Scheveningen Sicilian

So I am going to start playing the Scheveningen Sicilian, but I was wondering what difference move order makes when getting into a Scheveningen? I know there are lots of ways to get in a Scheveningen structure, (Paulsen, Classical, Najdorf move orders) and I was wondering what differences these move orders make?

Also are there any new books on the Scheveningen?

I also need a book that cover (hopefully) all the anti-sicilians, so a recommendation there would be good :)

Thanks in advance.

All the various move orders are used to avoid one or another strong replies from white. The choice should be based on what you like to play as black

Classical 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Sc3 e6 can be met with Keres attack 6.g4 - not everyone is happy with that

In another classical line 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 white has Richter-Rauzer attack in his disposal (6.Bg5)

Same move is possible in Najdorf move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 - the line is very complex, dangerous and is backed by tons of theory

Paulsen might be the most flexible move order to reach Scheveningen structures 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nxd4 a6 holds development of Ng8 making Bg5 or g4 infeasible. Here however, white may utilise the fact that Nb1 was also not developed and switch to Maroczy bind with c4

Look at all those options and choose whichever you feel the most comfortable on black side (I used Paulsen at some time, I like playing hedgehog structures against Maroczy bind)

Thanks, that is very interesting. I think I might play the Paulsen move order, as I also don't mind playing against the Maroczy Bind.

Did you ever use a book on the Scheveningen (or the anti-sicilians) when you played it, and if so, do you think it's worth me getting it?

If you're going to play the Scheveningen anyway, may as well just go ahead and enter the Keres lines.  They're no death sentence for black, just one challenging way of attacking the Scheveningen proper.

And if you're willing to accept the Keres, then I think the following move order works out best:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6, with ...d6 to follow.

The e6 lines, to me, offer the best and most thematically similar lines for the various anti-Sicilian attempts, and the e6/Nf6 lines don't allow the Maroczy, which I know you said you don't mind, but why make life harder than it needs to be?

If you intend such an early a6, then by all means, go ahead and play a Najdorf or a Kan.  But if you genuinely intend a Scheveningen, then play a Scheveningen.  There's no need for "high class waiting moves" unless you're playing a bunch of GM's booked to the teeth in the Keres.

I'm not sure how sound the Keres attack is for Black, however I will look into some variations of it, to see if I can get a managable position. In a way though I think it makes my life harder learning the Keres rather than simply playing the Maroczy..

The other reason I'm playing the Sicilian is to attack... the Keres attack seems to give white all the attacking chances

If you want to attack FIRST, as black, you almost have to play some kind of unsound but practically playable gambit, like the Latvian, say.

Sicilians almost always develop using fairly quiet piece placements for black, with the understanding that the underlying features of the structure will allow black to break out in certain aggressive ways after white commits to a particular plan of attack.

You might be happier in the Dragon.  It's mostly famous for the Yugoslav, in which both white and black get plenty of chances to liven things up.  But white ends up attacking a pretty solid structure in most lines, meaning he almost never gets all the attacking fun while you get none of it.

I did look into the dragon before I turned to the Scheveningen but it is simply too theoretical - I don't want to get crushed for not knowing the 20th move of theory in a sideline variation.

@paulgottlieb I will look into the Keres but I think I would probably do better with other variations that avoid it.

Thanks everyone for the help!

I'm not too sure about your plan of angling toward Najdorfs in hopes of avoiding know-the-theory-or-get-crushed situations, but good luck.

But to avoid the Keres you need to know Najdorf stuff as well don't you? It can't be THAT bad.

You said earlier that you're thinking of just allowing a Maroczy, but then you also said you want to attack...FYI out of the three lines you have to choose one of to allow (Old Main Line Najdorf, Keres, Maroczy), the Keres is probably the one where you have the most chances to attack...The 6.Bg5 Najdorf is a lot of "White sacks a piece, and you defend for 15 moves, but then if you do that succesfully, you're a piece up".

Dammit these move orders are confusing...... I'm going to make a diagram of the ways to get to a scheveningen positions

Yea, I didn't realise that white could force his way back into a mainline Najdorf position, and if I play that it means learning lots of theory :/ I guess simply playing against the Keres attack is really the only option...

Another interesting way to reach a Schevingen type structure while avoiding a bunch of theory is with the Grivas Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd 4.Nxd4 Qb6) Basically the idea is to force White to retreat his Knight to b3, and then when Black's Queen is hit, to put it back on c7. Black will have lost a tempo, but he'll argue that White's misplaced Knight on b3 will make up for it. Black will play ...e6, ...a6, ...d6 etc.

Why did you discard the idea of the Classical?

You might find the Richter-Rauzer lines more to your taste than the Keres.  (Or you might not, but it's worth examining the possibility.)

And as a bonus, you have a great body of Tal literature and annotated games to draw from as source material. 

Unless of course you don't care for the d6-anti's.

Black can also reach the classical by playing ...Nc6 first.

True 'nuff.

Good point.

tbh I have no idea what the Richter-rauzer is... I have switched to the sicilian from the French quite recently so I know little about it

The Richter-Rauzer is by many accounts, the sternest test of the Classical.  Usually has Bg5, Qd2, 0-0-0, and a pretty vicious attack.

But, if there's anything to be said for defending the black side of it, it's that the defense is a lot more "Siciliany."  You need to handle it with care, and be wary of move orders, but most of the defensive resources you're going to play are of the e6, Be7, Bd7 sort.  It won't feel like the Keres, where you need to be booked up in lots of abstract h-pawn play and know which counter-intuitive square the knight is going to go to on which move.  It'll feel like a Sicilian.  Which means the abstract craziness probably won't happen till ten or fifteen moves in, instead.  That can be nice.

If you chose to explore the Classical, I guess the big choice early on would be whether to go for 2...d6 or 2...Nc6, the choice of which I guess would largely depend on your preference for the Moscow vs the Rossolimo.