Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation

With 6. Be2, White chooses unhurried development over the Keres Attack or the English Attack setup. The bishop covers g4 and the kingside, White castles short, and the usual follow-up is f4, with Be3, Qe1 or Kh1 to prepare play against Black's king. Black completes development with ...Be7, ...O-O and ...a6, and seeks counterplay on the c-file and with ...b5, keeping ...e5 or ...d5 in reserve as central breaks. The play is maneuvering rather than forcing, and the engine rates the position as close to balanced.

6...Be7 is the most common reply, followed by 6...a6. The rarer 6...Nc6 leads to the Modern Variation, a position also reached from the Classical Sicilian when 5...Nc6 6. Be2 is met by 6...e6. The Paulsen Variation reaches the structure through the Najdorf move order, with 5...a6, 6. f4 e6 7. Be2 Qc7 8. O-O Nc6. In Lichess games, Black has scored slightly better than White from this position.