Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation 7. O-O Qc7
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Statistics from Lichess
66,884 games: White 42.3% / Draw 5.2% / Black 52.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 22,65323K | ||
| 11,94812K | ||
| 10,47010K | ||
| 8,4708,470 | ||
| 3,4853,485 | ||
| 2,2462,246 | ||
| 1,5081,508 | ||
| 1,4941,494 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.26 The position is about equal
Best play: 8. f4 Be7 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Qe1 O-O 11. Qg3 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 b5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation (ECO B84, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Qc7 (7 moves).
In 66,884 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.3%, Black 52.6% and 5.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Be3, in 34% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 7…Qc7
8. a4 scores best for White: 50.1%, with White winning 47.4% and Black 47.2% of 3,485 games. The most played, 8. Be3, scores 44.3% in 23K games, and 8. Bg5 scores lowest: 41.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. f4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation (B84)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-classical-variation-3