Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation

The Mieses-Kotroc Variation (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5) is the classical form of the Scandinavian Defense: Black takes back the pawn with the queen at once. Black hopes for a free game with easy development, at the cost of a tempo, since the queen is usually chased with 3.Nc3.

Origins

The Scandinavian is perhaps the oldest recorded opening: it appears in a fictional game in the Catalan poem Scachs d'amor, written around 1475, and the retreat 3...Qd8 that features there is now called the Valencian Variation. Joseph Henry Blackburne and Jacques Mieses often played the defence and developed its theory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bent Larsen's win with it over Anatoly Karpov at Montreal 1979 gave it a boost in popularity, and Magnus Carlsen beat Fabiano Caruana with the Scandinavian at the 2014 Chess Olympiad.

The idea

After 3.Nc3 the queen has to move again. Black then aims for quick development, often with ...c6, ...Nf6 and ...Bf5, reaching a structure that resembles the Caro-Kann Defense. In the main lines both sides can castle on either side of the board.

Main lines

• 3.Nc3 Qa5, the main line and the most popular choice. The main line runs 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bd2 e6, often reached by other move orders. 4.b4!?, the Leonhardt Gambit, also called the Kotrč–Mieses Gambit, is considered dubious against a prepared opponent.
• 3.Nc3 Qd8, the Valencian Variation. Before the 20th century it was often considered the main line, and Howard Staunton called it best; today it is considered playable but somewhat passive.
• 3.Nc3 Qd6, the Gubinsky-Melts Defense, long poorly regarded but shown to be playable in many grandmaster games since the mid-1990s.
• Alternatives to 3.Nc3 include 3.d4, which can transpose to the Nimzowitsch Defense after 3...Nc6, and the flexible 3.Nf3.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Simple development and a solid, Caro-Kann-like structure in the main line.
• Many Caro-Kann players have adopted it to widen their repertoire.

Weaknesses

• The early queen move costs time; White gains a tempo with 3.Nc3.
• Other queen moves on move three, such as 3...Qe5+ or 3...Qe6+, are considered inferior.

Who should play it

The Mieses-Kotroc suits Black players who want a straightforward answer to 1.e4 with clear development, and Caro-Kann players looking for a related second weapon.

The numbers

On Lichess White's lead shrinks as ratings rise: 53.5% against 42.3% under 1400, 50.6% against 45.0% at 1400–1799, 48.7% against 46.0% at 1800–2199 and 47.5% against 45.0% from 2200 up. In about 16,600 master games White won 37.8%, Black 23.9%, and 38.3% were drawn.