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1.Opening

Scandinavian Defense

You play BlackB01DirectBeginner

Challenge e4 on move one. Easy to learn, and the same setup works against almost everything.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 …

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3...Qa5 Main Line: position after 7 moves1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a
3...Qa5 Main Line: position after 7 moves
2.Ideas

What the opening is about

Key ideas

  1. ...d5 attacks e4 immediately.
  2. After ...Qxd5 and Nc3, the queen retreats to a5.
  3. ...c6, ...Bf5, ...e6 builds a solid, Caro-Kann-like setup.
3.Main line

Main line · 14 moves

3...Qa5 Main Line

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Your moves Opponent
No. White Black1
e4White grabs the center.
d5The Scandinavian: challenge e4 immediately.
2
exd5White takes.
Qxd5The queen recaptures. It comes out early, but Black wins back the pawn right away.
3
Nc3White develops with tempo, attacking the queen.
Qa5The queen goes to a5, out of the way. Once White's d-pawn moves, it pins the c3 knight.
After 3…Qa5
After 3…Qa5
No. White Black4
d4White takes the center — and now c3 is pinned.
Nf6Develops toward the center.
5
Nf3White develops.
c6Gives the queen a retreat on c7 and covers b5 and d5.
6
Bc4White develops the bishop actively, aiming at f7.
Bf5The bishop develops outside the pawn chain, before ...e6.
After 6…Bf5
After 6…Bf5
No. White Black7
Bd2Breaks the pin on c3 and sets up Nd5 tricks against the queen.
e6A solid pawn triangle (c6–d5 space, e6). Black is ready to castle.
After 7…e6
After 7…e6
4.Play

Practice mode

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5.More

Articles about the Scandinavian Defense

More defenses against 1.e4