Black to move. This position from the classical variation of the Scheveningen occurs over 900 times in the Lichess database, yet ...Ne8 has been played only three times. The move seems strong: it prepares ...Bf6 followed by a trade of dark-squared bishops. Since white's DSB is bearing down on the black king, while black is cramped and his bishop sits apparently without prospects on e7, this trade is surely favorable for black. Indeed, my versions of Stockfish 12 and Leela both give ...Ne8 followed by a timely ...Bf6 as the best lines for black in this position. Leela gives ...Ne8 as the only move that retains approximate equality. Why then is ...Ne8 played so rarely?
[FEN "r4rk1/1bq1bppp/p2ppn2/1p6/3BPP2/P1N3Q1/1PP1B1PP/R4R1K b - - 0 1"]