Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation
10/10
1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3d6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation1.5M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
25%363k47%
20%299k52%
9.4%138k47%
5.4%79k53%
Famous games in this line15k master games
Nakamura, Hikaru (2736) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Nakamura, Hikaru (2736) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Karjakin, Sergey (2709) – Carlsen, Magnus (2881)Karjakin, Sergey (2756) – Grischuk, A. (2783)Carlsen, M. (2840) – Van Wely, L. (2695)Morozevich, Alexander (2760) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2775)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2779) – Movsesian, Sergei (2751)Anand, Viswanathan (2788) – Ponomariov, Ruslan (2739)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · Nakamura, Hikaru · Movsesian, Sergei · Ponomariov, Ruslan
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B80
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack6.Bc4Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Keres Attack6.g4Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack6.f4 · 1 deeper lineSicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Vitolins Variation6.Bb5
Nearby lines in the family
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