Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Nf3/2...e6/3. d4/3...cxd4/4. Nxd4/4...Nc6/5. Nb5

Szén variation B45 Taimanov 5. Nb5 · Szén variation With 5. Nb5 White moves to exploit Black's dark square weaknesses. When Black played 2...e6, they left a hole on the d6 square. White has two attackers on d6 and Black only one defender, the bishop, so 5...a6? allows 6. Nd6+ Bxd6 7. Qxd6 ∓. White gets the bishop pair and their Queen is all up in Black's business. 5...d6 is the only way for Black to add a defender, allowing the black queen to see d6. White can then follow with 6. c4 or 6. Bf4. White will have to spend some tempo retreating their knight to somewhere safer, before or after it is kicked by a6. White chooses either knights on a3 and c3, or c3 and d2. 5...d5? technically adds a defender to d6, but after 6. exd5 exd5 7. Bf4 takes control of the square again. (7. Qxd5 also works: 7...Qxd5? Nc7+ recovers the queen.) 5...Nf6 is an alternative: Black postpones White playing Nd6 by threatening their e4 pawn. After 6. Nc3 to defend it, Black can then choose to play 7...d6 after all, or 7...Bb4, pinning the knight, instead, then 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. Nxc3 d5. Theory table References See also Sicilian Defence The Sicilian Taimanov Pavlidis Antonios Quality Chess UK 2019 978 1 78483-058 8 Glasgow