Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Exchange Variation, Marshall Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
230,520 games: White 42.7% / Draw 5.2% / Black 52.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 171,387171K | ||
| 22,93923K | ||
| 17,77518K | ||
| 8,1018,101 | ||
| 5,2945,294 | ||
| 978978 | ||
| 969969 | ||
| 690690 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.63 Black is slightly better
Best play: 4... Qxd4 5. Qe2 Nf6 6. Be3 Qd8 7. Nf3 e6 8. a3 Be7 9. Rd1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the worse this line does for White: White scores 53% under 1400, 47% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 247K | |
| 1400–1799 | 293K | |
| 1800–2199 | 90K | |
| 2200 and up | 4,746 | |
| Masters, over the board | 1 |
Master 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
Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Exchange Variation, Marshall Gambit (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Exchange Variation, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 (4 moves).
In 230,520 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.7%, Black 52.2% and 5.2% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Qxd4, in 74% 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 Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Exchange Variation, Marshall Gambit
The most played answer, 4…Qxd4, also scores best for Black: 58.2%, with Black winning 55.4% and White 39.0% of 171K games. Of the main answers, 4…Qd8 scores lowest: 43.0%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…Qxd4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black'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 Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Exchange Variation, Marshall Gambit dipped to 0.0068% of Lichess games in 2017 and has recovered since: 0.0088% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.008% | 2,844 |
| 2017 | 0.0068% | 3,765 |
| 2018 | 0.007% | 5,518 |
| 2019 | 0.0078% | 9,764 |
| 2020 | 0.0087% | 25,396 |
| 2021 | 0.0094% | 36,902 |
| 2022 | 0.0093% | 35,098 |
| 2023 | 0.0092% | 34,718 |
| 2024 | 0.0093% | 33,458 |
| 2025 | 0.0088% | 30,489 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.0084% | 9,234 |
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. “Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Exchange Variation, Marshall Gambit (B00)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzowitsch-defense-scandinavian-variation-exchange-variation-marshall-gambit