Scotch Game

The Scotch Game, or Scotch Opening, is a chess opening that begins with the moves:

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. d4

Scotch Game

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Moves	1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
ECO	C44–C45
Origin	1750
Named after	Scotland
Parent	King's Knight Opening
Synonym(s)	Scotch Opening

White strikes in the centre early with 3.d4. Black almost always responds with 3...exd4. White's most common reply is 4.Nxd4, with the notable alternatives 4.Bc4 (the Scotch Gambit) and 4.c3 (the Göring Gambit).

Ercole del Rio, in his 1750 treatise Sopra il giuoco degli Scacchi, Osservazioni pratiche d’anonimo Autore Modenese ("On the game of Chess, practical Observations by an anonymous Modenese Author"), was the first author to mention what is now called the Scotch Game.^[1] The opening received its name from a correspondence match in 1824 between Edinburgh and London.

Common in the 19th century, by 1900 the Scotch had declined in popularity because it was thought to release the central tension too early and allow Black to equalise without difficulty. Garry Kasparov led a revival of the Scotch in the late 20th century, however, claiming it caused Black lasting strategic problems^[2] while avoiding the extensively analysed Ruy Lopez. It has also been advocated by Jan Timman and Sergei Rublevsky.

Analysis

White aims to dominate the centre by exchanging the d-pawn for Black's e-pawn. Black usually plays 3...exd4, as there is no good way to maintain the pawn on e5. After the usual 3...exd4 the main line is 4.Nxd4. Alternatively, White can play a gambit by offering Black one or two pawns in exchange for rapid development.

Main line: 4.Nxd4

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Main line: 4.Nxd4

In the main line after 4.Nxd4, Black has two major options. 4...Bc5 and 4...Nf6 are best regarded, seen as offering Black good chances for an equal game.

Classical Variation: 4...Bc5

Main article: Scotch Game, Classical Variation

After 4...Bc5, White usually replies with either 5.Be3, 5.Nxc6, or 5.Nb3.

After 5.Be3, play almost always continues 5...Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bc4 (as proposed by IM Gary Lane in Winning with the Scotch; several seventh move alternatives for White are possible here, 7.g3 for example) 7...Ne5 seems Black's strongest reply. Play usually continues 8.Be2 (White allows Ne5 with tempo to enable a potential f4 counter) Qg6 (8...d5 is also possible) 9.0-0. Here, White allows Black the option of taking the unprotected pawn on e4, but it is considered "poisoned".^[3]) If 8.0-0 Bb6 and the position is roughly equal.

After 5.Nxc6, play almost always continues 5...Qf6 (Black does not lose a piece on c6 because of the threat of checkmate with 6...Qxf2) 6.Qd2 dxc6 7.Nc3, or 6.Qf3 dxc6 followed by either 7.Bc4 or 7.Nc3. On 5.Nb3, play almost always continues 5...Bb6 6.Nc3, or alternatively 5...Bb6 6. a4 a6 7.Nc3. After 6.Nc3, White usually follows with (in some order) Qe2, Be3 or Bg5.

Schmidt Variation: 4...Nf6

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Mieses Variation, main line: 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4

After 4...Nf6, play usually continues 5.Nxc6 bxc6 (5...dxc6 allows 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8), known as the Mieses Variation.^[4][5] The only notable alternative for White is 5.Nc3, which transposes to the Scotch Variation of the Four Knights Game, with the usual continuation 5...Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 c6 (or other move orders).

After 5.Nxc6 bxc6, White's most common response is 6.e5, which typically continues 6...Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4, followed by 8...Ba6, pinning White's pawn on c4 to the queen on e2, or 8...Nb6. An alternative for White is 6.Bd3, defending the pawn on e4; 6.Nd2, 6.Nc3, and 6.Qe2 are also possible with the same idea.

Steinitz Variation: 4...Qh4

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Steinitz Variation, main line: 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2 Qxe4 7.Nb5 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Kd8 9.0-0 Nf6

Popularised by Wilhelm Steinitz, 4...Qh4 almost wins a pawn by force, but White gets a lead in development and attacking chances as compensation. The most successful line for White has been 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2 Qxe4 7.Nb5 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Kd8 9.0-0, from which Black's awkwardly placed king has generally proven more significant than the extra pawn.

