Scandinavian Defense: 2...Nf6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 · B01
Part of Scandinavian Defense
Starting positionWhite to move
0 / 12
Recover the pawn with a developing piece
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
The idea
Black declines to recapture with the queen, developing the knight instead — the modern treatment, which avoids the queen's wanderings altogether.
Main line: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 g6 5.c4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7
What White wants
- Take the centre with d4 and c4 and gain space
- Develop with Nf3 and Nc3 and use the extra space
- Restrict the fianchettoed bishop with the c4 pawn
What Black wants
- Fianchetto and play ...Bg7, ...O-O and ...Nc6 or ...c5
- Attack the white centre with ...c5 or ...e5
- Trade pieces and equalise in the long run
Key idea
Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.
Recover the pawn with a developing piece
...Nf6 attacks the pawn on d5 without bringing the queen out. After d4 Nxd5, c4 can gain time against the knight, so the move order still costs Black some central space. Black chooses a knight manoeuvre rather than the usual queen retreat.
Common mistake
Playing c4 and then neglecting development. The advance is a sound way to gain space and chase the knight, but White must support the centre with Nf3 and Nc3 before Black's fianchetto and central breaks create counterplay.
Mistake example: O-O.
Representative position
The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.
rnbqk2r/ppp1ppbp/1n4p1/8/2PP4/2N2N2/PP3PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 3 7
Analyze this position