Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack
11/11
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3d66.f4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack65k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
45%29k50%
34%22k50%
13%8.2k49%
3.2%2.1k49%
1.6%1.0k40%
0.8%50148%
0.7%45043%
0.6%37849%
0.3%20252%
0.3%20053%
Famous games in this line1.3k master games
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2779) – Movsesian, Sergei (2751)Anand, Viswanathan (2788) – Ponomariov, Ruslan (2739)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2710) – Kasparov, Garry (2805)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2717) – Shirov, Alexei (2715)Kamsky, Gata (2710) – Salov, Valery (2715)Navara, David (2722) – Sasikiran, Krishnan (2681)Alekseev, Evgeny (2711) – Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2684)Timman, Jan H (2635) – Salov, Valery (2715)Heroes of this opening Movsesian, Sergei · Ponomariov, Ruslan · Kamsky, Gata · Sasikiran, Krishnan
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B82
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4
Aggressive
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
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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