Chessy
How to Play the Sicilian Scheveningen
The Sicilian Scheveningen (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6) builds a compact pawn center on d6 and e6 — the "small center" — that gives Black a solid base, good piece activity, and a flexible plan set on both flanks. Practice it against the engine below, then see what 648,697 Lichess games reveal.
Play the Sicilian Scheveningen against the engine
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Create a free account →The small center: deliberate restraint
Instead of pushing to e5 (Sveshnikov) or fianchettoing (Dragon), Black places pawns on d6 and e6 — occupying the center without overextending. The structure is resilient: the e6-pawn supports f5, the d6-pawn supports e5 later, and both flanks stay open. White gets the semi-open c-file and a spatial pull, which Stockfish quantifies as +0.70 (White-POV). Black's compensation is long-term piece activity, the c-file as a counter-target, and the potential ...d5 or ...e5 breaks when the moment is right.
White's main tries
Across 648,697 games White plays:
- Bg5 (206,135 games) — most played; the classic positional pin; White 45.0%.
- Be3 (95,798 games) — the English Attack; White 50.9%, White's top-scoring try.
- Bb5+ (77,179 games) — check on the diagonal; White 42.6%, Black's most comfortable lane.
- Bd3 (69,194 games) — solid development; White 45.3%.
- Bc4 (56,714 games) — targets e6; White 45.7%.
- Be2 (44,889 games) — quiet; White 48.9%.
The engine recommends g4 (the Keres Attack), which is not in the top-move set from this position — know it exists. Among recorded moves, Be3 (English Attack) is the sharpest test.
How to handle it as Black
The Scheveningen is a reactive opening — your plans sharpen once White declares its attack:
- Against Bg5 — play ...Be7 and castle kingside, then seek queenside counterplay with ...a6, ...b5, and ...Qb6 probing the b2-pawn. Avoid early ...h6 unless you are ready for f4–f5.
- Against Be3 (English Attack) — White wants g4–g5–f5 fast. React with ...a6, ...b5, ...b4 to jam White's queenside knight before the kingside storm hits. Timing matters; passive defense loses.
- Against Bb5+ — block with ...Nbd7 or ...Bd7; White's only 42.6% here, so just develop sensibly.
The unifying rule: generate counterplay before White's space advantage becomes suffocating.
What 648,697 games say
Across 648,697 Lichess games White scores 46.4%, draws 4.0%, and Black scores 49.6% — Black is the practical winner despite the +0.70 engine evaluation. The spread is wide: Bb5+ (White 42.6%, 77,179 games) is the single most comfortable line for Black, while Be3 (White 50.9%, 95,798 games) is the only try where White surpasses 50%. If you study one line, study the English Attack — it is where the preparation pays off most.
Results across 648,697 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bg5 | 206,135 | 45.0% |
| Be3 | 95,798 | 50.9% |
| Bb5+ | 77,179 | 42.6% |
| Bd3 | 69,194 | 45.3% |
| Bc4 | 56,714 | 45.7% |
| Be2 | 44,889 | 48.9% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 'small center' in the Scheveningen?
Pawns on d6 and e6 form the Scheveningen's defining structure. Unlike the Najdorf (which often aims for ...e5 or ...d5) the small center is deliberately restrained — Black holds the position and waits for a favorable break rather than committing early.
What is the English Attack in the Scheveningen?
Be3 followed by f3, Qd2, g4, and 0-0-0 — a direct kingside pawn storm. It scores 50.9% across 95,798 games and is White's sharpest practical try. Black must react with ...a6 + ...b5–b4 queenside counterplay before White's g5 arrives.
What is the Keres Attack?
The Keres Attack is 6.g4 — the engine's recommendation at depth 16 from this position (continuing Nf5 h6). White pushes the g-pawn immediately before Black has castled. It's the most aggressive try conceptually, though it doesn't appear in the most-played Lichess moves from this exact diagram.
Is the Scheveningen related to the Najdorf?
Yes — the Scheveningen is reached with ...d6 + ...e6 (in either order); the Najdorf is ...d6 + ...a6. Both share the d6 pawn and solid Sicilian DNA. Many Najdorf players reach Scheveningen positions by playing ...e6 instead of the standard ...e5.
How many games feature the Sicilian Scheveningen?
Over 648K Lichess games have reached the Sicilian Scheveningen position. White wins 46.4%, Black wins 49.6%, with 4.0% draws — based on real rated games.