Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit
6/6
1.e4d52.exd5Nf63.d4Bg4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit1.0M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
28%283k44%
2.9%29k59%
2%20k7%
1.6%16k50%
0.7%7.1k9%
0.6%6.2k48%
0.3%2.7k6%
0.1%6408%
Famous games in this line1.1k master games
Carlsen, Magnus (2810) – Short, Nigel D (2696)Leko, P. (2707) – Kasimdzhanov, R. (2704)Vaibhav, S. (2542) – Carlsen, M. (2834)Svidler, Peter (2650) – Shirov, Alexei (2685)Andriasian, Z. (2600) – Adhiban, Baskaran (2683)Bologan, Viktor (2575) – Shirov, Alexei (2690)Yu Yangyi (2759) – Ye Rongguang (2461)Hou Yifan (2629) – Muzychuk, A. (2566)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Shirov, Alexei · Adhiban, Baskaran · Yu Yangyi
- Family
- Scandinavian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B01
- Line
- 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4
Gambit
★ Read the guide: Scandinavian DefenseExplore all 45 Scandinavian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit, Wuss Variation4.Be2Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit, Classical Variation4.Nf3Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit, Elbow Variation4.Bb5 c6Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit, Banker Variation4.f3 Bf5 5.c4
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