8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

The Scotch Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves

1.e4 e5

2.Nf3 Nc6

3.d4

The Scotch Game received its name from a correspondence match in 1824 between Edinburgh and London. Popular in the 19th_century, by 1900 the Scotch had lost favor among top players because it was thought to release the central tension too early and allow Black to equalize without difficulty. More recently the Scotch has regained some popularity and it has been used by grandmasters Kasparov and Timman as a surprise weapon to avoid the well-analyzed Ruy Lopez.

White aims to dominate the center by exchanging his d-pawn for Black's e-pawn. Black is practically forced to play 3...exd4 as he has no good way to maintain his pawn on e5. After 3...d6, White is better after 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bc4, or he may simply play 4.Bb5, when 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Bd7 transposes to the Steinitz defense to the Ruy Lopez. 3...Nxd4? is a strategic error: after 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.Qxd4 (5.Bc4 is the Napoleon Gambit) White's queen stands on a central square, and is not developed too early since it cannot be chased away effectively (5...c5? is a seriously weakening move that blocks Black's kings bishop). After 3...exd4, White can respond with the main line 4.Nxd4 or he can play a Gambit by offering Black one or two pawns in exchange for rapid development.

Main variations

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4, the most important continuations are

Positions after White's fourth move

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   a b c d e f g h Main line

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   a b c d e f g h Scotch Gambit

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   a b c d e f g h G�ring Gambit

• 4.Nxd4 (Main Line)
  • 4...Bc5
  • 4...Nf6
  • 4...Qh4!? (Steinitz)
• 4.Bc4 (Scotch Gambit)
• 4.c3 (G�ring Gambit)

In the main line after 4.Nxd4, Black has three major options. Either 4...Bc5 or 4...Nf6 offers Black good chances for an equal game. After 4...Bc5 White has 5. Nxc6, 5. Be3, or 5. Nb3. After 5. Nxc6 play almost always continues 5...Qf6 (Black doesn't lose a piece on c6 because he is threatening mate on with Qxf2)6. Qd2 dxc6 7. Nc3. On 5. Be3 play almost always continues 5...Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bc4 as proposed by GM Gary Lane in Winning with the Scotch. On 5. Nb3 play almost always continues 5...Bb6 6. a4 a6 7. Nc3. After 4... Nf6 5. Nxc6 and 5. Nc3 are available to white. After 5. Nc3 Almost always played is 5... Bb4 6. Nc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 c6. After 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 is also very common. Where these main line end the first real opening decisions are made that are too specific for this survey. Steinitz's 4...Qh4!? almost wins a pawn by force, but White gets a lead in development and attacking chances as compensation. As of 2005, White's most successful line has been 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2 Qxe4 7.Nb5 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Kd8 9.0-0, when Black's awkwardly placed king has generally proven more significant than his extra pawn.

Instead of 4.Nxd4, White has two ways to offer a gambit. The Scotch Gambit starts with 4.Bc4. Black can transpose into the Two Knights Defense with 4...Nf6 or he can continue the Scotch with 4...Bc5 5.c3 and now 5...Nf6 will transpose into a safe variation of the Giuoco Piano. Black can instead accept the gambit with 5...dxc3 but this is riskier because White will gain a lead in development. A possible continuation is 6.Nxc3 (Grandmaster Sveshnikov has played 6.Bxf7+!? Kxf7 7.Qd5+ followed by 8.Qxc5) 6...d6 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd5 Nge7 9.Qc3 0-0.

The G�ring Gambit is a relative of the Danish Gambit that starts with 4.c3. Now transposing into the Danish with 4...d5 equalizes for Black, but he can also accept the pawn with 4...dxc3. White can then transpose into the Danish by offering a second pawn with 5.Bc4. If Black accepts the second pawn with 5...cxb2 6.Bxb2 d6, he can defend successfully after either 7.Qb3 Qd7 or 7.0-0 Be6 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Qb3 Qd7. To remain in the G�ring proper, White recaptures with his knight with 5.Nxc3 and Black can defend with 5...Bb4 6.Bc4 d6.