Chess opening · ECO B01
Scandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation
3...Qd8 answers 3.Nc3 in the Valencian Variation. Black's queen goes back to its starting square, well away from White's developing pieces. The price is time: compare the board with the start and White has a knight developed and the move, while every black piece is still at home.
- Rank by weighted share
- #91 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8
- 3... Qd8The full retreat. Black gives up the queen's activity to avoid any further gain of time by White's minor pieces. The game becomes a calm development race in which Black's position has no pawn weaknesses but fewer pieces out. With d7 empty, the c8 bishop is free to come out.
White's extra development
White can use the time for d4, Nf3 and a bishop to c4 or f4, taking the center that the d-pawn exchange opened. There is no fixed target in Black's camp to attack, so White plays for space and quick castling.
Black's pieces still have good squares. The knight goes to f6, the c8 bishop to g4 or f5, and the pawns to c6 and e6 to keep White's pieces off d5.
Pinning the f3 knight
Against Nf3, the move ...Bg4 pins the knight to the queen. If White kicks the bishop with h3, Black may take on f3, handing White the bishop pair to save time. The queen recaptures and lands on f3, aimed down the long diagonal at b7, which is one reason ...c6 follows.
Trading the bishop on f3
4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 c6 8. Be3 e6
Black has exchanged the light-squared bishop and set up pawns on c6 and e6. White has the two bishops and more central space, and Black's pieces have room to develop behind a compact pawn front.
Top replies by rating
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | Nf3 46% | d4 23% | Bc4 14% |
| 1200–1399 | Nf3 43% | d4 24% | Bc4 14% |
| 1400–1599 | Nf3 42% | d4 25% | Bc4 16% |
| 1600–1799 | Nf3 37% | d4 34% | Bc4 17% |
| 1800–1999 | d4 45% | Nf3 36% | Bc4 15% |
| 2000 and up | d4 59% | Nf3 28% | Bc4 13% |
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.