Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack

13/13

1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.Be3e67.g4

Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack33k games · Black to move

MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore

13k41%

6.3k43%

3.8k48%

3.5k42%

2.0k46%

1.6k40%

42247%

33548%

30748%

23234%

Famous games in this line1.5k master games

Anand, Viswanathan (2755) – Kasparov, Garry (2838)2002½–½ Leko, Peter (2753) – Anand, Viswanathan (2799)20081–0 Shirov, Alexei (2710) – Kasparov, Garry (2825)1998½–½ Polgar, Judit (2710) – Topalov, Veselin (2813)20061–0 Anand, Viswanathan (2770) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2740)1998½–½ Leko, Peter (2755) – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2752)2007½–½ Shirov, Alexei (2726) – Anand, Viswanathan (2781)19990–1 Anand, Viswanathan (2725) – Kasparov, Garry (2775)1996½–½

Heroes of this opening Leko, Peter · Polgar, Judit · Anand, Viswanathan

Family: Sicilian Defense
Category: Semi-Open
First move: 1.e4
ECO: B90
Line: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. g4

Aggressive

★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation Explore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →

Keep exploring

Go deeper — named lines from here

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack, Perenyi Gambit7…e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5

Nearby lines in the family

Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Main Line2…Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 …Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit, Nanu Gambit2.b4 cxb4 3.a3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 …Sicilian Defense: Closed, Smyslov Variation2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 …

From the archives

No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.

Study this opening

Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Sicilian Defense ↗