Sicilian Defence (Taimanov Variation)

4...Nc6 in the e6 Sicilian is the Taimanov, named for Russian GM Mark Taimanov who popularised the opening in the 1960s.

While Nc6 doesn't make a threat on e4, 5. Nc3 is White's usual response all the same. After, Black's principle options are 5...Nf6, the Four Knights Sicilian, or 5...Qc7, the Bastrikov variation.

With 5...Qc7, Black wants to focus on their queenside development first: a6, b5, Bb6 and Rc8, with the dark-square bishop developing to e6 or c4. White's plans include the English Attack (with Nc3, Be3, Qd2 and O-O-O), or Nc3, Be2 and O-O.

5. Nb5 is the chief sideline, where White moves to exploit the hole Black left on d6 when they played 2...e6. White has two attackers on d6 and Black only one defender, the bishop, so 5...a6? allows 6. Nd6+ Bxd6 7. Qxd6 ∓. Black gets the bishop pair and their Queen is all up in White's business. The only way for White to add a defender to d6 is 5...d6 (now the queen sees d6), after which 6. c4 or 6.Bf4 usually follow.

5. Nxc6?!, exchanging the knights, is a sideline only really seen at the amateur level. Unlike in the Four Knights Sicilian, where exchanging the knights lets White push e5 with tempo, it is of no real benefit to White here. After 5...bxc6, Black can easily play 6...d5 with extra support from the c pawn. 6. e5? is met with 6...Qa5+ forking the pawn.

5. c4 is a Maróczy bind- or Kramnik-style line where White looks to gain space. 5...Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 equalises.^[1]

The Taimanov Sicilian evolved out of the older Paulsen variation of the Sicilian (a Sicilian with with e6, a6, and Qc7). Curiously, in his book, Taimanov himself didn't consider 4...Nc6 to be the defining moving of his system, which he describes as just one of a number of possible move orders of the Paulsen. Rather, he considered the defining move of the Taimanov to be delaying Qc7 in favour of Nge7, describing "Black's basic opening plan in... the Taimanov system [is to remove] active White pieces from the d4 outpost... by an exchange of the knight in the centre [Nxd4 Qxd4] and the subsequent 'tempo' transfer of the 'knight understudy' to c6."^[2]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6

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Wikipedia has related information at Sicilian Defence

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.