle Q-side. Possibly you should have played d6 (this may be easier with b5 rather than b6 as the bishop then has a retreat). At the end, if I'm seeing the position right, you should probably get your king to c6 before playing Nd5. Black would then be better though I imagine White should be able to hold.
Sep-13-05  TheMouse: Can any one find a couple
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. Be3

games? I don't have a "special Membership" and I'm intrested in why this line is bad for black.

Sep-13-05  aw1988: Lack of development, probably.
Sep-13-05  TheMouse: Sry that's a typo, I mean bad for white
Sep-14-05  euripides: too much development, perhaps.
Sep-24-05  MonsieurL: I can't find this opening in Nunn's NCO.. can anyone help me find it? Thanks!!!
Sep-24-05  MonsieurL: Never mind; I found it. It is between B41 and B42, midway through the B41 Kan page for some reason!! Hopefully this will help someone else.
Mar-22-06  akashic: After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bd3 (If 7. Be2 then 7... Bb4 and white loses a pawn although it is a bit risky taking it. If 7. f3 then 7... Bb4 8. Qd2 d5! and Black is winning.) Bb4 8. Qd2 d5! and White is in a cramped position with little counterplay.

Be3 is not as bad in the 5. b5 line, although it will require very accurate play to mantain an advantage.

Mar-19-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  WTHarvey: Here is a little collection of winning combination in B43 miniatures: http://www.wtharvey.com/b43.html
May-01-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: I am currently looking at the game J.Polgar - Short from Dortmund 1997.

It starts 1 e4..c5 2 Nf3..e6
3 d4..cd 4 Nd4..Qb6 5 Nb3..a6

It is categorized as B43 in Informant #70 but is not included in any of my Paulson / Kan books. 4..Qb6 seems to be an oddball variation that is difficult to categorize.

search thread:   
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