Chess Drills
Scandinavian Defense: simple plans and a trap to avoid
In the Scandinavian Defense, Black answers 1.e4 by attacking White's pawn straight away with 1...d5. White usually takes the pawn, and Black takes back with the queen.
Bringing the queen out this early is normally a bad idea, because White can chase it around. In the Scandinavian that's fine: the queen steps aside to a safe square, and Black gets a solid position with an easy plan. If you like that kind of solid position, also have a look at the Caro-Kann.
Good fit for: Players who want one simple plan against 1.e4 that works in almost every game.
Drill these 4 lines with spaced repetition: a few minutes a day, and the moves stick.
Key ideas
- Attack the centre pawn at once. With your very first move you challenge White's pawn on e4. White never gets the big pawn centre that many other openings allow.
- Move the queen to safety. White's knight comes out and attacks your queen. Move the queen to a5 or d6. From there it is safe, but keep checking whether a white piece can attack it again.
- Bishop out first, then the e-pawn. Bring your light-squared bishop (the one on c8) out to f5 or g4 before you push the pawn from e7 to e6. If you push the pawn first, the bishop is stuck behind it.
- The same setup every game. Pawn to c6, knight to f6, bishop out, pawn to e6, other knight to d7, then castle. You can use this setup against almost anything White does.
The main lines
Main line: the queen goes to a5
White's knight attacks the queen, and the queen moves to a5. Then both sides bring out their pieces. White builds a centre with the d-pawn and develops; Black follows the standard setup.
- Your plan: knight to f6, pawn to c6, bishop to f5, then pawn to e6.
- Why a5? From there the queen looks at White's knight on c3 and the king behind it, so White has to be careful.
- Why c6? It gives your queen a safe way back (to c7) if it gets chased.
- Watch out: once White's bishop is on d2, White has a trick with the knight. See the trap below.
Modern line: the queen goes to d6
Today this is the most popular square for the queen. On d6 it stays closer to your own king, and White's trick with the bishop on d2 doesn't work.
- Your plan: the same setup, with knight to f6, pawn to c6, bishop to g4 and pawn to e6, then castle.
- Watch out: on d6 the queen can be attacked by a knight jumping to b5, or by a bishop on f4. Your pawn on c6 stops the knight.
Take back with the knight
Instead of taking back with the queen, Black first brings the knight to f6 and takes back on d5 with the knight one move later. White then builds a big centre with pawns on c4 and d4 and chases the knight to b6.
- Your plan: put your bishop on the long diagonal (pawn to g6, bishop to g7) and attack White's pawn on d4 with your pieces.
- The idea: White gets more space, but a big centre is also something you can attack.
Portuguese Gambit: a sharp pawn sacrifice
Black gives away pawns to get all the pieces out quickly. A few moves later Black is two pawns down, but every black piece is ready to attack, and White's king is less safe.
- Your plan: develop fast, often castle on the queenside, and look for tactics against White's king.
- Good to know: against a well-prepared opponent this gambit is risky. Use it as a surprise in fast games, not as your main line.
Traps and mistakes to avoid
The knight trick on d5
In the main line, White can jump with the knight to d5. It looks like a free piece, but when the knight moves away, White's bishop on d2 suddenly attacks your queen on a5. If you take the knight, White takes your queen. The right answer: first move your queen back to d8. Then you are fine.
Questions
Is the Scandinavian Defense good for beginners?
Yes. You get the same kind of position in almost every game, the plan is easy to remember, and there are few traps to learn. Top players use it too.
Queen to a5 or queen to d6?
Both are good. On a5 the queen puts pressure on White's knight; on d6 it is closer to your king and avoids the trick on d5. The rest of the plan is the same, so pick one and stick with it.
Scandinavian or Caro-Kann?
They lead to similar positions. The Scandinavian is easier to learn because you decide the type of game from move one. In the Caro-Kann you don't move your queen early, but White has more options.
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