Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d5/2. exd5/2...Nf6

Modern Scandinavian 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 B01 Scandinavian defence 2...Nf6 · Modern Scandinavian Black elects to play 2...Nf6 instead of the traditional reply, 2...Qxd5. This allows Black to develop a piece before recapturing the pawn. By taking the time to develop another attacker on d5, Black intends to win it without losing tempo. Now if 3. Nc3!?, Black can trade off the knights 3...Nxd5 4. Nxd5 Qxd5 and centralise their queen without the loss of tempo associated with 2...Qxd5 3. Nc3. (5. c4?! runs into the same issues as 2...Qxd5 3. c4.) White can try 3. c4 to hold onto the pawn where Black can then chip away at the pawn chain with either 3...e6 or 3...c6. With 3...e6, Black offers a pawn in exchange for developing their bishop. After 3...c6, where 4. dxc6 Nxc6 gives Black a development lead and compensation for the pawn, White usually gives the pawn back and play usually transposes into a Caro-Kann Panov attack after 4. d4 cxd5 5. Nc3. Therefore 3. d4 is the most robust reply for White: giving back the pawn and consolidating in the centre instead. Black then has options for how to recapture the pawn: 3...Qxd5, inviting 4. Nc3 and transposing into a Mieses-Kotrč mainline, or with 3...Nxd5, the Marshall variation. 3...Bg4+!? is the Portuguese gambit. Theory table . Modern Scandinavian 3. d4 Marshall variation 3. ... Nxd5 4. Nf3 Bf5 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3 e6 7. O-O Richter variation 3. ... ... 4. ... g6 5. c4 Nb6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O ⩲ Gipslis variation 3. ... ... 4. ... Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Nc6 7. c4 Nb6 8. Nc3 Be7 9. d5 Portuguese gambit 3. ... Bg4 4. f3 Bf5 3. Nc3?! Nxd5 4. Nxd5 Qxd5 5. d4 = References Scandinavian Defense