Sicilian Scheveningen

Play as BlackDefence

Black builds a small, solid pawn center and waits for the right moment to strike.

The main line, move by move

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6

1. 1. e4 — Claim the center and open lines for the queen and bishop.
2. 1... c5 — The Sicilian: fight for the d4 square from the side.
3. 2. Nf3 — Brings the knight into the game.
4. 2... d6 — Control e5 and prepare to develop.
5. 3. d4 — Open the center: White is happy to trade a wing pawn for the center pawn.
6. 3... cxd4 — Takes the pawn on d4.
7. 4. Nxd4 — Takes the pawn on d4.
8. 4... Nf6 — Brings the knight into the game.
9. 5. Nc3 — Brings the knight into the game.
10. 5... e6 — The Scheveningen: build a small, solid pawn center.
11. 6. Be2 — Brings the bishop into the game.
12. 6... Be7 — Brings the bishop into the game.
13. 7. O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
14. 7... O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
15. 8. f4 — Take space and prepare an attack.
16. 8... Nc6 — Brings the knight into the game.

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense (Najdorf)
• French Defense
• Caro-Kann Defense
• Scandinavian Defense
• Pirc Defense

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