Openings · plays Black

The Sicilian Scheveningen (Black)

d'Costa's classic small-centre Sicilian: ...d6 and ...e6 build a flexible, resilient pawn duo. Black cedes space, then strikes back with ...b5, ...d5 or ...e5 while White overextends. The workhorse of Kasparov's repertoire.

Step through the main line

The lines

English Attack: 6.Be3 & f3

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 a6 7. f3 b5 8. Qd2 Nbd7 9. g4 Bb7

Classical Main Line: 6.Be2

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Be7 8. f4 O-O 9. Be3 Nc6

Keres Attack: 6.g4

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g4 h6 7. h4 Nc6 8. Rg1 h5 9. gxh5 Nxh5

6.f4 with Qf3

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4 a6 7. Qf3 Qb6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Be3 Qc7

Fianchetto 6.g3

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g3 a6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. b3 Nc6

How this guide is made: the lines and explanations come from the authored Strong Squares repertoire curriculum. Automated checks verify legal move sequences and required teaching fields. Independent chess-editor approval remains a private-preview release gate. Read the teaching method.