Scandinavian Defense: Kádas Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
49,824 games: White 46.4% / Draw 5.3% / Black 48.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 17,25617K | ||
| 13,97314K | ||
| 7,5027,502 | ||
| 2,7542,754 | ||
| 2,3782,378 | ||
| 1,4401,440 | ||
| 1,2861,286 | ||
| 1,2551,255 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
+2.95 White is clearly better
Even so, Black scores 51.0% here in practice: wins plus half the draws in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500.
Best play: 5. cxb7 Bxb7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bb5 Qa5+ 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. O-O Bxc3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Scandinavian Defense: Kádas Gambit (ECO B01, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation, reached after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 c6 4. dxc6 e5 (4 moves).
In 49,824 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.4%, Black 48.3% and 5.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. dxe5, in 35% 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 Scandinavian Defense: Kádas Gambit
5. Nf3 scores best for White: 55.9%, with White winning 53.3% and Black 41.6% of 7,502 games. The most played answer, 5. dxe5, scores lowest: 43.6% in 17K games. Stockfish's first choice is 5. cxb7.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Scandinavian Defense: Kádas Gambit (B01)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/scandinavian-defense-kadas-gambit