Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation

Main line

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4 h6 7.h4 Nc6

Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.

Move by move

The first 12 moves of the main line, explained one at a time. Every move of every variation is annotated like this inside the trainer — this page shows the opening moves so you can judge the explanations before signing up.

1. 1.e4 What a brave first step! The pawn marches up to e4, a light square right in the middle of the board. Grabbing the center early is a friendly way to start the game and give your other pieces room to wake up.
2. 1...c5 Black plays c5, advancing the pawn two squares from its starting square. This is the Sicilian Defense, a standard response that indirectly challenges White's center.
3. 2.Nf3 White moves their knight from g1 to f3. This is a good developing move that helps get your pieces into the game.
4. 2...e6 Black slides a pawn up to e6, a light square. This little move opens a path so the bishop on f8 can come out later. It's a calm, careful way to build a cozy home before the action begins.
5. 3.d4 This move creates central tension, challenging Black’s c5 pawn and opening the position for your pieces.
6. 3...cxd4 Black captures White's pawn on d4 with the pawn from c5. This opens the center and challenges White's control, but also surrenders the central pawn tension.
7. 4.Nxd4 The knight moves from f3 to d4 and takes a pawn! This is a great move because it puts your knight right in the middle of the board.
8. 4...Nf6 Black moves their knight from g8 to f6. This is a good developing move, getting a piece into the game and closer to the middle of the board.
9. 5.Nc3 White moves their knight from b1 to c3. This is a good developing move that brings the knight into the game!
10. 5...d6 Black moves the pawn from d7 to d6. This prepares to challenge White's knight on d4 and opens a path for the queen.
11. 6.g4 Your pawn advances from g2 to g4, seizing space but prematurely weakening your kingside and exposing the g-pawn as a target.
12. 6...h6 Black moves a pawn from the h7 square to h6. This is a small step forward for the pawn on the side of the board.

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Win rates by rating

Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.

Most played continuations (800-1000 rating)

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6:

• Bg5 — played 29.9% of the time (White wins 49.5%, draws 3.2%, Black wins 47.3%)
• Bb5+ — played 19.3% of the time (White wins 50.8%, draws 0%, Black wins 49.2%)
• Bd3 — played 10.9% of the time (White wins 42.6%, draws 1.5%, Black wins 55.9%)

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense
• Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon
• Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Attack
• Sicilian Defense: French Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations
• Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation
• Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian
• Sicilian Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation

Frequently asked questions

What is the 'small centre' and why is it good?

Pawns on d6 and e6 rather than a big pawn duo. They take no space, but they cover d5 and e5 completely, so White's pieces have no outposts and Black's own pieces have flexible squares behind them. The plan is to complete development, then expand with ...b5 and ...a6 on the queenside or hit back with ...d5 in the centre.

What is the Keres Attack?

6.g4, thrusting the g-pawn before castling to drive the f6 knight away and open lines toward Black's king. It is the main reason many players reach the Scheveningen via a Najdorf move order with ...a6 first, so that g4 can be met by ...h6 and ...b5 more comfortably. Black's answers include 6...h6, 6...a6 and the sharp 6...e5.

Is the Scheveningen suitable for club players?

The structure is superb to understand and the plans repeat, but the theory is heavy and White has several dangerous attacking systems. A practical route is to learn the structure through a Najdorf or Taimanov move order that transposes, so you get Scheveningen positions while sidestepping the sharpest direct lines.