As White

Scotch Game

The Scotch Game is a chess opening for White that starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4.

Opens the centre quickly. Great for tactical players who want to avoid the Italian and the Ruy López.

Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero

Basic · Elo 400 – 600

Train this level

  1. Opponent's mistake · 4...Nxe5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe5 5.Nxe5

  2. Opponent's mistake · 5...Ng5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qe2 Ng5 6.Bxg5 Be7 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Nc3

  3. Opponent's mistake · 5...Nf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nxc5

  4. Opponent's mistake · 5...Qf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Qf6 6.Nxc5

  5. Opponent's mistake · 6...a6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d6 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bb5 a6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.Nxe5 Be6 9.Nxc6+

  6. Opponent's mistake · 6...Bxd6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qe2 d5 6.exd6 Bxd6 7.Qxe4+

  7. Schmidt Variation

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 dxc6 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.Nc3

  8. 4.dxe5 Nxe5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d6 4.dxe5 Nxe5 5.Nxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.Bc4

  9. 6.Nxe5 f6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d6 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Nxd8 6.Nxe5 f6 7.Nd3

  10. 5.Qxd4 d6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 d6 6.Nc3 c5 7.Bb5+

  11. 6.Nxe5 Nf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d6 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Nxd8 6.Nxe5 Nf6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.f3

  12. 6.Nxe5 Bd6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d6 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Nxd8 6.Nxe5 Bd6 7.Nc4 Nf6 8.e5

Intermediate · Elo 800 – 1000

Train this level

  1. Opponent's mistake · 5...Nf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Nf6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bxc5

  2. Opponent's mistake · 4...Nxe5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe5 5.Nxe5

  3. Opponent's mistake · 5...Ng5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qe2 Ng5 6.Bxg5 Be7 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Nc3

  4. Opponent's mistake · 6...Bxd6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qe2 d5 6.exd6 Bxd6 7.Qxe4+

  5. Opponent's mistake · 6...Qxd6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qe2 d5 6.exd6 Qxd6 7.Qxe4+

  6. Schmidt Variation · 5.Nxc6 dxc6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 dxc6 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2

  7. 6.Nc3 Be6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 d6 6.Nc3 Be6 7.Bf4 Nf6 8.O-O-O Be7 9.e5 dxe5 10.Qxe5 Bd6 11.Bb5+

  8. 6.Nc3 Nf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bf4 Be7 8.O-O-O

  9. Classical Variation · 5.Be3 Nxd4

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Nxd4 6.Bxd4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.e5

  10. Schmidt Variation · 6.e5 Nd5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Nd5 7.c4 Nb6 8.Be3

  11. Schmidt Variation · 6.e5 Qe7

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.g3 d6 9.c4 Nb6 10.Bg2

  12. Classical Variation · 5.Be3 Qf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O d6 9.Nxc6

Advanced · Elo 1200 – 1400

Train this level

  1. Opponent's mistake · 8...Qe7

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Nxd4 6.Bxd4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.e5 Qe7 9.Nc3 d6 10.Nd5 dxe5 11.Qc3 Qd6 12.Nxc7+ Kf8 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.Nxa8

  2. 5.Qxd4 d6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 d6 6.Nc3 Be6 7.Bf4 Nf6 8.O-O-O Be7 9.e5

  3. Classical Variation · 5.Be3 Nxd4

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Nxd4 6.Bxd4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.e5 Qb6 9.Qxb6

  4. 5.Qxd4 Qf6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 Qf6 6.e5 Qb6 7.Qxb6 axb6 8.Bf4 Ne7 9.Nc3

  5. Classical Variation · 8.O-O d5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O d5 9.Nxc6 Qxc6 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Nd2 Be6 12.Qa4

  6. Schmidt Variation · 8.g3 a5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.g3 a5 9.Bg2

  7. Schmidt Variation · 6.e5 Nd5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Nd5 7.c4 Nb6 8.Be3 Bb4+ 9.Nd2

  8. Schmidt Variation · 8.g3 d6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.g3 d6 9.c4 Nb6 10.Bg2 Bd7 11.O-O

  9. Schmidt Variation · 8.g3 g6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.g3 g6 9.Bg2 Bg7 10.c4 Ba6 11.O-O O-O 12.Qc2

  10. Classical Variation · 8.O-O d6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O d6 9.Nxc6

  11. Classical Variation · 5.Be3 Bb6

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Bb6 6.Nc3 d6 7.h3 Nf6 8.Qd3

Frequently asked questions

Is the Scotch Game good for beginners?

Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo 400 – 600), Intermediate (Elo 800 – 1000), Advanced (Elo 1200 – 1400). It suits players who like attacks, gambits and open positions.

What traps are there in the Scotch Game?

OpeningCraft teaches 9 traps and opponent mistakes in this opening, for example: Opponent's mistake (4...Nxe5); Opponent's mistake (5...Ng5); Opponent's mistake (5...Nf6).

How many lines of the Scotch Game 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.

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