How to Play the Scotch Game: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Ideas, Lines and Traps

Q: What's the difference between the Scotch Game and the Scotch Gambit?

Both go 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4. If White takes back with the knight on move four (4. Nxd4), it's the normal Scotch Game. If White doesn't take back and brings out the bishop first (4. Bc4), it's called the Scotch Gambit.

The Scotch Game is 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4. On move three White doesn't bring out the bishop. Instead White pushes d4 straight into Black's e5 pawn and opens the center. The ideas are simple and the position is wide open, which makes it a handy weapon for White when you play free chess.

Moves and position

The first two moves are the same as the Italian Game. On move three White pushes a pawn instead:

1. e4 e5 the two pawns meet head to head in the center.
2. Nf3 Nc6 White's knight attacks e5 and Black's knight defends it.
3. d4 White's pawn hits e5 and opens the center.
3... exd4 Black almost always takes, and 4. Nxd4 the knight takes back.

Why open the center so early? Because White moves first, and once the center opens, the side that develops first has the edge. White's queen and bishops now have open lines.

What White wants

Take the center: a pawn on e4 and a knight on d4. The center belongs to White.
Develop fast: the bishop can go to c4 or e3, the queenside knight to c3, and castling comes soon.
Keep it simple: no long lines to memorize. Just follow "develop, castle, take the center."

What Black wants

4... Bc5: the bishop comes out and attacks the knight on d4, forcing White to defend it.
4... Nf6: the knight comes out to attack the e4 pawn and gets ready to castle.
Black's main job is to develop quickly and not let White's central edge keep growing.

Main lines

Classical Variation: 4... Bc5

Black's bishop and queen both eye the knight on d4, and White keeps it protected with Be3 and c3.

The black bishop attacks the knight on d4, and White defends with the bishop. The black queen jumps to f6 to add more pressure, and White props things up with c3. Both sides get their pieces out quickly, and it's a lively game.

Mieses Variation: 4... Nf6

White trades off the black knight, pushes the pawn to e5 to kick the knight on f6, then keeps chasing it with c4.

Black's knight attacks e4. White first trades knights, then pushes e5 to chase the black knight away. Black's pawns are a bit messy, but the pieces are active. This is one of the Scotch main lines strong players use a lot today.

Scotch Gambit: 4. Bc4

White doesn't hurry to take back on d4. The bishop comes out first to aim at f7, and c3 opens lines.

Instead of taking back the pawn, White plays 4. Bc4. The game looks a lot like the Italian, just opened earlier. White is a pawn down but develops faster and attacks sooner. Players who like to charge in love it.

A common trap: the black queen grabs e4

On move four Black can play 4... Qh4, bringing out the queen to attack the e4 pawn. If Black only thinks about grabbing the pawn:

The black queen gets the pawn on e4, but White's knight jumps to b5. Next it wants to land on c7, giving check and hitting the rook on a8 at the same time.

Black has won a pawn, but not a single queenside piece is out and the king is still in the center. White's knight is aiming at c7. Black's usual answer is to trade off the knight on c3 first and then move the king:

The black king runs to d8 and can no longer castle. White is a pawn down but has castled, with rooks and bishops ready to come out. The attack is strong.

Black is a pawn up, but the king is stuck in the center and far behind in development. In real games it's very hard to play. This is one of the most common opening lessons: if your queen comes out too early to grab pawns, your opponent will often chase it around while developing.

The better plan for Black is to develop first: play 4... Bc5 or 4... Nf6, get the bishop and knight out, prepare to castle, and then fight for the center.

Who it suits

Beginners who just learned opening principles: the ideas are clear. Once the center opens, it's a race to develop.
Players who don't want to memorize a lot: the main lines are short, and following "develop and castle" will take you far.
Players who like open positions: the pieces clash quickly and there are lots of tactics.

Like the Italian Game, it's one of White's choices after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6: the Italian develops the bishop first and prepares d4 slowly, while the Scotch pushes d4 right away on move three.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between the Scotch Game and the Scotch Gambit?

Both go 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4. If White takes back with the knight on move four (4. Nxd4), it's the normal Scotch Game. If White doesn't take back and brings out the bishop first (4. Bc4), it's called the Scotch Gambit.

Does Black have to take after 3. d4?

Not necessarily, but taking is the most natural move. If Black doesn't take, White can take on e5, or just keep the pawn wedged in the center, and Black ends up cramped.

Why is it called the Scotch Game?

One story says that in the 19th century, players from Edinburgh in Scotland used this opening in a correspondence match against players from London, and the name stuck.

Try it yourself

Use the button below to start a game against the computer from the Scotch position, and practice developing first and castling early. To see other openings, go back to the openings guide. You can also read about the Italian Game and compare developing the bishop first with pushing d4 first. Whenever you want to practice, you can play chess vs the computer.

Play this opening against the computer