The Scheveningen Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3... b5 begins with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bc4 a6 7.Bb3 b5 (ECO B87). With 193,299 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Scheveningen Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3... 6.Bc4. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Dragoljub Velimirovic (16 games), Sandor Farago (16 games), Alonso Zapata (12 games). Black-side regulars include Zlatko Ilincic (16 games), Joseph G Gallagher (15 games), Walter S Browne (15 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
Popularity and results vary sharply by rating level. Among 1200-rated players, it appears in 0.00% of games — 4,222 of them on record — with White winning 44.8% and Black 51.5%. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.00%, with White winning 49.4% versus Black's 46.7%. Among 2500-rated players the line appears in 0.04% of games and draws spike to 6.9%, indicating tight preparation.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
What players actually play after the opening moves depends heavily on rating. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is O-O, played 36.8% of the time. There are 3 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 76.1% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.62. By 2500, O-O dominates at 29.2% of replies; only 7 viable alternatives remain and 66% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 2.70. Move diversity stays high even at master level, suggesting the opening doesn't force one specific response.
Common Mistakes
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- Ignoring the kingside attack — In sharp Sicilian lines, White typically castles long and pushes the h-pawn. Without your own counterplay on the queenside or in the centre, White's attack lands first.
Practice on Chessiverse
Ready to try the Scheveningen Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3... b5 against a bot? Pick an opponent at your level and play a game.
