The Sicilian Kan or Taimanov ?
Sort:
The Taimanov is more tactics and simple. In the Kan you need to know pawn structure and you’ll probably get stuck maneuvering pieces until you can get a pawn break in. I used to love playing the Sicilian kan OTB, it was definitely sitting on the edge of my seat trying to survive lol. I’d say the Taimanov is honestly probably a better opening but the Kan is great for pushing for a win even tho your probably always worse. Although I wouldn’t call myself an expert
Mar 11, 2025
0
#3
In addition to what was already mentioned about the Maroczy Bind, another reason that it is easier to equalize against the Maroczy Bind when playing the Taimanov than it is against the Kan or Accelerated Dragon is that in the Taimanov, the development of the extra piece makes a difference vs the Kan and the availability of the pin on b4 is the difference vs the Accelerated dragon. So here, White must first force ...d6 or he is busted:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6, here 5.c4! There is no attack on e4.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4, with no knight on c6, any ...Nf6 idea can be answered by e5, gaining time.
But after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6, here 5.c4?? Is a blunder because after 5...Nf6! 6.Nc3 (6.e5 is not possible here due to 6...Nxe5) Bb4! And White is positionally Busted. So here, to play a Maroczy Bind, White must first play 5.Nb5, threatening to get the Bishop pair with 6.Nd6+, virtually forcing 5...d6, and only now 6.c4, but this version is weaker for White. It has been about 12 years or so since I played the Taimanov (2011-2013 time period), so some of the newer theory, like the lines with Qf3, I am not as familiar, but the Maroczy Bind stuff and the main lines, like 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.O-O Bb4 9.Na4 and Black has a few options, or the English Attack with 6.Be3 and 7.Bd3 and 8.Qd2 and castling Queenside are both lines I am far more familiar with along with the Maroczy Bind. So clearly there is some extra theory to know in the Taimanov whereas I have not heard of anything New against the Kan.
Sicilians experts.. Some questions
What are the difference between the Kan and the Taimanov?
What are the pros and the cons ...