Caissa Codex
B80

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2 after 7. Qd2

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Statistics from Lichess

157,766 games: White 48.8% / Draw 3.9% / Black 47.3%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
94,56895K
30,21530K
14,73015K
7,4967,496
4,7174,717
2,6532,653
1,3491,349
540540

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.42 White is slightly better

Best play: 7... b5 8. f3 Nbd7 9. O-O-O h5 10. Kb1 Bb7 11. a3 Rc8 12. Be2

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

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2 (ECO B80, 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. Qd2 (7 moves).

In 157,766 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.8%, Black 47.3% and 3.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…Be7, in 60% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2

7…b5 scores best for Black: 54.0%, with Black winning 52.0% and White 44.0% of 30K games. The most played answer, 7…Be7, scores lowest: 47.6% in 95K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 7…b5.

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…e6 7. Qd2, the position after Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2 (B80)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-english-attack-with-qd2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-english-attack-with-qd2