Chessstack

Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation

ECO code
B01
Moves
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About this variation

Black plays 2...Nf6 and recaptures on d5 with the knight, keeping the queen at home.

The Modern Variation is 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6. Instead of taking the pawn back with the queen, Black develops a knight first and plans to recapture on d5 with it. This avoids losing time with the queen, but it gives White the option of holding the extra pawn or gaining space with tempo against the knight.

White's most common reply is 3. d4, after which Black can recapture with 3...Nxd5 or play the Portuguese Gambit with 3...Bg4. After 3...Nxd5 4. Nf3, Black develops with ...Bg4 or ...g6, and White uses the central pawn on d4 and quick development. White can also try 3. c4 to hold the pawn, which allows Black gambit play with 3...c6 or 3...e6, or 3. Bb5+ to disrupt Black's development.

The resulting positions resemble the Alekhine Defense in some lines: Black's knight on d5 can be chased by c4, giving White a big center that Black then attacks. Black's plans are piece pressure on d4, the ...c5 break and a fianchetto with ...g6 and ...Bg7. White's plans are a solid center, space and an eventual kingside attack.

The Modern Variation suits Black players who dislike moving the queen early and want more flexible piece play. It also sets practical problems for White, who must choose between several move orders with different characters.

One simple guideline for Black is to recapture the pawn on d5 with the knight and then aim for active piece placement rather than the d5 pawn itself. If White tries to hold the pawn with 3. c4, Black can play 3...c6, usually transposing to the Panov-Botvinnik Caro-Kann after 4. d4 cxd5, or gambit with 3...e6 for quick development. If White plays d4, Nf3 and Be2, Black should develop quickly and look for ...c5 or ...e5 to break the center.

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

Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation statistics

The Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation was reached in 91,547 master games (0.4% of all master games), and White scored 53% from there. On Lichess it comes up in 0.9% of games, most often among players rated 1801–2000 (1.1%).

Master games

91,547

0.4% of games between players rated 2500+

Club games on Lichess

2.3M

0.9% of games between players rated up to 2400

White wins Draws Black wins

How often it comes up, by rating

  • 0–1000 0.2%
  • 1001–1200 0.5%
  • 1201–1400 0.7%
  • 1401–1600 0.9%
  • 1601–1800 1.1%
  • 1801–2000 1.1%
  • 2001–2200 1.1%
  • 2201–2400 0.9%

Most common next moves in master games

MoveGamesPlayedResults
3. d439,60443%
3. Nf316,57018%
3. Nc313,64015%
3. Bb5+11,72913%
3. c48,6399.4%

Famous players with the most games here

  • Eric Rosen 712 games
  • Levy Rozman (GothamChess) 567 games
  • Hikaru Nakamura 439 games
  • Daniel Naroditsky 299 games
  • Chessbrah 179 games
  • Hans Niemann 50 games

Master games from the Chessmont database (CC BY-SA 4.0). Club games from the Lichess open database.

Other Scandinavian Defense variations