Chess Codex
Tree path 2 levels King's Pawn Game › Scandinavian Defense
  1. Chess Codex
  2. King's Pawn Game B00
  3. Scandinavian Defense B01 you are here
B01

Scandinavian Defense

Open in Lichess
Share: X Reddit Telegram Facebook
Play from here → Click pieces to play, or use ← / → arrows.

Overview

Scandinavian Defense is a specific line in the Semi-Open Games family (ECO B01), arising from a recognised theoretical position.

The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.

It begins with 2 plies and takes 1. e4 d5 to reach the canonical position.

The line is a first-level refinement of King's Pawn Game.

The line has 7 documented children — Scandinavian Defense, Blackburne-Kloosterboer Gambit, Boehnke Gambit, and others being widely played.

Counted recursively, this branch covers 45 sub-variations at all depths.

Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.

ECO code
B01
Group
Semi-Open Games (B)
Plies
2
Parent
King's Pawn Game
Direct variations
7
Total in subtree
45

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

132,171,448 games · White 48.3% / Draw 4.8% / Black 46.9%

MovesGamesW / D / B
exd5102,226,965
e513,114,584
Nf37,040,512
Nc34,399,190
d42,367,405
d31,035,635
f4521,800
f3367,105

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 00:50:05

Write a description

Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links). Submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Variations (7)

Related variations at the same level

Sister lines that share the same parent King's Pawn Game:

Show all 45 sub-variations (full subtree)

https://chesscodex.org/openings/scandinavian-defense