Chess Drills
Scotch Game: open the centre and a trap to avoid
In the Scotch Game you open the centre at once. On move three you push your d-pawn to d4, Black takes it, and you take back with the knight. You get a free hand in the centre, open lines for your pieces and no slow manoeuvring to learn. World champions have played it, and it is a popular alternative to the Ruy Lopez and the Italian Game.
Black has three main answers: the knight to f6 attacks your pawn on e4, the bishop to c5 attacks your knight on d4, and the queen to h4 goes after e4 straight away. If you like to give a pawn for an attack, you can also skip taking back on d4 and play a gambit (a pawn sacrifice for quick development): the Scotch Gambit or the Göring Gambit.
Good fit for: Players who like open, active positions with clear plans and want to avoid the long theory of the Ruy Lopez.
Drill these 5 lines with spaced repetition: a few minutes a day, and the moves stick.
Key ideas
- Open the centre early. You trade your d-pawn for Black's e-pawn. You keep a pawn on e4, Black has none in the centre, and your pieces get open lines.
- The knight on d4. Your knight is strong in the centre, but it is also a target. Black often attacks it with the bishop on c5 or the queen on f6. Be ready to defend it with your bishop on e3 and a pawn on c3, or to trade it on c6.
- Trade on c6, then push to e5. When Black's knight goes to f6, you often trade knights on c6 and push your pawn to e5. The knight on f6 has to move, and Black is left with doubled c-pawns (two pawns on the same file).
- Keep e4 safe. With your d-pawn gone, the pawn on e4 is your only centre pawn. Black's knight on f6 and queen on h4 or f6 all aim at it. Keep it defended with your knight on c3, bishop on d3 or queen on e2.
The main lines
Mieses Variation: chase the knight from f6
You trade knights on c6 and push your e-pawn to e5, so Black's knight has to move. It goes to d5, and you attack it again with the pawn to c4. Black usually answers by pinning your c4 pawn with the bishop on a6.
- Your plan: use your extra space and better pawn structure, and keep your pawn on e5 defended.
- Good to know: Black has the bishop pair (both bishops still on the board) and puts pressure on your pawn on e5.
- Watch out: the pin means your c4 pawn can't take the knight, because your queen on e2 behind it would be lost. See the trap below.
Classical: Black attacks your knight on d4
Black's bishop goes to c5 and attacks your knight, and the queen joins from f6. You defend the knight with your bishop on e3 and a pawn on c3. Then you develop your other bishop to c4 and castle.
- Your plan: develop quickly and castle.
- Good to know: Black castles and pushes the pawn to d6, sometimes with the knight to e5 to hit your bishop on c4.
- Good to know: this line is popular at every level, with chances for both sides.
Steinitz: Black's queen grabs your e4 pawn
Black brings the queen out early to h4 and attacks e4. You ignore the pawn and jump with your knight to b5, aiming at c7. Black takes the pawn with check, but later the king has to go to d8, so Black can no longer castle.
- Why b5? From there your knight threatens a fork on c7 (one piece attacking two at once: the king and the rook on a8).
- Good to know: Black is a pawn up but behind in development. You have good compensation (something in return for the pawn).
- Your plan: bring your pieces out and attack Black's king.
Scotch Gambit: bishop to c4 instead of taking back
You don't take back on d4 at once. You develop your bishop to c4 and offer the pawn. In this line Black's knight goes to f6, you push to e5, and a few moves later you win the pawn back with a pleasant position.
- Your plan: chase the knight with the push to e5, then take back on d4 with your knight.
- Good to know: there is a full guide on the Scotch Gambit.
Göring Gambit: give a pawn for fast development
You offer a pawn with the push c2-c3. Black takes it, and you take back with the knight. You are a pawn down, but your pieces are active and you have open lines towards f7.
- Your plan: bishop to c4, castle, and aim at f7.
- Watch out: Black is solid if the pieces come out quickly. Black's usual plan is to take your knight on c3 with the bishop, bring the knight to f6 and castle.
- Good to know: a good practical weapon, but against accurate defence you only get compensation, not an advantage.
Traps and mistakes to avoid
The pinned pawn on c4 (a trap for you)
In the Mieses Variation, Black's bishop on a6 pins your c4 pawn to your queen on e2. If you take the knight on d5 with that pawn, Black's bishop takes your queen. You have lost your queen for a knight and a bishop. Defend c4 first with the pawn to b3 (or the knight to d2).
Questions
Scotch Game or Italian Game?
Both are good choices. The Italian (bishop to c4) is slower and keeps more tension in the centre. The Scotch opens the centre on move three and gives clearer, more open positions.
Is the Scotch Game good for beginners?
Yes. The ideas are easy to understand: open the centre, develop, keep e4 safe. There is less theory than in the Ruy Lopez. You do need to know Black's three main replies after you take back on d4.
What if Black doesn't take on d4?
Then you are already comfortable, whether Black protects e5 with the pawn to d6 or takes on d4 with the knight. In the second case you take back with your knight, Black takes with the pawn, and your queen takes on d4: a strong queen in the centre and easy development.
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