Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d5/2. exd5

Scandinavian Defence
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3P4/8/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b
Moves: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5
ECO code: B01
Parent: King's Pawn Opening

Scandinavian Defence: 2.exd5

Black has the ability to immediately take back the pawn with 2...Qxd5 but at the cost of a slower development, because White can win a tempo with 3. Nc3.

The other option is to play 2...Nf6 attacking the pawn. White may try to keep the pawn (with 3. c4 or 3. Bb5+) or leave it and keep the initiative. As White has doubled pawns on the d file, the second option is probably the best.

Gambits like 2...c6 and 2...e6 are inferior and don't give enough for the pawn.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 d5 2. exd5

	2	3	4	5
	... Nf6	d4 Nxd5	Nf3 Bg4	Be2 Nc6	+/=
	... Qxd5	Nc3 Qa5	d4 Nf6	Nf3 c6	=
	... c6	dxc6 Nxc6	Nf3 Nf6		+=

References

• Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.