Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation (8. O-O Nc6)
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
The Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B85, reached after 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. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.35 (Stockfish, depth 28; best line 9. Be3 Be7 10. a4 O-O 11. Kh1 Bd7)
- ECO
- B85
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
r1b1kb1r/1pq2ppp/p1nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N5/PPP1B1PP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 4 9- PGN
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
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
3 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 0%, Black 67%). The strongest:
- Mihai-Vlad Ciorica (1938) – IM Ruslan Soltanici (2346) 0-1 · FISCA 2014 · 2014-06-23
- Milosz Pekala (1738) – FM Blazej Grot (2325) 0-1 · TCh-POL Junior 2026 · 2026-05-22
- Thomas Ulrich (2060) – Esben Christensen (2000) 1-0 · Bronshoj Long Weekend 2013 · 2013-02-10
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.