Starting from 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7, players enter the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation — ECO B47. With 1,183,017 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Jonny Hector (61 games), Alexei Shirov (52 games), Michael Adams (45 games). Black-side regulars include Milan Matulovic (155 games), Igor Miladinovic (129 games), Jozsef Horvath (100 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
Popularity and results vary sharply by rating level. Among 1200-rated players, it appears in 0.00% of games — 20,601 of them on record — with White winning 45.7% and Black 51.4%. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.03%, with White winning 43.1% versus Black's 52.4%. At the top end (2500+ Elo), popularity is 0.33% with 9.1% draws — a clear sign of how much theory rules the line at master level. Positions also become less sharp as level rises (sharpness 0.97 → 0.91).
Time Control Patterns
Look at the same opening across time controls and blitz stands out. In bullet, it appears in 0.02% of games (609,107); White wins 45.8%. Blitz shows 0.03% adoption across 1,043,399 games, White scoring 44.8%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.01% — 139,618 games, White 42.9%. White's score swings 2.9pp across formats, so time control isn't just a stylistic choice here — it shifts the actual results.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Move choice is far from uniform in the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is Be3, played 25.7% of the time. There are 7 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 58.3% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 3.08. By 2500, Be3 dominates at 45.6% of replies; only 4 viable alternatives remain and 74.2% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 2.57. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Historical Trends
Year-over-year data tells you whether this opening is a contemporary fixture or a fading one. Adoption peaked in 2016 at 0.03% (18,673 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.02%, 23% below the peak but still 95% above its 2013 level, so the line is up over the full period despite easing from the high.
Main Lines and Variations
From the position after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7, the recognised continuations are:
Each branch leads to a different middlegame character — the resulting pawn structure decides what kind of game you get.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 58.6% — versus 73.1% at 2000. The most popular deviation is Bb5 (played 11.2% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- Ignoring the kingside attack — In sharp Sicilian lines, White typically castles long and pushes the h-pawn. Without your own counterplay on the queenside or in the centre, White's attack lands first.
Practice on Chessiverse
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