Chessy
Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation with Nf3 — Black's Guide
The Alekhine Defense is a bold way to meet 1.e4, and the Scandinavian Variation with Nf3 takes you into sharp territory where Black is already doing well. After 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4, you've traded a pawn for rapid development and activity. Stockfish evaluates the position at -1.21, a clear edge for Black — so you are in the driver's seat from the jump. Across nearly 83,000 games on Lichess, Black scores a commanding 58.6%, which is no accident. Below we'll look at what White usually tries next and how you can turn your lead into a full point.
Play the Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation: Nf3 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Ready to turn this advantage into a winning game? Head to the interactive drill below — play the position against an adapting engine and master the critical 4.N
Create a free account →Why the position favours Black
The statistics are unambiguous. From the position after 3...dxe4, Black wins 58.6% of games, with White winning only 37.7% and draws making up the rest. That winning percentage is huge for a position this early in the game. The engine agrees: Stockfish gives -1.21, which means a clear and lasting advantage in your favour. So what gives Black the edge? You've already broken White's central pawn duo, the knight on f6 is active, and White's knight on c3 is awkwardly placed — it blocks the c-pawn and can become a target. Meanwhile your pieces are free to develop quickly, starting with moves like ...Bg4 pinning the knight on f3. White has to solve real problems right away.
The critical reply: 4.Ng5
White's best try is 4.Ng5, and it's by far the most popular move — played in 41,151 games, nearly half of all games from this position. The engine's recommended continuation goes: 4.Ng5 Bg4 5.Be2 Bf5. White hopes to harass your bishop and eventually recapture the pawn. Your plan is simple: keep the bishop on the long diagonal or the f5-square, develop your other pieces (...e6, ...Be7, ...0-0), and enjoy your extra central control. White scores only 45.1% after Ng5, meaning even the best reply still leaves you with the upper hand. Just be alert to tactical tricks involving ...Nxe4 or ...Qxd1 — don't let White's knight on g5 create cheap threats while your advantage evaporates.
Punish White's mistakes
Some of White's alternatives are outright bad, and you need to know how to punish them. The biggest blunder is 4.Nd4 — seen in 3,517 games — which loses roughly 3.5 pawns compared to the best move. After Nd4, Black should simply attack the knight with ...c5, gaining time and space. Also terrible is 4.Nxe4, played 10,383 times. Taking back the pawn immediately walks into ...Nxe4 and ...Qxd4 ideas, costing White about 2.9 pawns. And 4.Ng1 (4,516 games) is an inaccuracy costing roughly 0.7 pawns — White basically loses a tempo by retreating to square one. Against all of these, just develop naturally and keep the pressure on. Your position is already superior; don't rush to force a win.
The most-played move you should know: 4.Ne5
After Ng5, the second most common move is 4.Ne5, seen in 16,087 games. White scores only 37.6% — even worse than after Ng5 — so you should be especially confident here. The idea behind Ne5 is to centralise the knight and threaten ...Qd5 or ...c6 ideas. Your best response is ...Bg4, pinning the knight immediately and threatening to win it. White typically plays f3 or Be2, but your development remains smooth. Notice how the pattern repeats: most of White's attempts to hold the pawn or centralise backfire because your pieces are already more active. If you remember to always focus on development and activity rather than grabbing material, you'll consistently outplay opponents in this line.
Results across 82,772 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Ng5 | 41,151 | 45.1% |
| Ne5 | 16,087 | 37.6% |
| Nxe4 | 10,383 | 23.2% |
| Ng1 | 4,516 | 38.8% |
| Nd4 | 3,517 | 23.8% |
| Nh4 | 1,814 | 29.9% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Alekhine Defense Scandinavian Variation a good opening for beginners?
Yes, it's a great choice for beginners who want to learn counter-attacking chess. The positions are principled — you give up the centre early and then attack it. With Black scoring 58.6% from this exact position, the statistics show it's practical and effective even at club level.
What does White want after 3...dxe4 in the Alekhine Defense?
White typically wants to play Ng5 to pressure the f7-square and eventually recapture the pawn on e4. But Stockfish evaluates the position at -1.21 in Black's favour, meaning White is fighting for equality from move 4 — it's Black who has the clearer path to a good game.
How should Black respond to 4.Ng5 in this line?
The engine recommends ...Bg4, pinning the knight. After White plays Be2, your bishop retreats to f5. You keep the bishop active, develop your pieces, and maintain your structural advantage. Black scores well even against this best try by White.
What are the worst moves White can play here?
4.Nd4 is a blunder costing roughly 3.5 pawns — attack it with ...c5. 4.Nxe4 is a mistake costing about 2.9 pawns because Black captures back favourably. And 4.Ng1 is an inaccuracy costing 0.7 pawns — White just lost a tempo. Punish all of them by developing quickly.