Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation
4/4
1.e4d52.exd5Qxd5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation62.9M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
70%44.2M52%
14%8.6M52%
10%6.6M52%
2.9%1.8M53%
1.2%757k51%
0.6%354k48%
0.2%137k51%
0.2%121k51%
0.2%101k49%
0.1%60k43%
Famous games in this line17k master games
Caruana, F. (2805) – Carlsen, M. (2876)Caruana, F. (2801) – Carlsen, M. (2877)Caruana, F. (2808) – Carlsen, M. (2857)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780) – Carlsen, M. (2872)Nepomniachtchi, I. (2773) – Carlsen, M. (2870)Anand, V. (2757) – Carlsen, M. (2870)Firouzja, Alireza (2759) – Carlsen, M. (2847)Dominguez Perez, L. (2758) – Carlsen, M. (2847)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Firouzja, Alireza
- Family
- Scandinavian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B01
- Line
- 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Scandinavian Defense: Main Line3.Nc3 Qa5 · 9 deeper linesScandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation3.Nc3 Qd8 · 2 deeper linesScandinavian Defense: Gubinsky-Melts Defense3.Nc3 Qd6 · 3 deeper linesScandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
'Scachs d'amor', a Valencian poem of about 1475, carries the earliest known game played by modern rules, and it opens 1.e4 d5. Five centuries later the Scandinavian is still the most direct answer to 1.e4: force matters immediately, accept the early queen move, rely on a solid structure. Larsen beat the reigning world champion Karpov with it at Montreal 1979.
Study this opening