for Black · beginner

Scandinavian Defense

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4/4
1.e4d52.exd5Qxd5

Black immediately challenges e4 with ...d5 and recaptures with the queen (or a knight). It is a solid, easy-to-learn structure and a practical, low-theory choice, especially popular with club and improving players.

Key ideas
  • Exchange in the centre at once to reduce White's options
  • Reroute the queen to a5 or d6 to avoid losing tempo
  • Develop naturally with ...Nf6, ...c6, ...Bf5 or ...Bg4
  • Aim for a solid Caro-Kann-like structure with easy piece play
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)2015½–½Caruana, F. (2801) – Carlsen, M. (2877)20140–1Caruana, F. (2808) – Carlsen, M. (2857)2016½–½Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780) – Carlsen, M. (2872)2019½–½Nepomniachtchi, I. (2773) – Carlsen, M. (2870)20190–1Anand, V. (2757) – Carlsen, M. (2870)20190–1Firouzja, Alireza (2759) – Carlsen, M. (2847)20211–0Dominguez Perez, L. (2758) – Carlsen, M. (2847)2021½–½
Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Firouzja, Alireza
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
Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation2…Nf6Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne-Kloosterboer Gambit2…c6Scandinavian Defense: Zilbermints Gambit2.b4
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
Open in the opening tree →Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Scandinavian Defense ↗