Sicilian Defense: Open Scheveningen & English Attack

Sicilian Defense

Definition

The Sicilian Defense is the chess opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 c5. Black immediately fights for central and queenside space with the c-pawn instead of mirroring White’s 1…e5. It is the most popular and best-scoring reply to 1. e4 at every rating level, from scholastic tournaments to world-championship matches.

Typical Move Orders

The branching begins as early as move two, but all Sicilians share the initial pawn structure:

• 1. e4 c5 – the defining moves.
• 2. Nf3 followed by 3. d4 (the “Open Sicilian,” see below) is the most common approach.
• Alternative second moves for White (2. Nc3, 2. c3, 2. d4+ without Nf3, etc.) yield the various “Anti-Sicilians.”

Black’s choice on move two (…d6, …Nc6, …e6, …g6) steers the game into the Najdorf, Dragon, Scheveningen, Classical, Taimanov, Kan, and other sub-variations.

Strategic Themes

• Asymmetry: The c-pawn thrust creates an unbalanced pawn structure, giving both sides chances to play for a win.
• Wing vs. Center: White often advances on the kingside or center; Black counters on the queenside with …b5, …b4, and pressure down the c-file.
• Piece Activity over Pawn Structure: Black tolerates a spatial deficit in the center in return for dynamic piece play and counter-chances.

Historical Significance

The Sicilian first appeared in the 16th-century manuscripts of Giulio Polerio but gained real prominence in the 20th century when champions like Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov adopted it as their main defense to 1. e4. Today, a majority of decisive games at elite level start with 1. e4 c5.

Famous Examples

• Fischer – Spassky, World Championship 1972 (Game 6, Najdorf): Fischer won a model positional game, proving the opening’s richness for both colors.
• Kasparov – Anand, PCA WCh 1995 (Game 10, Najdorf/English Attack): Kasparov’s powerful exchange sacrifice on c3 highlighted typical Sicilian tactics.

Interesting Facts

• ECO codes B20–B99 are dedicated solely to Sicilian variations.
• According to Mega-database statistics, roughly one in every four master-level games begins with 1. e4 c5.
• The fastest recorded checkmate in a Sicilian (against best play) is 18 moves—showing how resilient the opening is compared to double-king-pawn lines where mates can occur in as few as 8 moves.

Sample Mini-Game

Try the skeleton moves to get the feel:

Open Sicilian

Definition

The term “Open Sicilian” refers to the main line that arises after the central pawn break 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 in reply to 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3. The position is called “open” because the exchange on d4 removes a pair of central pawns, opening files and diagonals for rapid piece play.

Typical Move Order

1. 1. e4 c5
2. 2. Nf3 (prepares d4)
3. 2…d6 / …Nc6 / …e6 (Black chooses a setup)
4. 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 – the position defining the Open Sicilian.

Strategic Ideas

• White obtains a spatial plus in the center with pawns on e4 and sometimes c4.
• Black gains the half-open c-file and targets the d4-knight with moves like …a6, …e6, …Qb6, or …g6 depending on the variation.
• The resulting imbalances lead to sharp, double-edged play—one reason many attacking players prefer the Open Sicilian over so-called “Anti-Sicilians.”

Notable Sub-Variations inside the Open Sicilian

• Najdorf (…a6)
• Dragon (…g6, …Bg7)
• Classical / Richter-Rauzer (…Nc6 and …Nf6)
• Kan / Paulsen (…e6 and …a6 without …d6)
• Taimanov (…e6 and …Nc6)

Historical Notes

Tigran Petrosian famously shunned the Open Sicilian as White, preferring Anti-Sicilians, while Bobby Fischer embraced it, leading to some of the most celebrated attacking masterpieces of the 20th century.

Interesting Fact

On average the Open Sicilian generates 60 % decisive results in grandmaster play—one of the highest among major openings.

Scheveningen Variation (Sicilian)

Definition

The Scheveningen Variation is a pawn-structure within the Open Sicilian characterized by Black placing pawns on d6 and e6 without committing the queenside pawns to …a6 or …e5. The “pure” Scheveningen position typically arises after:

Origins of the Name

Named after the 1923 Scheveningen tournament held in the Dutch seaside town, where a team event popularized the setup.

Strategic Hallmarks

• Flexible Pawn Center: The d6-e6 chain restrains White’s e4-pawn and prepares …d5 in one go.
• King Safety vs. Activity: Black usually castles kingside; White often castles long and launches g- and h-pawn storms (English Attack, Keres Attack).
• Minor-Piece Battles: The critical d5-square (a potential outpost for a knight) and the b5-square (for Black’s knight after …a6 …b5) define many plans.

Main Lines

1. 6. g4!? – the ultra-sharp Keres Attack, trying to pry open g-file before Black can castle.
2. 6. Be2 and 6. Be3 – classical development, sometimes transposing to Najdorf-Scheveningen hybrids.
3. 6. f4 – Velimirovic Attack, aiming for f5 and kingside space.

Historical  Moments

• “Kasparov’s Arrow”: In countless Najdorf games Kasparov delayed …a6 and went straight into a Scheveningen setup, arguing that he kept maximum flexibility.
• Polugaevsky – Karpov, USSR 1974: A legendary exchange sacrifice on c3 by Karpov displayed the latent power of Black’s dark-squared bishop in the Scheveningen.

Interesting Facts

• The Scheveningen pawn structure can also arise from French or Caro-Kann move orders, underlining its independent strategic identity.
• Although often labeled “solid,” the variation is one of the most frequently appearing battlegrounds for spectacular king hunts.

English Attack (vs. the Sicilian)

Definition

The English Attack is a modern White attacking system against both the Najdorf and Scheveningen Sicilians. White develops the dark-squared bishop to e3, supports the center with f3, places the queen on d2, and often castles long, preparing a pawn storm with g4, h4, and sometimes g5. The setup was refined by English GMs John Nunn, Nigel Short, and Jonathan Speelman in the 1980s—hence the name.

Baseline Move Order (Najdorf Version)

1. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 (Najdorf)
2. 6. Be3 e6 7. f3 Be7 8. Qd2 – the core English-Attack tabiya.

Strategic Ideas

• Opposite-side Castling: White usually castles queenside, Black kingside, leading to mutual pawn races.
• g- and h-pawns vs. b- and a-pawns: White’s g4-g5 vs. Black’s …b5-b4 create “who-gets-there-first” scenarios.
• Control of d5: White’s knight often lands on b3 or d4 while Black strives for …d5 to free the position.

Key Tactical Motifs

• Bxh6 sacrificial ideas to rip open Black’s king shelter.
• Exchange sacrifices on c3/c6 to shatter pawn structures (popular for both sides).
• Rook lifts (Rg1–g4–h4 or Rf1–e1–g1) to increase attacking power.

Historical & Model Games

• Short – Timman, Tilburg 1991: White’s thematic g-pawn thrust led to a textbook kingside assault.
• Kasparov – Anand, Wijk aan Zee 1999: Kasparov’s brilliant exchange sacrifice demonstrated the attack’s potency even against perfect defense.

Interesting Facts

• The English Attack forced Black to create completely new defensive systems (e.g., the Poisoned-Pawn Najdorf with …Qb6).
• The same setup is effective against the Pirc and the Caro-Kann, making it a universal weapon for aggressive 1. e4 players.
• Statistically, the English Attack yields one of White’s highest winning percentages against the Najdorf (roughly 55 % in games above 2500 FIDE).