Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Geschev Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
1,093,463 games: White 46.8% / Draw 4.2% / Black 48.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 814,888815K | ||
| 142,981143K | ||
| 76,66477K | ||
| 24,54825K | ||
| 15,02915K | ||
| 5,3715,371 | ||
| 3,7143,714 | ||
| 2,8432,843 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 20, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.84 White is better
Best play: 4. dxc6 Nxc6 5. Nf3 e5 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. d4 e4 8. Ne5 O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: Black scores 48% both under 1400 and at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 351K | |
| 1400–1799 | 749K | |
| 1800–2199 | 634K | |
| 2200 and up | 41K | |
| Masters, over the board | — | no games |
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Geschev Gambit (ECO B02, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, reached after 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. exd5 c6 (3 moves).
In 1,093,463 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.8%, Black 48.9% and 4.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. dxc6, in 75% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Geschev Gambit
4. d4 scores best for White: 51.2%, with White winning 49.0% and Black 46.6% of 143K games. The most played answer, 4. dxc6, scores lowest: 48.7% in 815K games. Stockfish's first choice is 4. dxc6.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Popularity by year
The Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Geschev Gambit has stayed between 0.037% and 0.043% of Lichess games a year since 2016 (0.043% in 2025).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.037% | 13,096 |
| 2017 | 0.041% | 22,495 |
| 2018 | 0.042% | 32,763 |
| 2019 | 0.043% | 53,717 |
| 2020 | 0.042% | 122,685 |
| 2021 | 0.042% | 165,021 |
| 2022 | 0.043% | 161,913 |
| 2023 | 0.042% | 157,701 |
| 2024 | 0.042% | 151,118 |
| 2025 | 0.043% | 149,944 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.042% | 45,530 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Geschev Gambit (B02)”. Lichess data as of 20 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/alekhine-defense-scandinavian-variation-geschev-gambit