Chess opening · ECO B80
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation
In the Scheveningen, Black puts pawns on d6 and e6 and keeps them there, a low but sturdy center that covers c5, d5, e5 and f5. Behind it, Black develops quietly with ...Be7, ...a6, ...Qc7 and short castling. White has more space and several ways to use it, from a calm f4 plan to a quick kingside pawn storm.
- Rank by weighted share
- #143 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6
- 4... Nf6The knight attacks e4 and invites Nc3. Because e6 came first, the d-pawn is still at home, and Black can choose its square after seeing how White defends the e-pawn.
- 5... d6The second center pawn arrives. Now d6 covers e5 and c5 while e6 covers d5 and f5, so no white piece can settle on those squares easily. The downside is less space for Black's pieces behind the pawns.
The small center and its breaks
The pawns on d6 and e6 rarely stay still forever. Black wants ...d5 or ...e5 at the right moment, which frees the pieces and hits White's center. Until then the d6 pawn can become a target on the half-open d-file, so Black keeps it defended.
On the queenside, ...a6 and ...b5 gain space and can put a bishop on b7 against e4.
The g4 push against the f6 knight
One sharp try is 6.g4, planning g5 to drive the f6 knight away from the center. Black often answers with ...h6, so that g5 can be met by ...hxg5, and White usually brings up h4 first. A slower version comes with Be3, f3, Qd2, g4 and queenside castling.
The calm f4 plan
6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3
Both kings are castled. White's f4 pawn adds control of e5 and prepares e5 or f5 later, while Black keeps the small center and gets ready for ...a6, ...Qc7 and a queenside push.
Top replies by rating
Bg5 leads among players rated 1600 to 1799, while Be3 takes over from 1800 up. At 2000 and up Bc4 also climbs into the top three.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1400–1599 | Bd3 26% | Bg5 26% | Be3 21% |
| 1600–1799 | Bg5 29% | Be2 15% | Be3 14% |
| 1800–1999 | Be3 24% | Be2 20% | Bg5 16% |
| 2000 and up | Be3 28% | Bc4 20% | Be2 20% |
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.