26. Classical Scheveningen (6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Be7 8.f4)
The Classical Scheveningen was one of Kasparov's favorite weapons. Black keeps the small e6-d6 center, castles and arranges its pieces with ...Qc7, ...Nc6, ...Re8 and ...Rb8, ready to react to White's attack on the kingside.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Be7 8.f4 O-O 9.Kh1 Qc7 10.a4 Nc6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Bf3 Rb8
Move by move
- 1.e4 – White occupies the center with the king's pawn, controls d5 and f5 and frees the queen and the f1-bishop. This is the move we answer with the Sicilian.
- 1...c5 – The Sicilian Defense: Black controls d4 with a flank pawn instead of occupying the center. If White plays d4, Black will trade c5 for d4 and have two central pawns against one and the half-open c-file.
- 2.Nf3 – White develops the knight toward the center and prepares d2-d4 to open the game: it is the road to the Open Sicilian, the most ambitious try against us.
- 2...d6 – Black controls e5, opens the diagonal for the c8-bishop and prepares ...Nf6: after 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 the e4-pawn will be attacked right away. It is the basis of the Najdorf and the Dragon.
- 3.d4 – White opens the center: it offers the d4 pawn trade against c5 to develop quickly and use the lead in development in an open position.
- 3...cxd4 – Black trades at once: it removes White's d-pawn, keeps two central pawns (d6 and e7) against one and opens the c-file for rook and queen.
- 4.Nxd4 – White recaptures with the knight, which dominates the center from d4. In exchange for faster development it has conceded the central majority to Black.
- 4...Nf6 – Black develops with tempo by attacking e4. White has to defend it with 5.Nc3 and loses the chance to play c2-c4, which would give the solid Maróczy structure.
- 5.Nc3 – White defends e4 by developing a piece: it is the basic position of the Open Sicilian, from which the Najdorf, Dragon, Scheveningen and Classical arise.
- 5...e6 – The Scheveningen: with pawns on d6 and e6 Black forms a small center that controls d5, e5, c5 and f5. It is a solid, flexible structure, which prepares ...Be7, ...O-O and play on the queenside.
- 6.Be2 – White chooses classical development: bishop on e2, short castling and then f4 to play on the kingside.
- 6...a6 – Black takes the b5 square away from the white pieces and prepares ...Qc7 and ...b5. It is the scheme of the modern Scheveningen with ...a6.
- 7.O-O – White castles and puts the rook on f1, ready to support the f4-f5 push.
- 7...Be7 – Black develops the bishop and prepares to castle. On e7 the bishop defends d6 and the kingside.
- 8.f4 – White takes space on the kingside and prepares e4-e5 or f4-f5 against the e6-pawn.
- 8...O-O – Black castles: the king is safe and the d6-e6 structure protects the center well.
- 9.Kh1 – The king steps off the a7-g1 diagonal before playing Be3: it avoids surprises with ...Qb6 or ...Nxe4 and checks on the diagonal.
- 9...Qc7 – The queen goes to c7: it controls e5 against the e4-e5 push, watches the c-file and frees d8 for a rook.
- 10.a4 – White prevents ...b5, which would give Black space on the queenside and the b7 square for the bishop.
- 10...Nc6 – The knight develops and presses on d4 and e5. Now Black can think about ...Nxd4 followed by ...e5 or ...Bd7.
- 11.Be3 – White develops the bishop and defends the d4-knight. It prepares Qe1-g3 or Bf3 and an attack on the kingside.
- 11...Re8 – The rook goes to e8 to support e6 and prepare ...Bf8: if White pushes e5 or f5, Black will have more defenders in the center.
- 12.Bf3 – The bishop goes to f3, where it defends e4 and prepares g4-g5 without blocking the queen.
- 12...Rb8 – The rook goes to b8 to prepare ...b5, even after a4: with the rook behind the pawn, Black opens the b-file. It is Kasparov's scheme.
How to exploit the position
A typical balanced position: White has space on the kingside and prepares g4-g5, Black has a solid structure and prepares ...b5 on the queenside.
- Prepare ...b5 with ...Bd7: even after axb5 axb5 the a-file and the b-file open for the black rooks.
- Against g4-g5 keep the ...Nd7 retreat and the ...Bf8 and ...g6 defense ready: the bishop on f8 protects the king well.
- Trade with ...Nxd4 and play ...e5 or ...Bd7-c6 to press on e4.
- If White pushes e5 without preparation, ...dxe5 fxe5 Nd7 attacks the e5-pawn left isolated.
Master tips
The defenders of e6
In the Scheveningen the e6-pawn is the breaking point: White attacks it with f4-f5 or with sacrifices.