B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation
B85 holds four named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B93 (Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation) with 6...e6 7.Be2 Qc7 8.O-O Nc6. That final move, by the knight, opens a line for the rook on a8 and attacks the knight on d4. Of all other reference positions, the board of B84 (Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation) comes closest, ten squares apart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | c5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | d6 |
| 3 | d4 | cxd4 |
| 4 | Nxd4 | Nf6 |
| 5 | Nc3 | a6 |
| 6 | f4 | e6 |
| 7 | Be2 | Qc7 |
| 8 | O-O | Nc6 |
Moves only B85 plays
Same as B93 up to 6.f4, then:
- 6...e6 The e-pawn advances to e6, covering d5 and f5, opening a line for the queen on d8 and the bishop on f8.
- 7.Be2 The bishop leaves f1 for e2, opening a line for the rook on h1.
- 7...Qc7 The queen goes from d8 to c7, attacking the knight on c3.
- 8.O-O White castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d1, guarding the pawn on g2.
- 8...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the knight on d4.
Lines filed under B85
All four share the start 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 and then split two ways at Black’s move 2.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation | 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e6 7.Be2 Qc7 8.O-O Nc6 | 16 | White castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation | 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Be3 d6 9.f4 | 17 | White castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation | 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Kh1 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.a4 | 19 | White castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line | 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.Qe1 O-O | 20 | both castled |
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation
- 2...e6 The e-pawn advances to e6, covering d5 and f5, opening a line for the queen on d8 and the bishop on f8.
- 3.d4 The d-pawn advances two squares to d4, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 3...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
- 4.Nxd4 The knight on f3 takes the pawn on d4, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 4...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the knight on d4.
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation
- 2...e6 The e-pawn advances to e6, covering d5 and f5, opening a line for the queen on d8 and the bishop on f8.
- 3.d4 The d-pawn advances two squares to d4, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 3...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
- 4.Nxd4 The knight on f3 takes the pawn on d4, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 4...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the knight on d4.
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line
- 2...e6 The e-pawn advances to e6, covering d5 and f5, opening a line for the queen on d8 and the bishop on f8.
- 3.d4 The d-pawn advances two squares to d4, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 3...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
- 4.Nxd4 The knight on f3 takes the pawn on d4, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 4...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the knight on d4.
The road to B85
- 1.e4 … 5.Nc3seven earlier stops: B00, B20, B27, B50, B54
- 5...a6B90 Najdorf Variation
- 6.f4B93 Amsterdam Variation
- 8...Nc6B85
The position after 8...Nc6
White has brought out the knight on c3, knight on d4 and bishop on e2; Black the knight on c6 and knight on f6. White has a half-open d-file; Black a half-open c-file. White could capture with Bxa6, Nxc6, Nxe6. White is to move and has 38 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B82 | Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Matanovic Attack | 11 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, a6, c6, a7 … |
| B96 | Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 11 squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, g5, c6 … |
| B97 | Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation | 11 squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, g5, b6 … |
| B49 | Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation | 12 squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, f2, e3, f4 … |
| B58 | Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation | 12 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, f2, f4, a6, e6 … |
| B83 | Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation | 12 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, f2, f4, a6, c6 … |
| B88 | Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Leonhardt Variation | 12 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, f2, c4, f4 … |