Ilya Kan


Ilya Abramovich Kan was a Soviet chess player. He was awarded the title of International Master by FIDE in 1950.
Kan was born in Samara. He played ten times in the Soviet Championship. In 1929, he finished third in Odessa in the 6th edition of the championship, won by Boris Verlinsky. In 1931, he took 7th place in Moscow. In 1933, he took 9th in Leningrad. In 1934/35, he tied for 9-12th in Leningrad. In 1937, he took 13th in Tbilisi. In 1939, he tied for 13-14th in Leningrad. In 1945, he took 17th in Moscow. In 1947, he tied for 13-15th in Leningrad. In 1952, he took 18th in Moscow. In 1955, he took 17th in Moscow.
In the 1931 Moscow Championship, he finished in second place, behind Nikolai Riumin.
In the 1933/34 edition, also won by Riumin, Kan placed 5th. In 1934, he took 5th in Leningrad. He tied for 6-7th at Moscow 1935. In 1936, he tied for 7-10th in Moscow. In 1936, he tied for 1st-2nd with Vladimir Alatortsev in Moscow–ch. In 1937, he took 4th in Moscow–ch. In 1937, he took 2nd, behind Reuben Fine, in Moscow. The website Chessmetrics.com, which retroactively rates older players, ranks Kan as 13th in the world in 1944.
His opening theory contributions were mainly in the Sicilian Defence variation which bears his name: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6. This flexible line has been adopted frequently by top players since 1950, including Anatoly Karpov and Tony Miles. The line is also known as the Paulsen Variation, named after Louis Paulsen, who played it earlier in the 19th century. Kan scored several victories over Botvinnik early in his career; Botvinnik was World Champion in 1948–1957, 1958–1960, and 1961–1963.
He was named as the editor of the Shakhmatny Bulletin issue 6.