Scandinavian Defense

• At a glance

  Scandinavian Defense

  Your No. 1 weapon with Black: 1821 games, 52.3%. Your queen on a5 holds the whole system together — and it's also the piece White is aiming at.

  20 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  1…d5 is the opening you play most: 1821 games out of your last 10000, for 52.3%, when you score 48% with Black overall. The deal is clear.

• The big idea

  You pay: your queen comes out on move two, 3.Nc3 chases it, and White keeps the only central pawn.

• The big idea

  You buy: a c6-e6 structure with no weakness at all, and a Bf5 that gets out before the pawn chain.

• The big idea

  The thread of this course is your queen on a5 (1337 games in the file). From there, it pins the Nc3 as soon as d4 is played, and it guards c7.

• The big idea

  But it lives on an exposed diagonal and an exposed file, and White has three ways to go after it: unmask the Bd2 with a jump of the Nc3, chase it with b4, or send a knight to c4.

• The big idea

  Your worst numbers are right there: 6.Bd2 (72 games, 39%), 6.Ne5 (82 games, 41%), 7.Rb1 (10 games, 20%).

• The big idea

  And one line without Nc3: 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Bxf3. There, your automatic 6…Qd7 leads you to your worst recurring position: 50 games, 34% after White castles short.

• The big idea

  One different queen move, and the line becomes an equal endgame.

• Principle

  The queen on a5 guards c7

  Your games: 108× · 50% of points

  As long as it's on a5, your queen protects c7 along the diagonal. When a white knight lands on d5, look for Nxc7+ first: that fork decides where your queen can go.

• Principle

  Bd2 + a knight jump = discovery

  Your games: 18× · 33% of points

  The Bd2 sits behind the Nc3, on your queen's diagonal. Every time that knight jumps (Nd5, Ne4), your queen is attacked: plan its square before the knight moves.

• Principle

  The bishop comes out before e6

  Your games: 333× · 53% of points

  Bf5 or Bg4 first, e6 after. Once the pawn is on e6, the c8 bishop has no way out.

• Principle

  Castle first, b-pawn second

  Your games: 44× · 58% of points

  When White castles long, the b5-b4 attack is your plan. But king to safety first: with your king on e8, d4-d5 opens the center before your attack arrives.

• Principle

  An equal endgame beats a 40% middlegame

  Against 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Bxf3, the check 6…Qe6+ followed by 7…Nd4 forces the queen trade. You leave a position where you score 40% for an equal endgame.

• Imbalance

  The d4 pawn against your c6-e6 structure

  Your games: 194× · 49% of points

  White keeps the only central pawn. You hold d5 with c6 and e6: your plan is to stop d4-d5, not to win d4.

• Imbalance

  Time against structure

  Your queen has moved three times while White developed. You're behind, but with no weakness: every tempo White gains on your queen counts double.

• Imbalance

  Doubled pawns after Nxf6+

  When White trades on f6, recapture so your king stays sheltered: exf6 frees your f8 bishop and lets you castle, gxf6 strips both wings bare.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • A c6-e6 structure with no weakness at all.
  • Your light-squared bishop gets out before the pawn chain: no bad piece.
  • You impose your game from move one: 1821 games of experience.
  • Several natural White moves (2.Nc3, 3.Qf3) already cost points according to the engine.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • The queen comes out early: every tempo gained on it counts.
  • White keeps the only central pawn (d4).
  • On a5, the queen is exposed to discoveries from the Bd2 and to the b4 push.
  • After 5…Nc6, the c-pawn no longer covers b5 and the queen loses the c7 retreat.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 20: Scandinavian Defense

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