Sicilian Kan: 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 7.Be2
Sicilian: Kan, 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 7.Be2
Definition
The sequence 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 7.Be2 belongs to the Kan (or Paulsen) Variation of the Sicilian Defence. After the typical Kan moves …e6 and …a6, White clamps down on the d5–square with 5.c4, establishing a Maroczy-Bind structure, while Black replies with the flexible developing moves …Nf6 and …Qc7. The quiet 7.Be2 completes kingside development and prepares to castle, leaving the central tension unresolved.
How It Is Used in Play
- For White: 5.c4 seizes space and restricts Black’s typical Sicilian break …d5. After Be2 0-0 0-0, White plans Be3, Rc1, f4 or Be3, Qd2, Rfd1, keeping a long-term space advantage and eyeing the d6- and b6-squares.
- For Black: The Kan set-up is ultra-flexible. Black can adopt a Hedgehog with pawns on a6, b6, d6, e6 and pieces behind the pawn chain, or switch to active play with …d5 or …b5 at the right moment. Typical continuations include 7…Bb4, 7…d6, or even the immediate pawn thrust 7…b5.
Strategic Significance
The line marries two strategic concepts:
- The Maroczy Bind – White’s pawn on c4 (supported by e4) clamps down on the d5-break, giving White more space and smoother piece coordination.
- The Hedgehog – Black’s spiny pawn structure (a6, b6, d6, e6) is solid yet flexible. Though seemingly passive, it stores potential energy; a timely …d5, …b5, or …e5 can unleash counterplay.
Because both plans are sound, the variation often leads to manoeuvring middlegames where understanding outweighs concrete calculation. Endgames can also arise in which White’s space may or may not translate into a tangible advantage.
Historical Notes
- Named after Soviet master Ilya Kan (1909-1978), who championed …a6 and …e6 move-orders to sidestep mainline Sicilian theory while retaining dynamic potential.
- In the 1970s and 1980s the 5.c4 Maroczy approach was a favourite of Efim Geller and Ulf Andersson, who squeezed several top players in long positional struggles.
- Anatoly Karpov famously used the setup (with an early Be2) as a “safe” anti-Sicilian weapon, trusting his strategic virtuosity to nurse small advantages.
Illustrative Games
1. Geller – Tal, USSR Championship 1974
2. Carlsen – Karjakin, Wijk aan Zee 2013
3. Andersson – Nunn, Tilburg 1984
Typical Plans & Ideas
- White
- Queenside pressure: Rc1, b3, Be3, Qd2 followed by pushing c5.
- Kingside expansion: f4–f5 leveraging the space edge.
- Outpost exploitation: plant a knight on d5 after exchanging Black’s dark-squared bishop.
- Black
- Central rupture: …d5 (often prepared by …d6, …Nbd7, …Be7, …0-0).
- Queenside counterplay: …b5, sometimes sacrificing a pawn for activity.
- Piece pressure on c4/e4: …Bb4, …Ne5, …Rc8 to provoke weaknesses.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Short & Sweet: GM Nigel Short once quipped that the Kan is like “standing on tiptoe behind a wall of pawns, waiting to punch you in the nose.”
- Engine Approval: Modern engines rate the line as approximately equal, yet many practical games see Black outscored due to the long-term squeeze White can exert.
- Versatility: The same pawn skeleton (c4+e4 vs. a6+b6+d6+e6) can arise from a dozen different Sicilian move-orders, making Kan aficionados notoriously hard to prepare for.
When to Choose This Line
Players who enjoy slow-burn positional battles with latent dynamism will relish the Kan with 5.c4. It is also a potent surprise weapon: many Open Sicilian specialists expect 5.Nc3 or 5.Bd3 and may be less comfortable handling a Maroczy Bind.