Scandinavian Defense
You play Black · 21 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
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10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 11
- Grünfeld VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bf5 6. Ne5 c6 7. g47 moves
- Lasker VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. h36 moves
- Valencian Variation, Main LineB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg45 moves
- Valencian Variation, Ilundain VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c65 moves
- Portuguese Gambit, Jadoul VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. f3 Bf5 5. Bb5+ Nbd7 6. c46 moves
- Portuguese Gambit, Melbourne Shuffle VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. f3 Bf5 5. Bb5+ Nbd7 6. Nc36 moves
- Portuguese Gambit, Banker VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. f3 Bf5 5. c45 moves
- Portuguese Gambit, Correspondence RefutationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. f3 Bf5 5. g45 moves
- Portuguese Gambit, Lusophobe VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Bb5+ Nbd7 5. Be25 moves
- Anderssen Counterattack, Orthodox AttackB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 e5 5. dxe5 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Bd27 moves
- Anderssen Counterattack, Collijn VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 e5 5. Nf3 Bg45 moves
Other variations · 10
- Schiller-Pytel VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 c64 moves
- Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bc4 c6 6. Nge2 Bf5 7. Bf4 Qb47 moves
- Blackburne GambitB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 c6 3. dxc6 Nxc63 moves
- Boehnke GambitB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 e5 3. dxe6 Bxe63 moves
- Bronstein VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a65 moves
- Kádas GambitB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 c6 4. dxc6 e54 moves
- Kiel VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4 Nb44 moves
- Kloosterboer GambitB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 c6 3. dxc6 e53 moves
- Panov TransferB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. c4 c63 moves
- Richter VariationB011. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g64 moves
What is the Scandinavian Defense?
The Scandinavian Defense starts 1.e4 d5. Black challenges the e4 pawn immediately; after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 the queen recaptures early, and White gains a tempo by attacking it with Nc3. In return Black gets a clear, simple position with a solid structure and a light-squared bishop that is free to develop. It is a respected defence with relatively little theory and appears at every level, although it is less common at the top than the main replies to 1.e4.
Main ideas and plans
The main line is 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5, where the queen pins the knight from a5 and stays active. A typical continuation is 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.Bc4 Bf5, after which you play ...e6, ...Nbd7 and ...Bb4 or ...Be7, castle and reach a sturdy, Caro-Kann-like structure. Retreating the queen to d6, as in the Schiller-Pytel and Bronstein Variations, keeps it more central and prepares ...c6 or ...a6, while the Valencian Variation with the retreat to d8 is the most solid of all. White's usual tries are Bd2 with ideas of Nd5 or Nb5, Ne5 combined with a kingside pawn advance to hunt your bishop, and quick long castling.
The other main branch is 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6, regaining the pawn later with the knight. Here the Portuguese Gambit, 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4, gives up the d5 pawn for rapid development and pressure and leads to sharp positions where White must be careful. With 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 you simply take the pawn back; White then gains space with c4 and Nf3, and you aim to undermine the centre with ...g6 and ...c5 or with piece pressure. In all lines your plan is quick development, the bishop out to f5 or g4 before ...e6, and a well-timed ...c5 or ...e5 break.
Who is it for?
The Scandinavian suits players who want a reliable answer to 1.e4 with limited theory, because you decide the structure from move one and avoid the Ruy Lopez, the Open Sicilian and other heavy main lines. It is popular with club players and in rapid and blitz. The downside is the time lost with the queen: if you develop carelessly, White's lead in development and attacks on your queen can become dangerous. Learn first where your queen belongs after Nc3, on a5, d6 or d8, and how to keep it safe from tricks with Bd2, Nb5 and b4.