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How to handle the scotch?

#1

I feel like it objectively shouldn't be the best thing for white, but they always exchange my queen's knight and play e5 and my knight gets kicked around everywhere, and development for kingside castling becomes really awkward

I feel like it objectively shouldn't be the best thing for white, but they always exchange my queen's knight and play e5 and my knight gets kicked around everywhere, and development for kingside castling becomes really awkward
#2

After e5 you play Qe7 Qe2 Nd5 c4 Ba6...then you fianchetto your dark bishop and its about =

After e5 you play Qe7 Qe2 Nd5 c4 Ba6...then you fianchetto your dark bishop and its about =
#3

I feel like if you're having to fianchetto your bishop in an e4 e5 game then something is a little weird though

I feel like if you're having to fianchetto your bishop in an e4 e5 game then something is a little weird though
#4

There's something I don't really need lessons at.

There's something I don't really need lessons at.
#5

@bernkastelhues
It stems from the Kasparov- Karpov matches where a lot of theory in that line was discussed in games...
These days instead of Nf6 people generally play Bc5 Be3 Qf6 c3...the Nf6 lines are old lines

@bernkastelhues It stems from the Kasparov- Karpov matches where a lot of theory in that line was discussed in games... These days instead of Nf6 people generally play Bc5 Be3 Qf6 c3...the Nf6 lines are old lines
#7

Hello @bernkastelhues!
The Scotch is a good opening for white, for reasons like Nxc6 & e5 that you mentioned above.
I'm shure you will get tempted to change openings sometime to reach some easier game. Please don't do so because of initial troubles. Entering the Open Games with black is absolutely recommended because here you see the pieces in action, fight for the centre from move one and learn the most chess in the least amount of time.

So more power to you if you want to play 1.e4 e5 but you need to take care of some stuff there! White has sidelines on move 2 that can also prove tricky and I suggest preparing something for the Vienna and the King's Gambit beforehand. My recommendation is to always go for early d5 if allowed, to ask white players what they are doing and develope actvely from move one. For the Vienna this could be: 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5! which is also the best theoretically.
Against the King's Gambit there is: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5! ingoring the f-pawn at first and freeing up your game instantly. Like 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 exf4 4.Nf3 Nf6 and 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 Bd6 for example. Or 5.c4 c6 6.d4 Bb4 7.Nc3 cxd5 with more than equal chances. If someone goes for 2.fxe5??, there's an instant kill with 2...Qh4+.
You will encounter this things, so look into this lines whenever you're ready!

After 2.Nf3 Nc6 we enter the main lines of the Open Games and 3.Bb5, Bc4 and d4 are the criticial tries here, all of equal practical value. You'll notice that it is harder for Black to get in d5 early here but White consequently tries for d4 himself. Even if we have to exchange with 3...exd4 4.Nxd4, we can continue our fight in the centre with 4...Bc5 and you already got that recommendation.
Against the Italian you should go for 3.Bc4 Bc5! 4.c3 Nf6 and should be prepared for 5.d4, which poses no problems for Black.
Against the Spanish there is 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 Bc5! Notice a pattern here?

You'll have to prepare for the Evan's Gambit and need to consider your choices against the main line Spanish. There's also the Scotch Gambit with 4.Bc4 so don't stumble into trouble with early Nf6 and get bothered by e5 or an early Ng5 attack, just play our trustworthy Bc5 move. We got to think principles first and only moves afterwards!

Have fun and success with your adventures in the Open Games,
Rawky

Hello @bernkastelhues! The Scotch is a good opening for white, for reasons like Nxc6 & e5 that you mentioned above. I'm shure you will get tempted to change openings sometime to reach some easier game. Please don't do so because of initial troubles. Entering the Open Games with black is absolutely recommended because here you see the pieces in action, fight for the centre from move one and learn the most chess in the least amount of time. So more power to you if you want to play 1.e4 e5 but you need to take care of some stuff there! White has sidelines on move 2 that can also prove tricky and I suggest preparing something for the Vienna and the King's Gambit beforehand. My recommendation is to always go for early d5 if allowed, to ask white players what they are doing and develope actvely from move one. For the Vienna this could be: 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5! which is also the best theoretically. Against the King's Gambit there is: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5! ingoring the f-pawn at first and freeing up your game instantly. Like 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 exf4 4.Nf3 Nf6 and 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 Bd6 for example. Or 5.c4 c6 6.d4 Bb4 7.Nc3 cxd5 with more than equal chances. If someone goes for 2.fxe5??, there's an instant kill with 2...Qh4+. You will encounter this things, so look into this lines whenever you're ready! After 2.Nf3 Nc6 we enter the main lines of the Open Games and 3.Bb5, Bc4 and d4 are the criticial tries here, all of equal practical value. You'll notice that it is harder for Black to get in d5 early here but White consequently tries for d4 himself. Even if we have to exchange with 3...exd4 4.Nxd4, we can continue our fight in the centre with 4...Bc5 and you already got that recommendation. Against the Italian you should go for 3.Bc4 Bc5! 4.c3 Nf6 and should be prepared for 5.d4, which poses no problems for Black. Against the Spanish there is 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 Bc5! Notice a pattern here? You'll have to prepare for the Evan's Gambit and need to consider your choices against the main line Spanish. There's also the Scotch Gambit with 4.Bc4 so don't stumble into trouble with early Nf6 and get bothered by e5 or an early Ng5 attack, just play our trustworthy Bc5 move. We got to think principles first and only moves afterwards! Have fun and success with your adventures in the Open Games, Rawky
#8

@Rawkward
Very good but they want to know about the scotch lol

@Rawkward Very good but they want to know about the scotch lol
#9

@Rawkward thanks for the pointers! i definitely don't just play e5 games, i like playing the sicilian too, but i'll keep these things in mind, and yeah i've encountered 2.Nc3 before and it's interesting

@Rawkward thanks for the pointers! i definitely don't just play e5 games, i like playing the sicilian too, but i'll keep these things in mind, and yeah i've encountered 2.Nc3 before and it's interesting

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