Chessy
How to Play Against the Scandinavian Defense
After 1.e4, the Scandinavian (1...d5) immediately contests the center — Black accepts a queen sortie in exchange for early activity. Stockfish rates the position +0.59 for White; the engine in the drill below plays Black, and you'll handle the response. Give it a try.
Practice playing against the Scandinavian Defense
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Create a free account →What Black is trying to accomplish
1...d5 goes straight at White's pawn rather than contesting the center indirectly. If White captures, Black typically recaptures with the queen (...Qxd5), then retreats it to a5 or d6 — an unusual-looking plan that gives Black solid structure and avoids many main-line headaches. It's a pragmatic choice: across 154 million Lichess games White wins 49.2% to Black's 46.7%, so this is not a busted opening — just one where the data leans White's way.
Choosing your reply
- exd5 (recommended) — by far the most popular try and the highest-scoring: White wins 50.4% in 105.6 million games. It's also Stockfish's first choice. Take the pawn and let Black sort out the queen.
- e5 — holding the tension rather than trading; scores 48.9% in 23.7M games.
- d4 — a gambit-like idea (47.7%); playable but less tested than the main options.
- Nf3 / Nc3 — passive; scored only 46.2% and 45.0% respectively and the engine flags both as imprecise against 1...d5.
- d3 — the worst practical result at 41.6%; avoid.
A clear recommended plan
Play exd5. After the queen comes out, develop naturally: Nc3 (the engine's next step), castle kingside, and keep your pawn on e4 if possible. The key is not rushing — every time Black's queen is chased, you gain a tempo. The Scandinavian's logic depends on White losing coordination; a clean, unhurried development denies that.
What the numbers show
The spread between responses is significant. exd5 (50.4%) outperforms d3 (41.6%) by nearly nine percentage points — a bigger gap than almost any comparable pair across e4 openings. Stockfish's +0.59 is a meaningful edge too, larger than the typical 1.e4 starting advantage. The position is objectively promising for White; the drill below helps you convert it.
Results across 154,692,226 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| exd5 | 105,611,319 | 50.4% |
| e5 | 23,661,754 | 48.9% |
| Nf3 | 9,012,256 | 46.2% |
| Nc3 | 5,476,677 | 45.0% |
| d4 | 2,729,700 | 47.7% |
| d3 | 2,423,409 | 41.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to play against the Scandinavian Defense?
Capture with exd5. It's both the engine's top choice and the highest-scoring reply in practice at 50.4% across over 105 million games. From there, develop naturally with Nc3 and don't panic when the Black queen moves around.
Is the Scandinavian Defense good for Black?
It's solid and playable, but the data shows White ahead: 49.2% wins to Black's 46.7% across 154 million Lichess games. Stockfish agrees with a +0.59 edge for White after 1...d5.
Should I chase the Black queen in the Scandinavian?
Yes — developing with tempo while Black's queen retreats is the core strategic reward. Don't skip moves trying to hunt the queen directly; just develop and let natural pressure force it back.
What's the worst response to the Scandinavian?
d3 scores only 41.6% for White in the data — nearly nine points below exd5. Nf3 and Nc3 without taking on d5 also underperform. Take the pawn with exd5.
How many games feature the Scandinavian Defense?
Over 155 million Lichess games have reached the Scandinavian Defense position. White wins 49.2%, Black wins 46.7%, with 4.1% draws — based on real rated games.