Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d5/2. exd5/2...Qxd5

Classical variation B01 Scandinavian defence 2...Qxd5 · Classical variation Black retakes the pawn immediately. 3. Nc3 is White's usual continuation.90% of games in Lichess's masters database, 76% of games in Lichess's player database. White develops a knight tempo on the queen, and Black must pick a safe square to where their queen will be safe: typically Qa5 or Qd8. 3. Nf3 is also tried. White's idea is to delay playing Nc3, realising that they may pick up the tempo on Black's queen later. Without playing Nc3 yet, White has the idea of taking over the queenside by putting both c and d pawns in the centre (Nc3 would obstruct the c pawn's way to c4). 3...Bg4 is the typical move, then 4. Be2 Nc6 5. d4 O-O-O. 3. d4 first is similar to the 3. Nf3 lines, transposing after 3...Nc6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 O-O-O. White keeps the option of c4. 3. c4? immediately may look like it kicks Black's queen and allows White to develop Nc3 only after getting the c-pawn out of the way--however 3...Qe4+ wins Black a pawn (4. Ne2 Qxc4, or 4. Be2 Qxg2) or a favourable queen trade. On the subject of bad moves, the worst possible move here is 3. Ke2??, leading to a three turn checkmate (3...Qe4#). History Recapturing the pawn immediately with the queen is the classical approach and was the line used in chess game recorded in the 15th century poem Scachs d'amor. Several online opening books give this line the name Mieses-Kotrč variation.Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotrč Variation. Chess.comMieses-Kotroc Variation. Lichess.orgScandinavian Defense, Mieses-Kotroc Variation. Chesstempo.com Though Jacques Mieses (1865–1954) was an expert on the Scandinavian defence and published analysis on it, his association with 2...Qxd5 has only come about recently and may stem from an ECO code misunderstanding. Both 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 and the "Mieses-Kotrč gambit"or Kotrč-Mieses gambit. NB: Itself may be a misnomer: the gambit was played against Mieses by Leonhardt, and Kotrč has no clear association.The Oxford Companion to Chess Hooper David Oxford University Press 1984 Oxford 173 Wyld Kenneth (an alternate name for the Leonhardt gambit, 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. b4?!) appear under the ECO code B01. Theory table all 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bc4 Bf5 7. Bd2 e6 8. Nd5 Qd8 9. Nxf6+ gxf6 Classical variation ++ 3...Qd8 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 c6 8. Be3 e6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. O-O Bd6 Valencian variation ++ 3...Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. g3 Bg4 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. O-O O-O-O Gubinsky-Melts variation → Bronstein variation ++ 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Be2 Nc6 5. d4 O-O-O 6. c4 Qf5 7. Be3 Bxf3 8. Bxf3 Nxd4 9. Bxd4 Qe6+ 10. Be2 Qe4 + 3. c4? Qe4+ 4. Ne2 Qxc4 - References See also Scandinavian Defence