Caissa Codex
B85

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation 8…d6 9. f4

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation after 9. f4

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Statistics from Lichess

22,191 games: White 49.7% / Draw 5.2% / Black 45.1%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
17,53018K
1,8881,888
1,2211,221
568568
321321
142142
109109
109109

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.20 The position is about equal

Best play: 9... Be7 10. Qe1 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 O-O 12. Qg3 b5 13. Kh1 Bb7 14. a3

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, Paulsen Variation (ECO B85, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 d6 9. f4 (9 moves).

In 22,191 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.7%, Black 45.1% and 5.2% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 9…Be7, in 79% of those games.

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How to answer 9. f4

9…Bd7 scores best for Black: 48.8%, with Black winning 45.8% and White 48.2% of 1,221 games. The most played, 9…Be7, scores 48.1% in 18K games, and 9…b5 scores lowest: 46.2%. Stockfish's first choice is 9…Be7.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 d6 9. f4, the position after Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation (B85)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-classical-variation-paulsen-variation-2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-classical-variation-paulsen-variation-2