Chess opening · ECO B01
Scandinavian Defense
1...d5 answers 1.e4 in the Scandinavian Defense, attacking White's pawn before any piece has moved. It forces an early decision in the center. White's main reply is to capture, and Black then picks between taking back with the queen at once or playing ...Nf6 to regain the pawn a move later.
- Rank by weighted share
- #8 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 d5
- 1... d5Black's d-pawn hits e4 on the first move. If White exchanges, the center opens immediately and Black's pieces, the queen included, get early play. The c8 bishop's diagonal toward f5 and g4 is open as well.
Queen recapture or knight recapture
After 2.exd5, the direct 2...Qxd5 restores material on the spot, accepting that the queen will be hit by Nc3. The quieter 2...Nf6 leaves White a pawn up for a moment and plans ...Nxd5, bringing a knight to the center instead of the queen.
Both branches have pages of their own. They lead to different games: the queen lines revolve around tempo and where the queen settles, the knight lines around whether White tries to keep the extra pawn with c4.
When White declines with 2.e5
Pushing past the d5 pawn gives a pawn chain like the French or Caro-Kann Advance. The difference is that Black has not yet played ...e6 or ...c6, so the light-squared bishop can come out to f5 before ...e6 shuts it in.
2.Nc3 is another way to keep tension. Black can then advance with ...d4, take on e4, or develop with ...Nf6.
Top replies by rating
exd5 leads in every band and widens its lead with rating. Below 1600, the advance e5 holds a solid second place, but from 1800 up it slips to a small share.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | exd5 37% | e5 23% | Nc3 12% |
| 1200–1399 | exd5 53% | e5 25% | Nc3 7% |
| 1400–1599 | exd5 68% | e5 21% | Nc3 2% |
| 1600–1799 | exd5 80% | e5 14% | Nf3 3% |
| 1800–1999 | exd5 84% | e5 9% | Nf3 2% |
| 2000 and up | exd5 85% | Nc3 5% | e5 5% |
Questions
Does Black lose time by bringing the queen out so early?
In the 2...Qxd5 line, White gains a move with Nc3. Black accepts that in return for a quick trade of center pawns and easy development of the light-squared bishop.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.