Scandinavian Declined

I've been using the Scandinavian defense (e4,d5 exd5,Qxd5) recently in chess, and I was wondering what to do if it is declined. If it is not declined its easy to set up a strong kingside position, but when it is declined, there seems to be no good move.

If by declined, you mean the line 1. e4 d5 2. e5, play 2... c5 and continue the game as if you were playing an advanced French.
If you mean 1. e4 d5 2. Nc3, you have the choice to simply exchange the pawn yourself (2... exd5 3. Nxd5), or to push the pawn (2... d4 3. Nce2 e5).

Hi ! e4,d5,exd5,Qxd5 are the most played moves for a reason : white can capitalize on black's early queen recapture to develop his pieces with tempo (e.g 3. Nc3 then later Bd2 if black goes into 3... Qa5 lines) - all in all the scandinavian is a very forcing opening; kinda like a gambit, best fighted by accepting it, as white has little to fear if he walks into its main lines.

According to Lichess's (somewhat small) database, 1.e4 d5 2.e5 has been played only 85 times -21308 for exd5- here black has no problem whatsoever playing 2... c5! and transposing into an advance french or caro kann like setup, with the c8 lightsquare bishop inside or outside the pawn-chain, as e6 will be played at some point to fortify the center. Stat is really good for black and speaks for itself: 18% white wins, 34% draws, 49% black wins (!)

Alternately, you can encounter some 2.Nc3 or 2.d4 business;

• 2.Nc3 I would recommend a rock solid variation: 2... dxe4 3.Nxe4 Bf5 4.Ng3 Bg6 - transposing once again into a caro kann, but this is personal taste (I play both the CK and the 3...Qd6 scandinavian so it makes sense for me)
• 2.d4 can play out in hyperaggresive fashion. I would recommend 2... dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 Bg4, and this is blackmar diemer gambit territory - there's more sound approaches out there for sure, but again you need to find your own response to it.

My advice would be to study the advance french/caro kann common plans in conjonction to your scandinavian defense to build up a coherent repertoire - it is very likely that you will transpose into either of them. Cheers !

Thanks!

I strongly disagree with the people who said that after 1.e4 d5 2.e5?! black should transpose to an advance French because black hasn't committed to Pe6, which means that unlike in the advance French their light-squared is free to develop outside the pawn chain and that makes a huge difference. E.g. after 1.e4 d5 2.e5 c5 3.Nf3 Bg4 black is already more than okay. If 3.c3 Bf5 =+. Same thing on 3.Nc3.

@wolfCR Fun Fact: if white plays 2. Nc3 you could if you want to, transpose back into a normal scandinavian:

1. e4 d5
2. Nc3 dxe4
3. Nxe4 Qd5 :))))

if white goes back to c3 with the attacked knight on e4 you can play your queen to whatever square you want, e.g. Qa5, Qd6, Qd8 and you have a normal scandinavian again.

However I think the most critical move after 2. Nc3 is 2. ... d4. I think this is the most principled move since usually black has less space and now he can gain space himself.

@wolfCR technically if declining the Scandi is a mistake. Scandi players should be excited when their opponents play e5 because that gives them an improved French. Even Stockfish gives e5 an inaccuracy mark

@wolfCR Here's a rundown of Scandinavian declined lines:

1. e4 d5 2. e5?! c5 3. c3 Bf5 4. d4 e6 = leaves black with a favorable french defense with the light square bishop already out. While white can try to trade the bishop by mving 5. Bd3, after 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3, white's queen is kind of exposed. However, without that trade, the position is just fine for white. But 1. e4 d5 2. e5?! is still inferior.

2. e4 d5 2. d3?! makes white lose castling rights after 2... dxe4 3. dxe4 Qxd1+ 4. Kxd1, but it doesn't look like black can get an advantage from there on out.

3. e4 d5 2. Nc3 transposes to the Dunst Opening (1. Nc3) and is ok for white after 2... dxe4 or 2... d4.

4. e4 d5 2. Nf3?! is an unsound, but trappy gambit. Black can either hold on to the pawn after 2... dxe4 3. Ng5 Nf6 (4. Bc4 e6), with a small advantage, but 3. Ng5 e5! 4. Nxe4 f5! is better for black due to a lead in development and large center.

5. e4 d5 2. f3?! is fine for white after 2... dxe4 3. fxe4 e5 4. Nf3 Nc6, which transposes to a King's Gambit Declined line, buf 2... e5! is much better, giving black an advantage after 3. exd5 Qxd5.

6. e4 d5 2. c3?! wins the pawn back after 2... dxe4 3. Qa4+ Nc6 4. Qxe4 Nf6, but leaves black with a huge lead in development.

7. e4 d5 2. d4?! is the arguably dubious Blackmar-Deimer Gambit.

8. e4 d5 2. f4? is bad, but for some reason, this line has a name (Williams Gambit), and for some reason 1. e4 d5 2. b4? also has a name (Zilbermints Gambit).

9. e4 d5 2. h3?! may be an intention to transpose to a reversed Englund Gambit, but while the Englund Gambit is trappy (I have made so many people fall for the 1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 4. Bf4 Qb4+ 5. Bd2 (if 5. c3, then Qxf4, same is true for 5. Nbd2 and 5. Nc3) Qxb2 6. Bc3?? Bb4!), it is dubious if white knows what he/she is doing.

10. e4 d5 2. Qe2?!, while regaining the pawn after 2... dxe4 3. Qxe4 Nf6, also leaves black with a huge lead in development.

Any other move mentioned here is probably also dubious.

Conclusion: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 is probably the best move to make.

there no problem 1. e4 d5 2. e5 c5 3. c3 Bf5 no opening problems
there two good moves 2. Nc3 reversed Nizmowitsch or d4 Blackmar Diemer gambit
2. Nf3?! also possible
you can play 2. d3 d3 e4 systems
black have no problem ıf you don't play exd5 because you allowed d5 to equalize game with black pieces