The main alternative for White is 5.Nb5, known as the Horwitz Attack. Black usually responds with 5...Qxe4+, most often transposing to the main line outlined above, 5...Bc5, which continues 6.Qe2 or 6.Qf3, or 5...Bb4+, which usually continues with 6.Bd2 or 6.c3. A common line is 6.Bd2 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Kd8 8.0-0 Bxd2.

Lesser played alternatives include 5.Nf3 (the Fraser Variation), usually continuing 5...Qxe4+ 6.Be2 Bb4+ 7.c3 Be7 8.0-0, 5.Qd3 (the Pulling Counterattack), and 5.Be3 (the Braune Variation).

Other lines

• 4...Qf6 most often transposes to the Classical Variation following 5.Be3 Bc5 or 5.Nxc6 Bc5. 5.Nb3 and 5.c3 often result in later transposition. 5.Nf3 and 5.Nb5 (threatening 6.Nxc7+) are also common.
• 4...Bb4+!?, the Malaniuk Variation, is "not as silly as it looks" according to John Emms. Although 5.c3 "gains a tempo", it has a downside in that it deprives the queen's knight of its natural development square. The main line continues 5...Bc5 6.Be3 (6.Nxc6 bxc6 is another option) Bb6. White can now play the quiet 7.Bc4, while 7.Nf5 and Kasparov's 7.Qg4 are more aggressive tries. Although it is debatable whether the extra move c3 is really a hindrance for White, the line has the advantage for Black of side-stepping mainstream Scotch theory.^[6]
• 4...Nxd4?! transposes to the dubious Lolli Variation.

Scotch Gambit: 4.Bc4

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Scotch Gambit: 4.Bc4

Instead of 4.Nxd4, White has two ways to offer a gambit. The Scotch Gambit starts with 4.Bc4. The Scotch Gambit may also be reached via the Italian Gambit by 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4 exd4; however, this move order gives Black the option of avoiding the Scotch with 4...Bxd4. After 4.Bc4, Black can transpose into the 4.d4 exd4 line of the Two Knights Defence with 4...Nf6, or continue 4...Bc5, when White has three main options.

• 5.c3, dubbed the Haxo Gambit by Eric Schiller, has little independent significance. Most popular and probably best is 5...Nf6, transposing into a variation of the Giuoco Piano in which Black is known to have a satisfactory game. Black can instead accept the gambit with 5...dxc3, but this is riskier because White will gain a lead in development after 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Qd5+ and Qxc5. Alternatively, Black may decline the gambit with 5...d3, opening the diagonal for the bishop on c5 and depriving White's knight of its most natural square, c3.

• 5.0-0 usually leads to the Max Lange Attack after 5...Nf6 6.e5.

• 5.Ng5!?, with the idea of 5...Nh6 (best) 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5, regaining the material. This line violates normal opening principles by moving a piece twice, attacking before development is complete, and placing the queen where it is exposed to attack. For this reason it has traditionally been considered inferior, perhaps influenced by the well-known game Meek–Morphy, Mobile 1855.^[7][8] The line has more recently appeared in grandmaster play, however, and seems to offer both sides approximately equal chances. Black can equalise with either 9...d5 (Black's latent threats of Nb4 and Re8+ prevent capturing the d5-pawn; if 10.Bf4 dxe4 11.Nd2 Re8 12.0-0-0 Bf5 and Black has the upper hand [Parma]^[9]) or 9...d6 (taking advantage of White's exposed queen).

The Black response 4...Bb4+ to the Scotch Gambit is called the London Defence.^[10]

Göring Gambit: 4.c3

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Göring Gambit: 4.c3

The Göring Gambit is a relative of the Danish Gambit which starts with 4.c3. White sacrifices one or two pawns in return for a lead in development, and typically follows up by putting pressure on f7 with Bc4, Qb3 and sometimes Ng5, while Nc3–d5 is another common motif. The Oxford Companion to Chess notes that the gambit was first played at high levels by Howard Staunton in the 1840s, and the earliest game with it was probably played in 1843.^[11] The first game with the gambit accepted may be Meek–Morphy, New York 1857.^[12] Carl Theodor Göring introduced it into master play in 1872, but while Göring's name is most often associated with the one-pawn gambit (5.Nxc3), Göring invariably used the double-pawn gambit with 5.Bc4. The gambit has been played by Ljubomir Ljubojević, David Bronstein, Frank Marshall, and Jonathan Penrose. In casual games, Alexander Alekhine often transposed to it via the move order 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3, when ...Nc6 for Black and Nf3 for White often followed. In general, the opening is unpopular at master level but is more popular at club level. It is recommended to study the Göring Gambit in connection with the Danish.

