Caissa Codex
B82

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack after 6. f4

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

76,428 games: White 49.2% / Draw 4.3% / Black 46.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
33,43433K
26,50227K
10,58911K
2,4562,456
1,1111,111
553553
468468
390390

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.49 White is slightly better

Best play: 6... Be7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qe2 e5 9. Nf3 Ng4 10. Bd2 exf4 11. Bxf4

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

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack (ECO B82, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4 (6 moves).

In 76,428 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.2%, Black 46.5% and 4.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…Be7, in 44% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Tal Variation.

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

6…a6 scores best for Black: 49.4%, with Black winning 47.4% and White 48.5% of 27K games. The most played, 6…Be7, scores 48.6% in 33K games, and 6…Nc6 scores lowest: 48.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 6…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

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6. f4, the position after Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack (B82)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-matanovic-attack

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