Chessy
Meeting the Scotch Game: 4...exd4 as Black
You've played 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, and now White pushes 3.d4. After you capture 3...exd4, White takes back with 4.Nxd4 — and you're at a critical crossroads. This is the Scotch Game, and the engine says the position is dead level (+0.18, the tiniest possible edge for White). In practice, though, Black scores a solid 44% and White wins 51.5%, with only 4.5% draws. The difference between falling behind and keeping full equality comes down to your very next move. Let the drill below show you the right path.
Practice playing against the Scotch Game: exd4
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Test yourself in the interactive drill below — play the position as Black against an adapting engine and see if you can hold the equality the Scotch promises. A
Create a free account →The Real Battle: Knights and the Centre
After 4.Nxd4, the white knight sits proudly in the centre. Your first instinct might be to kick it away or trade it off — but those impulses cost you. The key idea is to develop with 4...Nf6, attacking White's e4 pawn and starting a fight for the centre rather than letting White keep his strong knight uncontested. If White then plays 5.Nxc6, you recapture 5...bxc6, opening the b-file for your rook while maintaining a solid pawn centre. This is the engine's top choice and the only move that keeps the game perfectly balanced. The Scotch often turns into a struggle over control of the d5 and e4 squares, and 4...Nf6 gets you into that fight immediately.
Why 4...Nxd4 Is the Most Popular (and Wrong) Move
The most-played reply in the database is 4...Nxd4, seen in over 16 million games — that's nearly half of all games from this position. Unfortunately, it's also a clear inaccuracy, losing about 0.6 pawns of advantage. After 5.Qxd4, White has a comfortable queen in the centre, easy development, and you have no immediate counterplay. White scores a massive 54.1% from this line. The move feels natural — trade knights and simplify — but it gives up the fight too early. You hand White a pleasant position without asking any difficult questions. Remember: in the Scotch, the player who keeps tension usually outplays the one who releases it.
Three Traps to Avoid (and What to Play Instead)
The data points to three concrete moves that hurt your chances:- 4...Nxd4 — Most popular, but an inaccuracy. White scores 54.1% after 5.Qxd4.- 4...Qf6 — Also an inaccuracy (loses ~0.6 pawns). The queen comes out early and becomes a target. White scores 49.6% here, but you're giving up your best chance at equality.- 4...Ne5 — The worst offender, losing about a full pawn. White scores 51.7%. Moving the same piece twice in the opening is rarely correct.Your alternatives are better. 4...Bc5 (6.2 million games) is a solid developing move that keeps the position balanced — White scores just 49.1%. 4...d6 is also respectable (White scores 49.2%). But the engine's clear recommendation is 4...Nf6, which drops White's winning percentage to just 47.7% — meaning you're the one more likely to win.
What the Statistics Say About Your Chances
Across the board, Black scores 44% from this position, which is below White's 51.5% — but that gap is almost entirely driven by players who fall for 4...Nxd4 and other inaccuracies. Choose the right move and you flip those numbers. With 4...Nf6, White's score drops to 47.7%, meaning you score 52.3% (including draws). The Scotch Game: exd4 is not a dangerous line for White if you know what you're doing. It offers White nothing more than equality when you respond correctly. The low draw rate (4.5%) tells you the position is sharp and decisive — most games end with a winner, so stay alert, develop naturally, and don't rush to trade.
Results across 32,818,075 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nxd4 | 16,065,928 | 54.1% |
| Bc5 | 6,209,591 | 49.1% |
| Nf6 | 3,666,456 | 47.7% |
| Qf6 | 1,775,127 | 49.6% |
| d6 | 1,405,015 | 49.2% |
| Ne5 | 993,521 | 51.7% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Scotch Game: exd4 good for Black?
Yes — the engine evaluates the position at +0.18, which is practically dead level. Black is not worse here. The key is choosing the right move: 4...Nf6 keeps full equality, while popular alternatives like 4...Nxd4 give White a small but meaningful edge.
Why is 4...Nxd4 a mistake in the Scotch Game?
4...Nxd4 is an inaccuracy that loses about 0.6 pawns of advantage. After 5.Qxd4, White's queen sits comfortably in the centre with easy development, while Black has no immediate counterplay. White scores 54.1% from this line — your winning chances drop significantly.
What is the best move against the Scotch Game after 4.Nxd4?
The engine's top recommendation is 4...Nf6, attacking White's e4 pawn. If White plays 5.Nxc6, you recapture with 5...bxc6, opening the b-file and keeping a solid pawn structure. This move gives you the best results: White scores only 47.7% after it.
Should I play 4...Bc5 or 4...d6 in the Scotch?
Both are perfectly playable. 4...Bc5 is the second most popular move and White scores just 49.1%, so you're doing fine. 4...d6 is also solid (White scores 49.2%). However, the engine slightly prefers 4...Nf6 as the most principled and exact equaliser.
How many games feature the Scotch Game: exd4?
Over 33 million Lichess games have reached the Scotch Game: exd4 position. White wins 51.5%, Black wins 44.0%, with 4.5% draws — based on real rated games.