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Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation

3.3M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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5...a6
Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.7%

45%55%
Floor50.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 3.3M games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 3.3M games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
3.3M
Best context
56.9% at 1400-1599 Classical
Worst context
45.1% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.9%
Draws
4.1%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

How to Beat This (Move 3)

Best: 3...Nc6 · Black wins: 49.4% · 1.4M games

Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 51.8% at 0-999, 44.6% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 52.8% expected score (54 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (10,834 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (6,419 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 55.5% expected score (1,214 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (10 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 44.8% expected score (141 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.8% expected score (38,111 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (31,318 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (5,285 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 57.3% expected score (54 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 55.2% expected score (218 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (88,588 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (106,699 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (18,950 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.0% expected score (303 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.9% expected score (387 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (171,781 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (262,025 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (51,111 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 56.9% expected score (1,948 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 54.1% expected score (279 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (248,272 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.7% expected score (456,663 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (96,993 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.9% expected score (4,269 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.3% expected score (202 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (277,665 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (515,498 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (119,224 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (3,947 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 49.0% expected score (94 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (208,113 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (277,801 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (60,869 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (1,318 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 45.6% expected score (21 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (123,599 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (85,648 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 45.1% expected score (11,497 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 38.1% expected score (175 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (9 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (24,089 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 45.1% expected score (6,355 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 42.7% expected score (475 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 33.6% expected score (29 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Sicilian Defense
48.5%
Variations (5)
Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack
47.2%
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian
48.5%
Sicilian Defense: Closed
49.8%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
50.2%
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack
48.6%
Continuations (8)
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation
50.6%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation
45.7%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack
46.8%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Szén Variation
52.3%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, American Attack
45.3%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, Ponomariov Gambit
59.0%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Modern Line
45.9%
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit
42.3%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation scores 50.7% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.6% and 50.7% — from 3.3M Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
3.3M+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Black wins 48.6%, draws 4.1% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 3.3M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 55.0% (19K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.2% in Blitz (1.7M games) against 50.2% in Rapid (366K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 54.0%, draws 1.9% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 51.1%, draws 2.3% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 75K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 50.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 215K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 49.8%, draws 3.3% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 487K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 49.1%, draws 3.8% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 806K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 48.4%, draws 4.4% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 917K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 47.3%, draws 4.9% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 548K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 45.6%, draws 5.7% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 221K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 41.8%, draws 8.9% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 51.3%, draws 1.8% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 49.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 1.2M Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 47.9%, draws 4.6% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 1.7M Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 47.5%, draws 5.4% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 366K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 48.2%, draws 6.4% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 12K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 48.6% of its games and loses 47.3%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.