The Sicilian Scheveningen features the pawn setup ...d6 and ...e6, creating a small but solid center. After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6, Black has a flexible and resilient position.
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The Scheveningen is named after a Dutch town where it was first played in a tournament. The ...e6/...d6 setup is one of the most solid structures in the Sicilian. Black's position is compact but has potential energy — breaks like ...d5 or ...e5 can come at the right moment. White's main weapon is the Keres Attack (6.g4), trying to exploit the fact that Black hasn't committed the bishop yet.
The Scheveningen Variation is named after a 1923 tournament in the Dutch seaside town of Scheveningen, where the setup with ...d6 and ...e6 was first employed systematically. The opening gained mainstream acceptance through the work of Max Euwe and other Dutch players in the mid-20th century. It became a favorite weapon of Tigran Petrosian and later Garry Kasparov, who used it extensively in his World Championship matches against Anatoly Karpov during the 1980s. The famous Karpov-Kasparov matches saw dozens of Scheveningen battles, producing some of the deepest opening analysis in chess history. The Keres Attack (6.g4) emerged as White's most ambitious try, named after Paul Keres who pioneered the aggressive pawn advance. Today the Scheveningen remains a respected choice, though many players reach it via Najdorf move orders to avoid the Keres Attack.
The Scheveningen is fundamentally about controlled flexibility. Black's pawn duo on d6 and e6 forms a compact, resilient center that can expand with either ...d5 or ...e5 when the time is right. Black typically develops with ...Be7 (or occasionally ...Bb4 or ...Bd6), ...O-O, ...a6, and ...Nc6 or ...Nbd7, creating a hedgehog-like setup that is hard to crack. The key strategic decision for Black is which central break to play: ...d5 frees the light-squared bishop and challenges White's center directly, while ...e5 gains space but weakens d5. White's plans depend heavily on the chosen system. In the Classical with Be2, White aims for a slow buildup with f4, possibly f5, cramping Black. In the Keres Attack, White throws the g-pawn forward immediately, trying to prevent Black from castling safely. The English Attack setup (Be3, f3, Qd2, O-O-O) creates opposite-side castling with a direct assault, similar to anti-Najdorf lines.
The signature Scheveningen structure has Black pawns on d6 and e6, forming a 'small center' that is solid but somewhat passive. If Black achieves ...d5 and the pawn is exchanged, the resulting position often resembles an Open Sicilian with an IQP or a symmetrical center. After ...e5, the structure becomes similar to a Najdorf with the backward d6 pawn and a strong e5 outpost. In the Keres Attack, the structure can get wild, with White's g and h pawns advanced and Black sometimes castling queenside. The hedgehog structure with pawns on a6, b6, d6, e6 also arises in some lines, giving Black extreme solidity but requiring patience to find the right moment to break.
The ...d5 break is the defining tactical moment in many Scheveningen games. When it works, it often leads to a favorable position for Black with active pieces and central control. The Keres Attack creates tactical chaos with g4-g5, attacking the f6 knight and potentially opening the g-file. Nd5 sacrifices by White are a constant theme, especially powerful when Black's king is still in the center. The f5 advance from White can also create tactical complications, breaking open the e-file and targeting the e6 pawn. For Black, counterplay along the c-file and the ...b5 push often generate tactical opportunities, especially when combined with ...Bb7 pressure on e4.
Garry Kasparov made the Scheveningen his primary weapon against 1.e4 during his World Championship matches. Anatoly Karpov faced it countless times and developed many of White's key ideas. Tigran Petrosian used it in the 1960s and 70s. Among modern players, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Viswanathan Anand, and Levon Aronian have all played the Scheveningen at the highest level. The variation continues to attract creative players who enjoy the strategic richness of the ...e6/...d6 setup.
Game 16 of the 1985 World Championship match. Kasparov demonstrated the dynamic potential of the Scheveningen with a powerful queenside attack and precise tactical play.
Anand showed the dangerous potential of the Keres Attack, using the g4-g5 advance to create a powerful kingside initiative against even the greatest Scheveningen practitioner.
Start by understanding the two main White approaches: the Classical/English Attack setups and the Keres Attack. These require completely different responses from Black, so you need separate preparation for each. Focus on learning the typical piece placements and pawn break timing rather than memorizing long forced lines. The Scheveningen rewards strategic understanding more than raw memorization. Study Kasparov's games from the 1980s matches for inspiration, as they show the full range of Scheveningen middlegame ideas. A practical tip: many players reach the Scheveningen via the Najdorf move order (5...a6 followed by ...e6) to dodge the Keres Attack entirely. Openings.gg is helpful for drilling both paths, since you can import separate lines for the Najdorf move order and the direct Scheveningen and practice recognizing which structure you are heading into.
The Scheveningen is a reasonable choice for improving players (1200+) who want a solid, flexible Sicilian without the extreme sharpness of the Najdorf or Dragon. The positions are more strategic than tactical in many lines, which can be educational. However, the Keres Attack requires specific preparation, so complete beginners might find it challenging to navigate.
The Keres Attack is 6.g4, an immediate kingside pawn advance that tries to punish Black for not yet developing the bishop. Black's main responses include 6...h6 (preventing g5 and preparing to castle), 6...e5 (counterattacking the center), and 6...Nc6. The positions are sharp and require concrete knowledge, which is why many players avoid the Keres by using the Najdorf move order instead.
The Scheveningen features ...e6 and ...d6 without an early ...a6, creating a compact center. The Najdorf plays 5...a6 first, keeping more options open. In practice, many games transpose between the two. The Najdorf is more flexible but requires more theory. The Scheveningen is more structured and strategic but faces the dangerous Keres Attack that the Najdorf avoids.
Moderate amounts. The Classical lines require understanding of plans more than memorization. The Keres Attack requires about 12-15 moves of specific preparation. Overall, it is less theoretically demanding than the Najdorf or Dragon, making it a good choice for players who prefer strategic understanding to memorization. The key is knowing the critical breaks and typical piece placements.
Many strong players do exactly this. By playing 5...a6 first (Najdorf) and then ...e6, you avoid the Keres Attack entirely since White has already committed to a different setup. The downside is that you also need to know Najdorf-specific lines. If you are comfortable with both move orders, using the Najdorf path gives you more flexibility.
White has several approaches: the Keres Attack (6.g4) for immediate aggression, the Classical (6.Be2 with f4) for a slow buildup, and the English Attack (6.Be3, f3, Qd2, O-O-O) for opposite-side castling. Each requires a different Black response. At club level, the English Attack is probably the most common choice.
Import this one or your own lines from YouTube, Lichess, or PGN and train with spaced repetition.