What is Scotch Gambit?

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

The Scotch Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves

1.e4 e5

2.Nf3 Nc6

3.d4

The Scotch Game received its name from a correspondence match in 1824 between Edinburgh and London. Popular in the 19th century, by 1900 the Scotch had lost favor among top players because it was thought to release the central tension too early and allow Black to equalize without difficulty. More recently the Scotch has regained some popularity and it has been used by grandmasters Kasparov and Timman as a surprise weapon to avoid the well-analyzed Ruy Lopez.

White aims to dominate the center by exchanging his d-pawn for Black's e-pawn. Black is practically forced to play 3...exd4 as he has no good way to maintain his pawn on e5. After 3...d6, White is better after 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bc4, or he may simply play 4.Bb5, when 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Bd7 transposes to the Steinitz defense to the Ruy Lopez. 3...Nxd4? is a strategic error: after 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.Qxd4 (5.Bc4 is the Napoleon Gambit) White's queen stands on a central square, and is not developed too early since it cannot be chased away effectively (5...c5? is a seriously weakening move that blocks Black's kings bishop). After 3...exd4, White can respond with the main line 4.Nxd4 or he can play a gambit by offering Black one or two pawns in exchange for rapid development.

Main variations

Main line 4.Nxd4

Scotch Gambit 4.Bc4

Göring Gambit 4.c3

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4, the most important continuations are

• 4.Nxd4 (Main Line)
• 4...Bc5
• 4...Nf6
• 4...Qh4!? (Steinitz)
• 4.Bc4 (Scotch Gambit)
• 4.c3 (Göring Gambit)

Main Line

In the main line after 4.Nxd4, Black has three major options. Either 4...Bc5 or 4...Nf6 offers Black good chances for an equal game.

4...Bc5

After 4...Bc5 White has 5. Nxc6, 5. Be3, or 5. Nb3. After 5. Nxc6 play almost always continues 5...Qf6 (Black doesn't lose a piece on c6 because he is threatening mate with 6...Qxf2) 6. Qd2 dxc6 7. Nc3. On 5. Be3 play almost always continues 5...Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bc4 as proposed by IM Gary Lane in Winning with the Scotch. On 5. Nb3 play almost always continues 5...Bb6 6. a4 a6 7. Nc3.

4...Nf6

After 4...Nf6 5. Nxc6 and 5. Nc3 (the Scotch Four Knights Game) are available to white. After 5. Nc3 almost always played is 5... Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 c6. After 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 is also very common. Where these main lines end, the first real opening decisions are made, which are too specific for this survey.

4...Qh4!?

Steinitz's 4...Qh4!? almost wins a pawn by force, but White gets a lead in development and attacking chances as compensation. As of 2005, White's most successful line has been 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2 Qxe4 7.Nb5 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Kd8 9.0-0, when Black's awkwardly placed king has generally proven more significant than his extra pawn.

Scotch Gambit

Instead of 4.Nxd4, White has two ways to offer a gambit. The Scotch Gambit starts with 4.Bc4. Black can transpose into the Two Knights Defense with 4...Nf6 or he can continue the Scotch with 4...Bc5 5.c3 and now 5...Nf6 will transpose into a safe variation of the Giuoco Piano. Black can instead accept the gambit with 5...dxc3 but this is riskier because White will gain a lead in development. A possible continuation is 6.Nxc3 (Grandmaster Sveshnikov has played 6.Bxf7+!? Kxf7 7.Qd5+ followed by 8.Qxc5) 6...d6 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd5 Nge7 9.Qc3 0-0.

Göring Gambit

The Göring Gambit is a relative of the Danish Gambit that starts with 4.c3. Black can equalise by transposing to the Danish declined with 4...d5, often known as the Capablanca Variation; alternative ways of declining include 4...Nf6, 4...d3 and the relatively unexplored 4...Nge7. Alternatively Black can take the pawn with 4...dxc3; White can then transpose into the Danish by offering a second pawn with 5.Bc4. Black can accept the second pawn with 5...cxb2 6.Bxb2 d6 (6...Bb4+ is quite a popular alternative), which is risky, but Black can defend after either 7.Qb3 Qd7 or 7.0-0 Be6 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Qb3 Qd7. Black often declines the second pawn with 5...d6, usually leading to complications after 6.Nxc3 Nf6 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Ng5 Ne5. To remain in the Göring proper, White recaptures with his knight with 5.Nxc3 and Black can defend with 5...Bb4 6.Bc4 d6, or 5...d6 leading to the same variations as 4...dxc3 5.Bc4 d6.

The oldest game might be Meek-Morphy, 1st USA Congress New York 1857. Carl Theodor Göring (uncle of the infamous Hermann) started playing it in 1872. Note that Göring himself always played the double gambit with 5.Bc4, thus adding more confusion to the nomenclature. Ljubomir Ljubojevic has played it a couple of times, but before he became Grandmaster.

The Göring Gambit is not popular at master level, as its soundness is open to question and Black also has the equalising option 4...d5, but it remains popular at club level where it gives White reasonable practical chances. It is recommended to study the Göring Gambit in connection with the Danish.

References

• Lane, Gary. (2005). The Scotch Game Explained, Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-8940-5.