Declined: 4...d5

Black can equalise by transposing to the Danish Declined with 4...d5, when the critical line runs 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.cxd4 Bg4 7.Be2 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Qc4 (or 6...Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.Be2 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Qc4, leading to the same position), often referred to as the Capablanca Variation in view of the strength of Black's concept in the game Marshall–Capablanca, Lake Hopatcong 1926.^[13] This line (which can also arise from the Chigorin Defence to the Queen's Gambit),^[14] forcing White to either exchange queens or forgo the right to castle with the risky 10.Be3, deters many players from employing this gambit. Equal endgames result after either 10.Qb3 Qxb3 11.axb3 Nge7 or 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.Qe2+ Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Ne7. If Black avoids steering for Capablanca's ending, e.g. with 6...Nf6 or 7...0-0-0 in the above lines, then White obtains good piece play in return for the isolated d-pawn. White can deviate with 6...Bg4 7.Nc3, with the idea of meeting 7...Bb4 with 8.a3 (or 6...Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.a3)^[15] or the rare 5.Bd3,^[16] neither of which promise an advantage but which avoid those endings.

Other ways of declining

Black can also decline with 4...Nf6, transposing to a line of the Ponziani Opening. The continuation 5.e5 Ne4 was endorsed by Dangerous Weapons, 1.e4 e5 (Everyman Chess, 2008), but Tim Harding considers 5...Nd5 a better try for equality,^[17] when White can continue 6.Bb5 a6 7.Ba4 Nb6 8.Bb3, 6.Qb3, 6.Bc4 or 6.cxd4. Another possibility is 4...Nge7 intending 5...d5, when the critical continuation is 5.Bc4 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.0-0. According to IM John Watson, Black may be able to equalise with 7...Be7.^[18] Declining with 4...d3, however, allows White some advantage after 5.Bxd3 d6 6.Bf4 Be7 7.h3 Nf6 8.Nbd2 Bd7 9.Qc2 according to Batsford Chess Openings 2.

One-pawn gambit: 4...dxc3 5.Nxc3

If Black accepts the gambit with 4...dxc3, White can commit to sacrificing only one pawn with 5.Nxc3. Black's most critical response is generally considered to be 5...Bb4,^[19] when White does not get enough compensation after 6.Bc4 d6 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nf6!, when 9.Ba3 Bg4 is insufficient and 9.e5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qb3 (11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.Bxf7 Ke7 is also good for Black) 11...Qe7 12.Ba3 c5 does not give enough compensation for two pawns. White can deviate with 7.Qb3, when the old main line runs 7...Qe7 8.0-0 Bxc3, and here 9.Qxc3 gives White good compensation. Thus both John Watson and USCF master Mark Morss recommend 7...Bxc3+, in order to meet 8.Qxc3 with 8...Qf6! when White loses too much time with the queen. Thus White often continues 8.bxc3 when 8...Qe7 9.0-0 Nf6 can be met by 10.e5 (transposing back to lines arising from 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nf6 9.e5, though these are insufficient for White) or the relatively unexplored 10.Bg5. Other deviations for White include 7.Ng5 and 6.Bg5.^[20]

Black's main alternative is 5...d6, which usually leads to complications and approximately equal chances after 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Ng5 Ne5 9.Bb5 c6 10.f4, or 7.Ng5 Ne5 8.Bb3 h6 9.f4. 5...Bc5 is also playable, transposing to the Scotch Gambit after 6.Bc4 but cutting out the Bxf7+ possibility. 5...Nf6 6.Bc4 can transpose back to 5...d6 lines after 6...d6, or Black can attempt to transpose to 5...Bb4 lines with 6...Bb4, but this allows 7.e5 d5 8.exf6 dxc4 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.fxg7 Rg8 11.Bh6.

