Scotch Game (C44-C45)

53 named lines in this family, ECO C44-C45. Every one of them opens 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

Main line, through 3. d4C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure. d4 at move three trades the centre open immediately: development races and piece activity replace slow manoeuvring.

Lolli Variation, through 3... Nxd4C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nxd4

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Main line, after 3... exd4, through 3... exd4C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Göring GambitC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3

Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.

Relfsson GambitC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bb5

Scotch GambitC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4

Benima DefenseC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 exd4

Haxo GambitC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5

Scotch Gambit, Dubois Réti DefenseC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4

Scotch Gambit, Göring Gambit DeclinedC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 d5

Black has doubled pawns on the d-file.

Scotch Gambit, London DefenseC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+

Göring Gambit, Double Pawn SacrificeC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Bc4

Black has doubled pawns on the c-file.

Lolli Variation, after 4. Nxd4C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nxd4 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. Qxd4

Napoleon GambitC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nxd4 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. Bc4

Scotch Gambit, Advance VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5

Scotch Gambit, Sarratt VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5

Göring Gambit, Main LineC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3 Bb4

White's knight on c3 is pinned against the king.

Scotch Gambit, Kingside VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Ng4

Vitzthum AttackC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. Qh5

Black's pawn on f7 is pinned against the king.

Göring Gambit, Bardeleben VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Bc4 Nf6 6. Nxc3 Bb4

Scotch Gambit, Cochrane-Anderssen VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O d6 6. c3 Bg4

Cochrane VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 6. bxc3 Ba5 7. e5

White's pawn on c3 is pinned against the king.

Cochrane-Shumov DefenseC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. Nxf7 Nxf7 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qh5+ g6 9. Qxc5 d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Hanneken VariationC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 6. O-O cxb2 7. Bxb2 Nf6 8. Ng5 O-O 9. e5 Nxe5

White's queenside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Sea-Cadet MateC44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3 d6 6. Bc4 Bg4 7. O-O Ne5 8. Nxe5 Bxd1 9. Bxf7+ Ke7 10. Nd5#

Main line, after 3... exd4, through 4. Nxd4C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4

Classical VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5

Malaniuk VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+

Schmidt VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6

Steinitz Variation, through 4... Qh4C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4

White's pawn on f2 is pinned against the king.

Alekhine GambitC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. e5

Braune VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Be3

Fraser VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf3

Horwitz AttackC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5

Paulsen VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf5

Potter VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3

Steinitz Variation, after 5. Nc3C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3

Classical Variation, Intermezzo VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6

White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

Modern DefenseC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 Bb4

Romanishin VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4+

Blumenfeld AttackC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. Nb5

Ghulam-Kassim VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nxd4 5. Qxd4 d6 6. Bd3

Main line, after 3... exd4, through 6. Bd2C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bb4+ 6. Bd2

White's bishop on d2 is pinned against the king.

Mieses VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5

Tartakower VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Nd2

Classical Variation, Millennium VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Qg6

Classical Variation, Blackburne AttackC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Qd2

Meitner VariationC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Nc2

Paulsen AttackC45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bb5

Scotch Game

The moves every line here plays