Scotch Game

The centre opens on move three

Big pawn centre
Open centre
Classical

White does not prepare d4 with long preliminaries, as in the Italian, but plays it at once. The centre opens and the pieces get room right in the opening. White avoids the heavy theory of the Spanish, while Black must be precise: White gets space and easy piece play. It suits those who like clear plans and open lines.

Interactive Opening Board

8…Nb6

♚

Black

♔

White

8…Nb6

Speed:

Moves

(16 plies • 8 moves)

8…Nb6Tabiya

The knight retreats to b6 and hits the c4 pawn. Black now has …Ba6 in mind.

1–8moves
#WhiteBlack
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1.e4 The king's pawn takes the centre.

1…e5 Black answers symmetrically and takes the centre too.

2.Nf3 The knight develops and attacks the e5 pawn.

2…Nc6 The knight defends the pawn and enters the game.

3.d4 White strikes at the centre at once. The d4 pawn opens the game: Black takes it, White wins it back with the knight and gets open lines. This is the Scotch: the centre opens on move three, without lengthy preparation.

3…exd4 Black takes the pawn. White's central pawn is gone, but not for long.

4.Nxd4 The knight regains the pawn, stands in the centre and attacks the c6 knight.

4…Nf6 Black hits e4 and does not fear the trade on c6.

5.Nxc6 White trades the knight, aiming to spoil Black's pawn structure.

5…bxc6 Black takes with the b-pawn. The c6 and c7 pawns are doubled, but the b-file is open and the c6 pawn guards d5.

6.e5 The pawn drives off the f6 knight. White gains space and squeezes Black.

6…Qe7 The queen attacks e5. The pawn is unprotected, so White must respond at once.

7.Qe2 The queen defends the e5 pawn and faces Black's queen on the e-file.

7…Nd5 The knight leaves the attack and takes the central square d5.

8.c4 The pawn kicks the knight and gains a little more space.

8…Nb6 The knight retreats to b6 and hits the c4 pawn. Black now has …Ba6 in mind.

Defining move

3.d4! — the centre opens at once

The move that sets the Scotch apart from the Italian and the Spanish

In other games White prepares d4 with several moves: c3, a bishop on c4 or b5. Here the pawn simply goes forward. Black takes it, and the white knight wins it back and stands in the centre. The price is that the f3 knight has to move a second time, but lines open and the bishops get room.

Tabiya

The e5 pawn against the doubled pawns

White has taken space: pawns on e5 and c4, with the queen on e2 covering the centre. Black has doubled pawns on c6 and c7, but the b-file is open and the e7 queen presses on e5. The b6 knight hits c4, and after …Ba6 the c4 pawn will be tied to the queen. White wants to hold e5 and use the space. Black wants to attack the weak points and play with pieces before White finishes development.

The centre

Space against structure

White has pawns on e5 and c4: plenty of room, but the e5 pawn needs defending. Black has doubled c-pawns, but they cover d5 and b5, and the b-file is open for a rook.

Key squarese5c4d5

Outposts

e5White's pawn
The e5 pawn gives White space and cramps Black. But it is also the main target: if it falls, the advantage goes with it.
a6Black's bishop
From a6 the bishop presses on c4 and on the e2 queen. It is the most active post for Black's light-squared bishop.

Thematic breaks

c4White
The c2-c4 strike
Drive the knight from d5 and gain space.
What follows: The c4 pawn becomes a target for the b6 knight and the a6 bishop.
d6Black
The …d7-d6 strike
Undermine the e5 pawn, White's main support.
What follows: If the e5 pawn disappears, White's space edge fades and Black's bishops are freed.
Ba6Black
The …Bc8-a6 pin
Pin the c4 pawn against the e2 queen.
What follows: White must prop up the c4 pawn and gets distracted from attacking.

White’s plan

Hold the e5 pawn: queen on e2, then Nc3 and f4 or b3 as the position asks.
Use the space and finish development without letting Black create counterplay.
Aim at Black's doubled pawns and the weak squares on the wing.

Black’s plan

Press on the e5 pawn with the queen, the knight and …d6.
Put the bishop on a6 and pin the c4 pawn.
Use the open b-file and play with the pieces at once.

History

The earliest mention of the opening comes from the Italian Ercole del Rio in 1750. It took its name from a correspondence match between Edinburgh and London in 1824. Garry Kasparov gave it new life: in the 1990 world championship match against Karpov he turned it into a real weapon, and after that it was played again at the top level.