This is an onld thread but what the heck...
I play the Kan as black. I like it alot and alternate from playing 1. e4 e5 to 1. e4 c5. It is the simplest of sicilian lines from the research I've done on it.
The downside of the Kan is that development is bit stifled especially my white bishop. Because the Kan is systematic in nature it is fairly easy to memorize 7-8 moves deep though.
Everyone as white knows how to handle (and crush) black if they play 1e4 e5
Note that the Kan is also called the Paulsen. A closely related system is the Taimanov Sicilian. There are many books on it. If you are lucky enough to find it, get a very old book on the Sicilian by GM Marc Taimanov himself. He covers multiple types of Sicilian, writes beautifully, explains ideas in great depth. Out of print, you'd have to get lucky and find a used book.
I play the kan for some time now i like it , it prevents a lot anti sicilian problems. Like no more Bb5 or even against 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 i see a lot of players playing 3.Nf3 and not 3.f4 . The most difficult part of the kan is the 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 variation and 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 because the hedgehog is the most natural to play 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 instead of 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 which is recommended by Delchev but the game Carlsen - Anand really puts a end to that line.
This is the pgn file i used for it.
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Voer nieuwe partij in"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[PlyCount "40"]
1. e4 c5 (1... d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 (3... e5 4. Nf3 exd4 5. Nxd4 Be7 6. g3)
4. Nf3 e5 5. Bc4 Be7 6. a4 c6 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 a5 9. b3 Re8) 2. Nf3 e6 (2...
d6 3. d4 (3. Bb5+ Nd7) 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7) 3. d4 (3.
b3 b6) 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 {Paulsen/Kan} (4... Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 {Taimanov} 6.
Be3 a6 7. Qf3 $1 (7. Qd2) 7... Bd6 (7... d6 8. Nxc6 $1 bxc6 (8... Qxc6) 9.
O-O-O Rb8 (9... e5 10. Bc4 Be6 11. Bb3) (9... d5 10. Qg3 Qxg3 11. hxg3) (9...
Nf6 10. g4) 10. Qg3 Nf6 (10... Qb7 11. Rxd6 Qxb2+ 12. Kd2 Bxd6 13. Qxg7) 11. f3
Be7 12. h4 O-O 13. h5) (7... Ba3 8. O-O-O Ne5 9. Qg3 Qxc3 10. bxa3 Ng6 11. Nb3)
8. O-O-O Be5 9. g3 Nf6 10. Qe2 O-O 11. f4 Bxd4 12. Bxd4 Nxd4 13. Rxd4 d6 14.
Qd2 b5 15. a3 Bb7 16. Bg2 Rfd8 17. Rd1 Ne8) 5. c4 (5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. Qg4
g6 8. Qe2 d6 9. O-O Nd7) (5. Nc3 Qc7) 5... Nf6 6. Nc3 Qc7 (6... Bb4 7. Qd3) 7.
a3 b6 8. Be3 Bb7 9. f3 d6 10. Be2 Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rc1 Nbd7 13. b4 Rac8 (
13... Rfc8 14. Qd2 Qd8 15. Rfd1) 14. Qd2 Qb8 15. Rfd1 Rfe8 (15... Bd8 16. Nb3 (
16. Kh1) 16... Bc7 17. Bf4 Ne5 18. Bxe5 dxe5 19. c5) 16. Nb3 Bf8 (16... d5 $5
17. cxd5 Bd6 18. dxe6 Bxh2+ 19. Kh1 fxe6 {1-0 (44) Perunovic,M (2589)
-Damljanovic,B (2606) Belgrade 2007} 20. Bf1 Qe5 21. g4 Bg3 22. Bg2) (16... h6
$5 17. Bf1 (17. Bf4 Ne5) 17... Ne5 18. Na4 Nfd7 19. Nxb6 Nxb6 20. Bxb6 Bxe4) (
16... Bd8 17. Bf4 Ne5 18. Bxe5 dxe5 19. c5 bxc5 20. Nxc5 Be7 21. N3a4) (16...
Ne5 17. Na4 Nfd7 18. Nxb6 Nxb6 19. Bxb6 Bxe4 20. Bd4 Bc6 21. Bxe5 dxe5 22. c5
Ba4 23. Bc4 a5) 17. Bf1 (17. Bf4 Ne5) 17... Ne5 18. Na4 Nfd7 19. Nxb6 Nxb6 20.
Bxb6 Bxe4
I am reading it now too. My most recent post is how I would suggest the reader read the book.
In the last 10 months, has anybody other than lovebecause posted here?
Anyway, possibly of interest:
The Most Flexible Sicilian by Alexander Delchev and Semko Semkov
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7407.pdf
Oops meant for my club forum. But I can post it here too.
this is from 2010 you know, no one is going to see this.
Sicilian Kan Variation [Free Repertoire for black]
https://www.chessonly.com/sicilian-kan-variation/
Hello, Can anybody help me,
I am trying to learn a defense called the Sicilian Kan, because it is part of my repertoire from an opening course, which I have got too learn, do any of you guys know anything good or bad about this defense, any help you guys might have can be only good for me cheers!!
Its better you learn the sicilian over time. The Kan is rather solid, defensive/passive but a lot less complex. I found the Maroczy bind hard to deal with as you don´t have any clear initiative. It will do fine till 2000 elo i´d say. Why till 2000 ? As Sicilian is much about fighting hedgehog positions and king side attacks like Be3/Qd2 g4/h4 or f5/e5 and you need to find dynamic ways to counter these aggressive options for white. But thats the case for any Sicilian line. Now fortunately you need to have the guts with white know these pland, put them into practise and at least need some playing strength to not overrun you and get into problems, restrikes of your own. Then you need to really study it in much larger depth to come around.. However I got more games in the Alapin, Grand prix attack and closed sicilian then I could play my ´Kan'. So at least if you transition to the Najdorf or Shvesnikov lateron, you already have the Anti Sicilians in your bag. I recommend it if you don´t are an e player and therefore don´t play e4/e5.
As an introduction the Paulsen or Taimanov will do fine too, just to get some sicilian like positions as d6 will at some point come along and force you in these hedgehog positions , familiar to other sicilian lines as well.
Sicilian is not an aggressive opening overall, its no gambit. The Open Sicilian is due to an early pawn exchange more fun to play. Its at that point assymetric and weighing positions is harder. The game is more open then the Caro Kann, French and Pirc. The Kan is a modest ´active play' attempt but I found it a whole lot safer , requiring much less studying if you olay in the -1900 range.
Thanks I will look at that one, I have been using b5 but later on, I will review it and if it feels good I will try it cheers, any other tips?
How quick are you pushing the b pawn to b5 what move would you say approx