Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation

About this variation

White plays 2. Nc3 instead of pushing the pawn, and Black usually answers 2...d5. It avoids the main lines entirely.

The Scandinavian Variation is 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5. White declines the invitation to push the e-pawn and develops a knight instead, defending e4. Black replies with ...d5, striking at the center at once, which often leads to positions similar to the Scandinavian Defense or to some French and Caro-Kann lines.

White's main options are 3. exd5 Nxd5, when Black has a centralized knight and easy development, and 3. e5, gaining space and reaching structures similar to the French with Black's knight on a different square. After 3. e5, Black chooses between 3...d4, 3...Nfd7 (a French Steinitz after 4. d4 e6) and 3...Ne4, and the game becomes a fight over the e5 pawn and the center.

After 3. exd5 Nxd5, White can play 4. Bc4 to hit the knight, or 4. Nf3 followed by d4 for a calmer game. Black develops with ...Nxc3 or ...Nb6, ...Bf5 or ...Bg4, and ...e6, reaching a comfortable position with no weaknesses.

After 3. e5, Black's ideas include ...c5 to strike at White's center, ...Nc6 and ...e6 to build a French-like structure, and ...f6 in some lines to challenge e5 directly. White aims to support e5 with d4 and f4 and to use the extra space for a kingside attack.

The Scandinavian Variation is a useful way for White to avoid the deeply analyzed main lines of the Alekhine. Black players need to know what to do against it, since club players often choose 2. Nc3 to get the game away from theory.

This line suits White players who prefer quick development to pawn grabbing, and Black players who are comfortable in French or Scandinavian structures. Learning the ideas behind both 3. exd5 and 3. e5 is enough to handle most games.

It is one of the main lines of the Alekhine Defense.