Scotch or scotch gambit

I play Scotch Gambit most of the time. At my level it gets good results online and OTB. At our level you can choose whatever one you prefer, and no one can really make that decision for you.
It can transpose into Guicco Piano or 2 Knights variation which are fine.

Modern engine analysis however has found that Scotch Gambit can be completely neutralized if they play Bb4+, bxc3, Ba5, and Bb6. White simply does not gain an initiative. However this line is rarely ever played because most will go into the Guicco or 2 Knights which result in richer games.

@kindaspongey said in #9:

lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/positional-or-tactical-player?page=3
First of all, the Scotch Game has been a big enough deal to warrant a chapter in books like Understanding the Chess Openings by IM Sam Collins.
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Understanding_the_Chess_Openings.pdf
"... Garry Kasparov has called the Scotch Game 'the only serious alternative to the Ruy Lopez'. He tends to be well up on such things so his opinion is worth attention. ..."
However, the IM Collins comment is from about 2 decades ago. I do not know how many would still have the described opinion, today. Still, that kind of prominence (even if it is now somewhat in the past) has the consequence that there are a fair number of books about the opening. Two of them are reviewed at
web.archive.org/web/20140627061119/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen82.pdf.
The downside of all the attention is the large amount of material to sift through.
By contrast, I do not remember ever seeing a chapter on the Scotch Gambit in the general reference books. Nevertheless, it seems to be respected:
"... The Scotch Gambit is a fine choice for those who enjoy gambit play with White, ..." - First Steps: 1 e4 e5 (2018) by GM John Emms
It seems to have been thought of as a move order aiming for some lines that are commonly discussed in books on other openings. The position after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Nf6 is routinely considered in discussions of the Two Knights Defense. The 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Bc5 5 c3 Nf6 position is normally encountered in the Italian Game.
The Scotch Game and Gambit seem to be regarded as big enough independent subjects that they are not often discussed together. Introductions to both are presented in various parts of First Steps: 1 e4 e5.
www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7790.pdf
“... [First Steps: 1 e4 e5] is a fun and informative book. ...”
chesscafe.com/book-reviews/first-steps-1-e4-e5-by-john-emms/
I wonder if there is a butterscotch opening.

Thankssssss Buddy!!

@mkubecek said in #10:

Not sure where I saw it but I remember that one book presents this line (followed by 6. e5 d5) as a way (for black) to avoid the Scotch Gambit and transpose into Giuoco Piano. On the other hand, I have also seen some people calling the 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 line "Scotch Gambit"...

Thanks for this information!

@crtex said in #11:

I play Scotch Gambit most of the time. At my level it gets good results online and OTB. At our level you can choose whatever one you prefer, and no one can really make that decision for you.
It can transpose into Guicco Piano or 2 Knights variation which are fine.

Modern engine analysis however has found that Scotch Gambit can be completely neutralized if they play Bb4+, bxc3, Ba5, and Bb6. White simply does not gain an initiative. However this line is rarely ever played because most will go into the Guicco or 2 Knights which result in richer games.

Ok! But how does it goes in Guico piano...?

@mkubecek said in #10:

... Not sure where I saw it but I remember that one book presents this line [(1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Bc5 5 c3 Nf6)] (followed by 6. e5 d5) as a way (for black) to avoid the Scotch Gambit and transpose into Giuoco Piano.
If a game went 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Bc5 5 c3 Nf6 6 e5 d5, it would be very natural to say that it transposed from the Scotch Gambit (because of 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4) to the Giuoco Piano. If I remember correctly, GM Emms discussed the position in the Italian Game chapter, in connection with the 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 c3 Nf6 5 d4 exd4 6 e5 d5 move order.
@mkubecek said in #10:
On the other hand, I have also seen some people calling the 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 line "Scotch Gambit"...
The 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 c3 Nf6 5 d4 position has been considered in detail in many many Italian Game discussions without making any reference to the Scotch Gambit. See, for example, the GM Emms book, First Steps: 1 e4 e5.

@Finnessed said in #1:

Heyyy buds!
I am really confused and want you guys to help me out with it.
The thing is I play Guico painoissmo which doesn’t suits my personality at all and leads me to loosing or drawing as a results and hardly winning...
And as recommended by some of my friends and by u guys, I should play scotch...
Welll I researched about it, and scotch is divided in to two (scotch game [Nxd4] and scotch gambit [4.Bxc4]) and the question which was really better?! Also pls let me know some books about them...
Thank you,

Bruh Scotch and scotch are the same thing

@Finnessed said in #14:

... Ok! But how does [Scotch Gambit] goes in Guico piano...?
After 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Bc5 5 c3 Nf6, one has a position that is commonly discussed in connection with the Giuoco Piano.

@kindaspongey said in #17:

After 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Bc5 5 c3 Nf6, one has a position that is commonly discussed in connection with the Giuoco Piano.
Okey! But this only happens when I play scotch gambit c3 right? What if I don’t play that variation?

@Finnessed said in #18:

... Okey! But this only happens when I play scotch gambit c3 right? What if I don’t play that variation?
I am unable to say much unless I know what you have in mind to play after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4 Bc5.

If white does not play c3 at some point in the Scotch Gambit, or take the pawn on d4 (making it no longer a scotch gambit, but a worse version of the scotch game) they are usually much worse. You need to play c3 to remove the pawn on d4 in most lines. Transposition to Guicco is the standard and best way to play it after Bc5