As Black
Scandinavian Defence
The Scandinavian Defence is a chess opening for Black that starts with 1.e4 d5.
Very practical at lower ratings. It forces White to react from move 1.
Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero
Basic · Elo Under 400
Opponent's mistake · 4.d3
1.e4 d5 2.Nc3 d4 3.Nd5 e5 4.d3 c6 5.Nb4 Bxb4+
Opponent's mistake · 4.Bb5+
1.e4 d5 2.Nc3 d4 3.Nd5 e5 4.Bb5+ c6 5.Bc4 cxd5 6.Bxd5 Nf6
Opponent's mistake · 3.Nd4
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3 dxe4 3.Nd4 Qxd4
Opponent's mistake · 4.Qh5
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3 dxe4 3.Ne5 Nd7 4.Qh5 g6 5.Qg5 f6 6.Qf4 fxe5 7.Qxe4 Ngf6
4...Nc6 5.Qa4
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qa4 Bd7 6.Bb5 Nxe5
4...c6 5.Bd2
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2 Nf6 6.Ne4 Qc7 7.Nxf6+ exf6 8.Qe2+ Be7
2...c5 3.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bg4 5.Bxc6+ bxc6
4...c6 5.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6
4...Nc6 5.Bb5
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 e6
Lasker Variation
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 Bg4
4...Nf6 5.Bc4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Bg4
4...Nc6 5.Qf4
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qf4 e6 6.Bb5 Ne7
Intermediate · Elo 400 – 600
Opponent's mistake · 4.d3
1.e4 d5 2.Nc3 d4 3.Nd5 e5 4.d3 c6 5.Nb4 Bxb4+
Opponent's mistake · 4.Bb5+
1.e4 d5 2.Nc3 d4 3.Nd5 e5 4.Bb5+ c6 5.Bc4 cxd5 6.Bxd5 Nf6
Opponent's mistake · 3.Nd4
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3 dxe4 3.Nd4 Qxd4
Opponent's mistake · 4.Qh5
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3 dxe4 3.Ne5 Nd7 4.Qh5 g6 5.Qg5 f6 6.Qf4 fxe5 7.Qxe4 Ngf6
2...c5 3.d4
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 e6 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.Nf3 Ne7
5...Nf6 6.Ne4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2 Nf6 6.Ne4 Qc7 7.Nxf6+ exf6 8.Qe2+ Be7 9.O-O-O O-O
4...Nf6 5.Bc4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Bg4 6.d3 e6
4...c6 5.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bg4
5...Nf6 6.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2 Nf6 6.Nf3 Bg4
5...Bg4 6.Be2
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d3 Bg4 6.Be2 c6
2...c5 3.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bg4 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.h3 Bh5
4...Nf6 5.d4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 Bg4 6.Bd2 Qf5 7.Be2 Nc6 8.O-O O-O-O
5...Bg4 6.Bd2
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d3 Bg4 6.Bd2 Nc6 7.Be2 O-O-O 8.O-O Qf5
Advanced · Elo 1200 – 1400
2...Qxd5 3.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Nc3 Qe6+ 5.Be2 Bxf3 6.gxf3 Nc6 7.d3 O-O-O
3...Nc6 4.Be3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nc6 4.Be3 Nf6 5.c4 Qa5+ 6.Nc3 Bg4 7.Be2 Bxe2
3...Nc6 4.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 O-O-O 6.c3 e5 7.O-O exd4
3...Nc6 4.c3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nc6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 O-O-O 7.O-O h5
5...Bg4 6.Be2
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 Bg4 6.Be2 Nc6 7.O-O O-O-O
4...c6 5.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.O-O e6
4...Nf6 5.Bc4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6
5...Nf6 6.Bc4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2 Nf6 6.Bc4 Qc7 7.Nf3 Bf5 8.O-O e6
Lasker Variation
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6
5...Nf6 6.Nf3
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2 Nf6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.O-O e6 9.h3 Bh5
Frequently asked questions
Is the Scandinavian Defence good for beginners?
Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo under 400), Intermediate (Elo 400 – 600), Advanced (Elo 1200 – 1400). It suits players who prefer long-term plans and pawn structure.
What traps are there in the Scandinavian Defence?
OpeningCraft teaches 4 traps and opponent mistakes in this opening, for example: Opponent's mistake (4.d3); Opponent's mistake (4.Bb5+); Opponent's mistake (3.Nd4).
How many lines of the Scandinavian Defence do you need to learn?
OpeningCraft teaches 31, in blocks of 5. They come from real Lichess games at each rating band, and the traps and opponent mistakes most common at your level come first.