Scandinavian
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.g3!?
There are 1,052 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but the main continuation remains 6.Ne5.
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| How should Black respond to the text? |
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6...Bf5
This has been played by many grandmasters, but the main line in Mega26 runs 6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bf4, when Black usually chooses between the aggressive 9...Qb4 and the passive 9...Qd8 (3...Qd6 guru Tiviakov has played both moves), with Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckoning White is clearly better in either case.
7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Qc7!?
Prophylaxis, the idea being to meet 9.Bf4 with 9...Bd6, but Tiviakov has preferred the more-common moves 8...h6 and 8...Be7.
9.Re1!? Be7!?
The problem with 9...Bd6, after 9.Re1, is White has 10.d5!?, when 10...Nxd5 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Nd4 obliges Black to allow 12...0-0 13.Nxf5, as 12...Bg6? can be met by 13.Nb5 Qe7 14.Bxd5!, or 13.Nxe6!? fxe6 14.Rxe6+, with the engines reckoning White is winning comfortably in both lines. Probably even worse is 10...cxd5?! 11.Nd4.
10.Bf4 Qd8
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| This position occurs 22 times in Mega26, but in all but one game it is Black to move |
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11.Ne5 0-0?!
The engines suggest 11...Nbd7.
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| How should White proceed? |
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12.g4!
This type of move is often double-edged, but here it definitely works.
12...Bg6 13.h4 h5?!
The engines prefer 13...Nd5!?, but after 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.h5 Be4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Rxe4 White has won a sound pawn.
14.g5
There are other good continuations, including 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.Qe2!?
14...Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Bf3
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 16.Nxg6 fxg6 17.Bg3.
16...Nd7 17.Bxh5
Stockfish18 again likes Nxg6, but Dragon1 prefers the text, at first, albeit eventually evaluating the two moves as roughly equally good.
17...Nxe5 18.dxe5
And here the engines are unsure whether the text or 18.Bxe5 is better. Note that 18.Bxe5 cannot be met by 18...Bxg5? as White has 19.Bxg6!, before capturing on g5.
18...Bf5 19.Bg4 Qd7 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Bg3
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| With the tactics having settled down, how big is White's advantage? |
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Black has the better bishop and the safer king, but White has an extra pawn, and chances of using the white majority for an attack on Black's king. The engines agree White is winning.
21...Bc5
21...Qh3 is not dangerous for White after 22.Qf3.
22.Kg2 Rae8
The engines suggest plunging in with 22...f6!? 23.exf6 gxf6, but it is far from clear whose king is more vulnerable.
23.Qf3!?
The engines like 23.Qd3, not being worried about the nuisance-value of 23...Qxd3 24.cxd3 Bd4.
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| After 23.Qf3!?, can Black get his pawn back? |
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Yes! The point being 23...Qxc2!? 24.Rac1 Qd2!? saves the black bishop. However, after 25.Red1 Qa5 26.a3 Bb6, White has gained valuable time, and the engines reckon 27.h5 leads to a winning kingside attack.
23...Qxf3+?!
Nevertheless, the engines agree Black should keep queens on, one way or another, eg by 23...Qe6 or 23...Qg6.
24.Kxf3 g6!? 25.Kg4 Kg6 26.Rad1 Re6 27.f4 Rh8 28.Rh1 Ree8 29.Rde1 Bb6 30.Re2 d4!?
Going for counterplay. It seems unlikely that passively defending on the kingside would work in the long run.
31.Rd1 c5 32.b3 Ba5 33.a4 a6 34.f5!?
This lets Black split White's majority, but in return the white king advances, and the h pawn becomes passed.
34...gxf5+
This is best, according to the engines.
35.Kxf5 Re6 36.Rf2 Bc7 37.Re1 Rhe8
Not 37...Rh5? 38.Kg4 Rh8 39.Rhf1.
38.Re2 b5 39.axb5 axb5 40.h5 c4 41.bxc4 bxc4 42.Rd1 Bb6 43.Re4
Not 43.Bf2? d3!
43...Rh8 44.h6+ Kh7 45.Bf2 d3 46.Bxb6 dxc2 47.Rc1 Rxb6 48.Rxc2
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| Black is losing a second pawn |
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48...Re8 49.Rcxc4 Rbe6 50.Rc7 Kg8 51.Rd7 Rg6 52.Rd6 Rge6 53.Rxe6 Rxe6 54.Rd4 1-0
