Scandinavian Defense: the simplest answer to 1.e4
The Scandinavian Defense strikes at White's center on the very second move: 1.e4 d5. The queen that recaptures on d5 loses a tempo when White attacks it with a knight, but in return it quickly returns to a safe square and Black finishes development without needing to learn long variations.
In short: after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 the queen retreats to a5, and Black's plan is c6, Bf5 or Bg4, e6, Nf6, Nbd7, and short castling. Little theory, a clear plan. You can practice the full repertoire in the opening trainer, free and without an account.
Starting position and the idea
After 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 White attacks the queen while gaining a tempo — this is White's most popular plan. The queen retreats to a5, from where it defends the future knight on c6 and eyes the a5-e1 line. After 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 Black has a ready setup: the queen safe, the center controlled. White gains a little extra space in exchange for the tempo Black lost with the queen, but the position is solid and easy to play.
What if White plays differently
- 3.Nf3 instead of 3.Nc3 — White develops before attacking the queen. You develop the knight to f6, and when Nc3 eventually comes, you retreat the queen to a5 exactly as in the main line — a different move order, the same plan.
- 4.Bc4 instead of 4.d4 — White aims the bishop at f7, a more aggressive try than a quiet knight development. You secure the d5 square with c6 before finishing development — the plan doesn't change.
Honestly, about this page's scope
The above is a sketch of the plan, not a full trainer with every branch. The full Scandinavian Defense repertoire — with an exact evaluation of every line verified by the Stockfish engine — is waiting in the opening trainer inside the app. Before playing your first opening, it's also worth knowing the 5 rules that win most games — the Scandinavian Defense is just one way of putting those rules into practice.
More openings (including the Italian Game, French Defense, and Queen's Gambit) are covered on the Chess Openings page. Want to practice these same principles right away against an opponent? Play a game against the computer at any difficulty level.
Practice the Scandinavian Defense in the trainer, free and without an accountThe trainer works offline after your first online visit on this device. No app installation required.