Any sound way to avoid the main Scotch lines?

I am a hardcore Italian Game player and I usually prefer the Two Knights Defense as Black. However, I'm not very well prepared to deal with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 (the Scotch Game.) Are there any solid lines that avoid the main theory and are able to transpose to a different kind of opening? I don't mean any tricks like Qh4, just a dodge to avoid having to go into it. Thanks!

I am also interested in avoiding the scotch and scotch gambit.

Sicilian ?

just d6 seems pretty avoiding most of scotch typical scotch lines. obviously you need to content with forced queen trade if white wants it.

Though dont see reason avoid scotch gambit. seem in practice be pretty equal among liches players (well all playet amont median players white seems to be bit better)

Short answer, no!
If you play 1... e5, you have to be prepared to meet the Scotch. There is no way to avoid it and the side variations are not very good.
Just learn the theory, it's less complicated than the Two Knights that you already play. And if you play the main lines, you're assured of getting a decent position. See the game Howell v Royal, British championship for a recent example of a nice black win.

Worse still, they can play 2 d4 in order to lure even the Petroff players into the Scotch Gambit!

1 e4 e5
2 d4 ed
3 Bc4 Nc6
4 Nf3

So the Italians are in good company.

If Black deviates with 3 - Nf6, White still plays 4 Nf3, the Urusov Gambit, which is also a bag of tricks.

So yeah, one has to face it. Not that such things should take too much of your time. I think this video is good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFOBeLNbVNY

@lizani said in #5:

Short answer, no!
If you play 1... e5, you have to be prepared to meet the Scotch. There is no way to avoid it and the side variations are not very good.

Nepo trying to encourage his Petrov in the corner while it weeps, being a not very good side variation.

@Errp said in #1:

I am a hardcore Italian Game player and I usually prefer the Two Knights Defense as Black. However, I'm not very well prepared to deal with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 (the Scotch Game.) Are there any solid lines that avoid the main theory and are able to transpose to a different kind of opening? I don't mean any tricks like Qh4, just a dodge to avoid having to go into it. Thanks!
I don't think the Scotch main lines should be avoided. I don't want to say that it's a bad opportunity for white, but the problem is that black doesn't have any special alternatives. They do exist, but white is usually given an advantage right away

I dunno, for the top four third moves from White, you're scoring best against the Scotch! Including a winning record with the suboptimal 4...Nxd4 line.

https://i.imgur.com/9LxXgW7.png

(This isn't including bullet but those numbers look okay, too.)

The best way to avoid it, is to master it. GMs are not strong because they avoid there weaknesses, they are strong because they conquer it.