Chess Openings Lab
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Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation

The Scheveningen Formation of the Smith-Morra is 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6, where Black builds the solid d6 and e6 pawn pair. White wants Qe2, castling and Rd1 to pressure d6 and prepare e5, while Black aims to finish with ...Be7, ...Nf6 and ...Bd7 safely.

Moves
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6
ECO
B21
Engine
−0.31 · a slight edge for Black (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
666 games in our lichess sample
White scores
50.3%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Play Qe2 and O-O, then Rd1 to line up against the d6 pawn.
  • Bf4 adds a second attacker on d6 and prepares e5 to open the center.
  • The quiet h3 stops ...Ng4 ideas, but gives Black time to castle.

Black

  • Develop with ...Be7, ...Bd7 and ...Nf6, then castle short before any pawn break.
  • Play ...a6 to stop Nb5 and later ...e5 to block White's f4 bishop and gain central space.
  • Use ...Qc7 to defend d6 and cover e5 once the king is safe.

Plans and pawn structure

White targets d6 with Qe2, Rd1 and Bf4, and hopes to break with e5 or a knight jump to b5. Black is a pawn up and solid, so the plan is to finish development with ...Be7, ...Bd7 and ...a6, then push ...e5 to blunt the f4 bishop. Once Black castles and plays ...Qc7, the extra pawn becomes the main factor.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.31: a slight edge for Black. Its three top choices for White:

  1. −0.31 7.Qe2 Be7 8.O-O Bd7 9.Rd1 a6
  2. −0.33 7.O-O Be7 8.Qe2 Bd7 9.Rd1 a6
  3. −0.47 7.h3 Be7 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

666 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 50.3%.

1200–159946.3%
1600–199949.3%
2000 and up53.3%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, put rooks on d1 and c1 and aim the bishop at d6 before Black castles. Do not waste time with slow pawn moves. If Black plays ...e5, use the hole on d5 for your knight. Qe2 plus Rd1 is the simplest way to start.

Questions

What are the moves of the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation starts 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6. Its ECO code is B21.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.31 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for Black. In 666 lichess games from our sample, White scored 50.3%. A sturdy choice for Black players who want a known structure, while White must play energetically to keep the pressure.

What is the main idea of the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation?

Black sets up pawns on d6 and e6 to keep White's pieces out. White piles up on d6 with Qe2, Rd1 and Bf4 and looks for e5 before Black finishes development.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Qe2, with O-O and h3 close behind. 7.Qe2 clears d1 for the rook and prepares e5 with the queen behind it.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.