Knight to f6 and the Icelandic Gambit
2...Nf6
6 lines
Scandinavian Defense for Black
For Black1.e4 d5
28 lines
Scandinavian Defense for Black: from the very first move, the pawn on d5 challenges the pawn on e4. The main line with the queen on a5, the Gubinsky-Melts Defense, the Icelandic Gambit, the Tennison Gambit and White's mistakes.
Variations
Each card holds all the lines of one variation.
The queen takes the pawn
2...Qxd5
10 lines
White's other replies
2.e5, 2.Nc3
3 lines
Tennison Gambit
2.Nf3
5 lines
Gubinsky-Melts Defense
3...Qd6
4 lines
The idea of the opening
The Scandinavian Defense starts with 1.e4 d5: from the very first move, the pawn on d5 challenges White's central pawn. Most often White takes 2.exd5, and Black's queen takes the pawn back 2...Qxd5. Material is level, but the queen has come out early: after 3.Nc3 the knight attacks it, and the queen has to retreat.
In return, Black gets a simple and solid setup. The bishop on c8 comes out to f5 or g4 before the pawn goes to e6 — otherwise the pawn would block its way. The pawns go to c6 and e6, the queen gets a retreat square on c7, and the knight comes out to f6. Jacques Mieses played the Scandinavian Defense willingly and did a lot for its theory.
After 3.Nc3 the queen retreats to a5 — the main line, to d6 — the Gubinsky-Melts Defense, or to e5 with check. There is also a path without an early queen: 2...Nf6, and against 3.c4 — the Icelandic Gambit 3...e6. If White doesn't take on d5, Black has answers too: against 2.e5 — the 2...c5 break, against 2.Nc3 — 2...d4, and Black accepts the Tennison Gambit 2.Nf3: 2...dxe4.
Black's plans
- Develop the bishop on c8 before playing the pawn to e6
- Pawns on c6 and e6: a solid center and a retreat square on c7 for the queen
- Pin the knight on f3 with the bishop from g4
- Castle queenside and put a rook on the d-file
White's plans
- Gain time by attacking the queen: knight to c3, bishop to d2, a jump to d5
- Chase the bishop with the pawns h3 and g4
- Castle queenside and push the h-pawn
Main systems
The branches where the game starts. Each one is a separate variation in the trainer.
The queen takes the pawn 2...Qxd5
The main line is the retreat 3...Qa5: the bishop on c8 comes out to f5 or g4, and the pawns go to c6 and e6. Against the early bishop 4.Bc4 the course covers the sortie 5...Bg4 and the calm 5...c6; against 3.Nf3, the pin 3...Bg4 and castling queenside. The check 3...Qe5+ leads to a queen trade.
In the trainer · 10 lines
Gubinsky-Melts Defense 3...Qd6
The queen stays in the center on d6, although a knight can harass it from b5. Michael Melts analyzed this line in detail in his book. White often goes wrong here: the knight jump 6.Ng5, the sortie 8.Ne5 or the bishop on f4 cost White material.
In the trainer · 4 lines
Knight to f6 and the Icelandic Gambit 2...Nf6
Black is in no hurry with the queen: the knight attacks the pawn on d5, which nothing defends. If White holds it with 3.c4, the Icelandic Gambit 3...e6 follows: Black gives up a pawn for quick piece play. After 3.d4 the queen takes the pawn and moves to e4 with check.
In the trainer · 6 lines
Tennison Gambit 2.Nf3
White gives up the pawn on e4: 2.Nf3 dxe4 3.Ng5. The bishop move 3...Bf5 defends it, and according to theory Black is better. The opening is named after the amateur Otto Tennison: he was the first to study it seriously.
In the trainer · 5 lines
White's other replies 2.e5, 2.Nc3
Against the push 2.e5, the pawn move 2...c5 takes control of the d4 square, and the move 2...d4 with the queen on d5 sets a trap: blocking the check with the bishop 5.Be2 is a mistake. Against 2.Nc3 the pawn advances to d4 and chases the knight.
In the trainer · 3 lines
Typical mistakes and traps
Traps from these positions — why the natural move is a mistake and how to defend.
The pawn to b3 in the Icelandic Gambit
Scandinavian Defense
White holds the extra pawn with b3 — Black's bishop and knight hit f2, and a check from b4 drives White's king onto the e-file against the queen.
In the trainer
All traps: Scandinavian Defense
More opponent mistakes in the lines
- Queen on the same file as the king
- Check from a4 and the pawn to d5
- Knight jump to g5 against the queen on d6
- Knight sortie to e5
- Playing d3 against queenside castling
- Pinned bishop on e2
- Trade on f6 in the Tennison Gambit
How the lines were chosen
The lines are chosen from statistics of real games between amateur players of all levels. The set covers the opponent's most common replies and typical mistakes — moves after which, according to a chess engine, their position gets noticeably worse. A mistake is included only if a noticeable share of games reaches it. Traps are lines where your move provokes the mistake.
FAQ
How do you play the Scandinavian Defense as Black?
First 1...d5; after 2.exd5, 2...Qxd5; and against 3.Nc3, the main retreat 3...Qa5. Then the knight to f6, the bishop to f5 or g4, and the pawns to c6 and e6. If White doesn't take on d5: against 2.e5 — 2...c5, against 2.Nc3 — 2...d4, against 2.Nf3 — 2...dxe4.
Where should the queen retreat after 3.Nc3?
The main line is 3...Qa5: from there the queen eyes the knight on c3. The retreat 3...Qd6 is the Gubinsky-Melts Defense: the queen stays in the center, although a knight can harass it from b5. The check 3...Qe5+ leads to a queen trade after 4.Qe2.
What is the Icelandic Gambit?
It's the reply to 2...Nf6 3.c4: Black doesn't win the pawn back but plays the pawn to e6 — 3...e6. After 4.dxe6 Bxe6 Black is a pawn down, but the pieces get into play faster. The most dangerous try against the gambit is considered to be 5.Nf3; then the queen goes to e7, and after the queen trade the position is about equal.
How do you answer the Tennison Gambit?
Take the pawn: 2...dxe4. After 3.Ng5 the bishop move 3...Bf5 defends it, and according to theory Black is better. If White attacks the pawn with the queen from e2, the knight jumps via c6 to d4 and hits the queen and the pawn on c2.
Can I train for free?
Yes: five lines are free — two Icelandic Gambit lines 2...Nf6 3.c4 e6 (the trap after 5.b3 Bc5 and the queen trade), the main line 3.Nc3 Qa5, the reply 2...c5 to 2.e5 and the line against 3.Nf3. The other lines are in PRO.