Caissa Codex
B90

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack after 7. g4

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

52,074 games: White 54.9% / Draw 4.3% / Black 40.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
17,84218K
11,37211K
7,6917,691
5,9645,964
3,3193,319
2,4272,427
926926
785785

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

Engine evaluation

0.00 The position is about equal

Best play: 7... e5 8. Nf5 g6 9. g5 gxf5 10. exf5 d5 11. Qf3 Ne4 12. Nxe4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack (ECO B90, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. g4 (7 moves).

In 52,074 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 54.9%, Black 40.8% and 4.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…Be7, in 34% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack, Perenyi Gambit.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack

7…b5 scores best for Black: 47.7%, with Black winning 45.4% and White 50.0% of 7,691 games. The most played answer, 7…Be7, scores lowest: 40.3% in 18K games. Stockfish's first choice is 7…e5.

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

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6…e6 7. g4, the position after Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack (B90)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-delayed-keres-attack

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-delayed-keres-attack