Caissa Codex
B83

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation after 6…Nf6

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

134,341 games: White 49.1% / Draw 5.5% / Black 45.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
61,56562K
49,22949K
8,6178,617
4,9434,943
2,5882,588
1,4031,403
1,3381,338
1,2501,250

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

Engine evaluation

+0.28 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2 e5 9. Nb3 O-O 10. O-O-O a5 11. a4 Be6

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

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation (ECO B83, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Nf6 (6 moves).

In 134,341 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.1%, Black 45.4% and 5.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 46% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation

7. Be3 scores best for White: 53.3%, with White winning 50.6% and Black 44.0% of 49K games. The most played, 7. O-O, scores 51.2% in 62K games, and 7. Bg5 scores lowest: 49.0%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Be3.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 5…d6 6. Be2 Nf6, the position after Sicilian Defense: Taimanov 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, Modern Variation (B83)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-scheveningen-variation-modern-variation

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