Chessy
Playing Black in the Scandinavian Defense: Boehnke Gambit — 4.Nc3
The Scandinavian Defense: Boehnke Gambit is a sharp choice. After 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 e5 3.dxe6 Bxe6, you've already sacrificed a pawn for active piece play. Now White plays 4.Nc3, developing a knight and attacking your e6-bishop. The position after 4...Be7 is your starting point — you've tucked the bishop away and it's White's turn. Before you jump into the drill below, let's look at what the numbers say about this position and what you should be ready for. The engine evaluates this at +1.14, a clear edge for White, and the database shows White winning 52.2% of games. That means you are clearly worse here, but your active pieces and central control give you real counterplay if you know the right ideas.
Play the Scandinavian Defense: Boehnke Gambit: Nc3 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Ready to put this into practice? The interactive drill below lets you play the position after 4...Be7 against an adapting engine. Try it now — or create a free-
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For — Active Play Over Material
You've given up a pawn (the d5-pawn) to get your bishop to e6 and free your game. After 4.Nc3 Be7, your setup is solid but ambitious. You're not trying to be equal out of the opening — you're aiming for unbalanced, active play where your pieces have targets. The e6-bishop eyes White's queenside, your e5-pawn controls f4 and d4, and your dark-squared bishop on e7 keeps the king safe to castle. The engine says +1.14 favours White, so you're objectively worse. But in practical play, that 43.4% win rate for Black (across 3,951 games) shows that White's advantage isn't easy to convert. Your job is to create complications and make White prove the advantage. Don't panic about the evaluation — embrace the fight.
The Most Common Continuation: 5.Nf3
By far the most popular move here is 5.Nf3, appearing in 2,199 games — more than half of all games at this position. White develops naturally and scores 52.2% with it. After 5.Nf3, the engine's best continuation is 5...Nf6 6.d4 O-O. You develop your knight to f6, strike back in the centre with ...c5 or ...Nc6 ideas coming up, and castle quickly. Your king is safe, your pieces are active, and you have the e5-pawn holding space. Black scores 43.4% here, which is respectable for a position that's +1.14. The key: don't waste time. Develop your knight, castle, and look to challenge White's centre with ...c5 next. Your e5-pawn is a strength, not a weakness — it restricts White's pieces.
Watch Out for 5.d4 — The Second Most Popular Reply
White's second choice is 5.d4, played in 687 games. Here White's winning percentage jumps to 55.2%, the highest of any common move. That's a warning sign. After 5.d4, you need to be precise. You can take on d4 with your e5-pawn (...exd4), opening lines for your pieces, or you can develop with ...Nf6 and let White have a big centre. The engine likely prefers ...exd4 to free your game. Either way, Black's 43.4% win rate drops slightly against 5.d4 — White gets more space and more harmony. If you face 5.d4, be ready for a fight. Don't let White's pawn centre go unchallenged for too long.
The Surprising Statistics on Be2 and Qf3
Two less common moves stand out in the data. 5.Be2 appears in only 88 games and White scores just 46.6% with it — that's below 50%, meaning Black actually outscores White from this position. If your opponent plays 5.Be2, they're not following the main lines and you should be confident. Develop naturally (5...Nf6, then ...O-O) and you'll have a fine game. Even more striking: 5.Qf3 appears in 80 games and White scores a miserable 40.0%. That's a terrible result for White. If you see 5.Qf3, your position is already promising. The queen is awkwardly placed on f3, and you can gain time by attacking it with ...Nf6, or even ...Bc8 if needed. These two lines are where your 43.4% overall winning chances get a serious boost — take advantage.
Results across 3,951 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 2,199 | 52.2% |
| d4 | 687 | 55.2% |
| d3 | 305 | 51.5% |
| Bb5+ | 256 | 52.0% |
| Be2 | 88 | 46.6% |
| Qf3 | 80 | 40.0% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Boehnke Gambit sound for Black?
Objectively, no — the engine gives +1.14, a clear edge for White. But in practical play it's a fighting opening. Black scores 43.4% across 3,951 games, and some White replies (like 5.Qf3) actually score below 50% for White. You'll get unbalanced, active positions where your opponent can easily go wrong.
What is White's best move after 4.Nc3 Be7?
The engine recommends 5.Nf3, continuing with Nf6 d4 O-O. That's also the most popular move by a wide margin — 2,199 games, more than half the database. The second most common is 5.d4, but White scores even higher with it at 55.2%.
How should I respond to 5.Nf3 as Black?
Follow the engine's line: play 5...Nf6, then after 6.d4, castle with 6...O-O. Develop your knight, get your king to safety, and prepare to challenge White's centre with ...c5. Your e5-pawn gives you space and your pieces are active.
Which White moves should I be happy to see?
Two moves stand out: 5.Be2 (White scores only 46.6%) and especially 5.Qf3 (White scores only 40.0%). If your opponent plays either of those, you're already doing well — develop naturally and stay active. Your 43.4% win rate climbs significantly against these replies.