Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, American Attack
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
Definition
The Taimanov Variation is a branch of the Sicilian Defence that begins with the moves 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7. Black’s fifth-move queen sortie is the signature of the system, attributed to the Soviet grandmaster and concert pianist Mark Taimanov (1926-2016). By delaying ...a6 (as in the Kan) and ...Nf6 (as in the Scheveningen), Black keeps maximum flexibility while exerting indirect pressure on the e4-pawn and discouraging an early Nb5 jump by White.
How the Variation Is Used
• The Taimanov is popular with players who enjoy dynamic, piece-centric positions without
committing the kingside structure too early.
• Black can choose among several set-ups after 6th-move sidelines, allowing a transposition
to the Scheveningen, Kan, or even Hedgehog pawn structures.
• White, on the other hand, must decide whether to play
6.Be3 (the sharp American/English Attack),
6.Be2 (classical development),
6.g3 (fianchetto),
6.Ndb5 (immediate pressure), or
6.a3 (the Karpov Turn).
Strategic Themes
- Central Flexibility – Black can choose between ...Nf6 and ...Bb4+ setups, or strike in the centre with ...d5 in one move if conditions are ripe.
- Backward d-Pawn vs. Isolated Pawn – After an early ...d5 break, Black may trade into an IQP position, while a delayed ...d6 can leave White targeting a backward d-pawn.
- Minor-Piece Activity – Both bishops often find excellent diagonals (Bb7, Bc5 for Black; Bf4, Bg5, or Be3 for White).
- Pawn-Storms on Opposite Wings – If White castles long (typical of the American Attack), races with g- and h-pawns against Black’s a- and b-pawns are common.
Illustrative Game
A concise miniature that shows both sides’ plans:
(Polugayevsky – Taimanov, USSR Championship 1969). Black’s quick ...d5 equalised, and his bishops dominated the open position.
Historical Note
Mark Taimanov unveiled the line in the 1950s, but it was the 1960 USSR Championship where he used it extensively, scoring +6 =11 -2. The defence later attracted Bobby Fischer (who defeated Reshevsky with it in 1970), Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and in modern times grandmasters such as Vugar Gashimov, Sergei Tiviakov, and Fabiano Caruana.
Interesting Facts
- Taimanov was an acclaimed concert pianist; during tournaments he sometimes scheduled evening recitals after playing his pet opening in the afternoon.
- The move 5...Qc7 cunningly prevents 6.Ndb5? as after ...Qb8 7.g3 a6 8.Na3 b5 Black wins time chasing the knight.
- Because of its transpositional nature, databases often label Taimanov games as Kan, Paulsen, or Scheveningen—a headache for opening statisticians.
American Attack
Definition
The term American Attack refers to a set-up for White in several Sicilian variations, most famously against the Taimanov and Kan systems. The characteristic moves are Be3, f3, Qd2, long castling (0-0-0), and a kingside pawn storm with g4–g5 and h4–h5. Against the Taimanov the standard move-order is: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3.
Origins of the Name
While the similar plan against the Najdorf is called the “English Attack” (popularised by British GMs in the 1980s), the Be3-f3-Qd2 scheme vs. the Taimanov was championed primarily by American players such as Nick de Firmian, John Fedorowicz, and Yasser Seirawan. Hence, the moniker “American Attack.”
Typical Plans for White
- Rapid Development: Be3 and Qd2 connect the rooks and prepare long castling.
- Kingside Pawn Storm: f3 bolsters e4 and clears g4; the g- and h-pawns advance to pry open lines against Black’s king.
- Central Control: After f3, White can support e4-e5 or d4-d5 breaks if Black delays ...d5.
- Bishop Manoeuvres: Bc1 can later drop to g5 or h6 to exchange the key dark-squared bishop guarding Black’s king.
Black’s Main Counters
- ...a6 / ...Nf6 / ...Bb4+ to provoke c3 and slow the g-pawn’s advance.
- Immediate ...d5 breaks in the centre, often sacrificing a pawn for activity (…d5 exd5 exd5 or …Nf6 first).
- Queenside Counterplay with ...b5-b4, chasing White’s c3-knight and opening files against the long-castled king.
Model Game
(Seirawan – Christiansen, U.S. Championship 1987) Highlighting the clash of pawn storms: Seirawan’s g-pawn broke through, but Christiansen’s central counter yielded a tactical knockout.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The American Attack revitalised the Taimanov in the mid-1980s by giving White a dangerous, practically oriented weapon. Black theoreticians answered with faster ...d5 breaks, and today the line remains a theoretical battleground at every level, from club play to elite super-tournaments.
Interesting Facts
- Although birthed in the United States, the American Attack’s highest-scoring practitioner is Armenian GM Gabriel Sargissian, who has a 70% score with it in classical play.
- Engines originally disliked 6.Be3, preferring 6.Be2, but after the rise of neural-network engines (2020-), the evaluation pendulum swung back toward the aggressive American setup.
- The same Be3-f3-Qd2 idea can appear against the French Defence (after 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2), showing its wide strategic applicability.