Double-pawn gambit: 4...dxc3 5.Bc4

Alternatively, White can transpose into the Danish by offering a second pawn with 5.Bc4 cxb2 6.Bxb2, an approach which John Emms considers far more dangerous for Black. If Black does not accept the second pawn with 5...cxb2, then White can avoid Black's most critical response to 5.Nxc3 (5...Bb4 6.Bc4 d6). For instance, after 5...d6, White's best is 6.Nxc3, transposing back to the 5.Nxc3 d6 line. 5...Nf6 6.Nxc3 transposes to the 5.Nxc3 Nf6 line, 5...Bb4 is well met by 6.0-0 or 6.bxc3 (transposing to the Scotch Gambit), 5...Bc5 also transposes to the Scotch Gambit while 5...Be7?! (which is well met by 6.Qd5) transposes to the Hungarian Defence.

Thus Black's most critical response is to take the second pawn with 5...cxb2 6.Bxb2. Unlike in the Danish proper, having committed the queen's knight to c6, Black cannot safely meet 6.Bxb2 with 6...d5.^[21] Instead, play often continues 6...d6 7.0-0 Be6 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Qb3 Qd7 or 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Bc3 Nh6. 6...Bb4+ is the main alternative for Black, whereupon an approach with queenside castling is considered dangerous for Black, e.g. 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Qc2 d6 9.0-0-0.

Other lines

• 3...exd4 4.Bb5 is known as the Relfsson Gambit. Black most often responds with 4...a6 or 4...Bc5. In the former, the usual continuation is 5.Ba4, after which 5...Nf6 transposes to the Mackenzie Variation of the Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5); 5...Bc5 is a common alternative. After 4...Bc5, White can regain the pawn after 5.Nbd2 a6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nb3 Ba7 8.Nbxd4, but permits 8...c5 9.Ne2 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1, leaving the king unable to castle. 5.0-0 is a more common alternative.
• 3...Nxd4, the Lolli Variation, was popular in the 19th century and received five columns of analysis in Freeborough and Ranken's 1896 opening manual Chess Openings Ancient and Modern.^[22] It is often described today as a strategic error, since after 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.Qxd4 (5.Bc4 is known as the Napoleon Gambit) White's queen stands on a central square and cannot be chased away very effectively (5...c5? is a seriously weakening move that blocks Black's king's bishop). Nonetheless, the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO) concludes that Black equalises with 5...Ne7 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.Qd5 Qf6 8.0-0 Ne5 9.Be2 c6 10.Qb3 Ng6 11.f4 Bc5+ 12.Kh1 d6 (I. Sokolov).^[23] Similarly, Harald Keilhack concludes in Knight on the Left: 1.Nc3 (p. 21) that although ...Nxd4 is a "non-line" these days, if Black continues perfectly it is not clear that White gets even a small advantage. Keilhack analyses 5.Qxd4 d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bc4 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bg5 c6 10.a4 Qa5 11.Bh4 and now after 11...Qe5 or 11...Be6, "White has at most this indescribable nothingness which is the advantage of the first move." (Id. p. 25) The ECO also concludes that Black equalises after the alternative 4.Nxe5 Ne6 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Be3 d6 9.Nd3 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 d5 (Parma).^[24] The main line 3...exd4 4.Nxd4 may transpose into this position if Black chooses to play 4...Nxd4.
• 3...d6?! is regarded as playable but inferior for Black. White can respond with 4.d5 and kick the knight. The usual continuation is 4...Nce7 5.c4, a position also frequently reached by transposition, such as from the English Rat Defence. Black then usually continues with 5...f5, 5...g6 (often transposing to the Modern Defence), or 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Ng6 or 5...Ng6 6.Nc3 Nf6, which transpose to the Black Knights' Tango. Alternatives for White include 4.dxe5, commonly continuing 4...dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 or 4...Nxe5 5.Nxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8; 4.Bb5, transposing to the Old Steinitz Defence of the Ruy Lopez; 4.Nc3, entering a line of the Three Knights Game; as well as 4.Bc4, entering a line of the Italian Game, or the Scotch Gambit if Black plays 4...exd4.
• 3...f5?! 4.Nxe5 transposes into a line of the dubious Latvian Gambit.

See also

• List of chess openings
• List of chess openings named after places