Opening Overview
Scotch Game
53 linesAbout This Opening
White opens the center early and aims for straightforward piece activity.
The opening's main value is its characteristic move order, which helps steer the game toward familiar structures and plans.
When studying it, focus on the first forcing decisions, the main branching points, and the kind of middlegames the opening is designed to reach.
Key ideas
- Typical theme: recognize the key move order early.
- Learn the first critical branching decisions.
- Best for players who want a repeatable repertoire line.
- Understand the resulting pawn structure and piece placement.
Choose a variation
Scotch Game: Gottschall Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Qd2 d5 8. Nb5 Bxe3 9. Qxe3 O-O 10. Nxc7 Rb8 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Nb4
Scotch Game: Horwitz Attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5
Scotch Game: Horwitz Attack, Blackburne Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Kd8 8. O-O Bxd2 9. Qxd2
Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+
Scotch Game: Meitner Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Nc2
Scotch Game: Mieses Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5
Scotch Game: Modern Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 Bb4
Scotch Game: Paulsen Attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bb5
Scotch Game: Paulsen Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf5
Scotch Game: Paulsen, Gunsberg Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bb5 Nd8
Scotch Game: Potter Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3
Scotch Game: Romanishin Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4+